CoDA, Inc. Board of Trustees

Minutes
January 7th, 2023

Day/Time: Saturday - 8-9:30 am Pacific Time

Acknowledging that we are all here for our personal recovery.
The mission of the CoDA Board of Trustees is to ensure the longevity and fiscal health of the organization, to support the Fellowship’s ongoing service work, to promote CoDA unity and to reach the still suffering codependents.

Attendance and order of round robin – Barbara, Florence, Joe, Katherine, Lisa, Steve, Tina, Yaniv, Gail

*Absent: Faith, Terry d (CoDA Literature Committee - representing the Chairs Forum)
NOTE: Steve (Board Alternate #1) will be voting in this meeting on behalf of Faith

Check in:

Start recording:

CONSENT AGENDA

Motions via email or Executive Session:

12-18-22 Executive Session:

• MOTION: The Board moves to create a program to provide $1,000 grants to Voting Entities, to establish a publishing start up for CoDA literature in translation. This motion supersedes Board Motion #18215 from 2018.
  
  Intent: To assist Voting Entities or upcoming VEs to begin to publish CoDA endorsed literature that they have translated to their language. To help spread recovery.
  
  First: Barbara, Second: Florence,

Vote: Unanimous approval.

Treasurer’s Report:

MOTION TO APPROVE: Above Consent Agenda.

Moved: Steve S         Second: Barbara        Vote: Unanimous

WEBSITE

CoDA.org update - issues being worked on:
 

• Website: Update on switching Web server: Nothing new yet. Still looking at changing the website server. Need to set a meeting; Barbara sent a reminder to the web developer.
• Meeting Search Issues: Complaints have slowed down.
• Meeting updates: Not sure where FSW is at with it; Info asked to be removed from alias. We asked them to stay on and they agreed. Barbara will reach out to the FSW.
• December: Drafting Voting Entity Literature: Material to be available, working on how to allow for feedback on the website. Working on updating website page. The Webmaster made a few minor changes.
  • December GC: Update one of the sliders: Remove the Covid slider and replace with “Pending Conference Approval - Draft Literature”: In process
  • January Update: Covid slider is still appearing. Need to remove the first slider regarding the 2022 Holiday CoDAThon. In process
  • From Dec 18th Board Workgroup: Jpeg link on website @ acceptable logo, all can access the acceptable logos Request to web liaison
    Update: Barbara emailed us the Spanish logos. They need to be uploaded to website at: https://coda.org/proper-use-of-the-coda-logo/

Action Item: Florence will direct Carlos to upload the hi-resolution logos to the website

Action Item: Katherine will direct Brenda to upload the hi-res logos to the FSM
 

• Update: have these been accomplished? English should be done and may be incomplete. Gail didn’t see the Spanish logos.
   

Action Item: Florence and Gail will work together to complete the acceptable logo uploads.

Action Item: Gail will send an email to the Email Coordinator thanking him for the work on the CoDA-thon.

TASK FORCES:

• Delegates Relations Task Force DRTF@coda.org:
  Board Liaison: Katherine, Backup: Tina
  Report: Need to provide Zoom Host Key to the Task Force. Tina attended yesterday. Katherine will work with Tina on the Host key. We can make Tina an alternate host. Katherine will send the DRTF an email re: the host key issue.

Action Item: Katherine & Tina need assistance setting up a host key for DRTF meetings.
 

• Alternate Format Meeting Task Force (AFMTF) AlternativeFormatMeeting@CoDA.org
  Board Liaison: Florence, Backup: Faith
  Report: Currently Gail is the backup until Faith is able to return to the position. Been a bit frustrating. There is some disagreement and confusion about their purpose and what they are doing. Difficulty agreeing on a date for a meeting. Date set for 1/12/23. Gail, Flo and VEL will attend. Had questions about the Bylaws and making changes; process for changing them explained. May need some empowerment to take actions. May need to do a group inventory to get on track.

Round robin discussion:

Katherine: Meeting with Russia AFM - may be able to attend to help. Questions raised about Russian AFM being separate VE. Russia went through IMC to be recognized.

It appears the AFM task force has lost sight of its goal.

Can we divide the alternative format meetings by language spoken in the meeting?

IMC is addressing the Russia issue now; they would be helpful to this task force.

Action Item: Katherine will send an email to Flo & Gail regarding the AFMTF and the Russian VE for the AFM’s.

• Gender Inclusive Language Task Force (GILTF@CoDA.org) :
  Board Liaison: Faith, Backup: Lisa
  Report: December: 10 volunteers thus far. They need to go on the email alias.
  January Update: Nothing started just yet

Round Robin:

backup liaison: reach out to Faith to ask what’s next step
Lisa will be primary for now until she returns

Action Item: Lisa will contact Faith and ask her what’s the next step for GILTF.

Action Item: Gail will update liaison list to reflect Lisa as Primary for GILTF until Faith returns

OLD BUSINESS: 

• Two 2022 CSC motions that passed by Simple Majority (did not pass ⅔ vote), thus not binding on the Board:
  1) World Connections Committee (WCC) Motion: 22059: Motion: (Simplified) CoDA approved literature available in the languages of CoDA Fellowship worldwide.
  Liaison: Florence, Backup: Lisa
  Update: They canceled their meeting on 1/16/23. Florence will contact them about a new meeting with board members. In Process
  2) Communications (Comm) Motion: 22049 (Resolved - See motion that passed unanimously to adopt simplified wording that was created via a 2x2 with Communications committee and the Board.
   

NEW BUSINESS: 
 

• Fellowship Service Manual (FSM) Update: In process. Setup date and time to meet by video to work on the update. Scheduled meeting with Katherine and FSW happening today if available. Gail and Barbara can join at 2 pm Pacific.

Action Item: Katherine will coordinate the FSM update meeting for 1/7/23.
 

• Quarterly Service Report (QSR) is due by January 15th.: In process for Lisa

Action Item: Lisa will talk with Gail about the QSR.
 

• MOTION TO APPROVE 12-03-2022 Public Board Meeting Minutes
  
  This will be posted on CoDA.org at https://coda.org/service-info/board-minutes/

Action Item: Lisa will send the 12-03-2022 Public Board Meeting Minutes by email for approval.

• Barbara: Unused Cash Donations for Books H&I

Lou’s Response:

Hi Barbara,

That has been a concern of mine for a while, too.  We modified our donation form a few years ago to say

"Money is received as a 7th Tradition donation. If the program is over-supported at the end of the year, funds may be used for other purposes in support of CoDA, Inc."

I have copies of the form dated 2017 09 18 that has that wording on it.

I ran a report from 1/1/2018 to 1/1/2023 which shows that we received $11,288.76 posted for Books for Inmates and Institutions (BFII).  Only $9,108.40 was posted to the class of H&I Books, the balance was posted to General Fellowship Services.

During that same period, Expenses for the BFII program was $8,573.10 split between H&I and H&I Books.

In 2018 & 2022 H&I had F2F meetings costing $6,456.79.

I see two options, and I am sure that there are more.

A) So in one sense we can say that the amount set aside could be used to fund the BFII from 2018-2022 and all the income received during that time is used for other purposes in support of CoDA, Inc.  The funds that were set aside did not have the disclaimer and were to be used to fund the BFII program.

B) The other way to handle it would be to move just the amount used this year posted to H&I Books back to the general budget and repeat this process each year until gone. The funds that were set aside did not have the disclaimer "If the program is over-supported at the end of the year, funds may be used for other purposes in support of CoDA, Inc." and therefore need to be tied directly to the BFII program in some way.

I think that it would take a motion of the Board to document the return of the funds to the general  budget, not just a decision of the treasurer and a member of the finance and H&I committee. My preference is for B), but we may want to talk to the finance committee and then the board on this.

Lou

Tabled for now; waiting for the Finance committee’s recommendation for action which may lead to a Board motion.

Round Robin:

If the money is designated for Books for Inmates, it should be used for that.

Board paid CoRe for the books from CoDA’s general fund and not with the money set aside for Books for Inmates; could be reimbursed to CoDA.

Sounds like a process issue; it needs to be clarified.

Use the money has earmarked and reimburse the CoDA general fund

Moving forward: use the funds and then go back to CoDA for paying for it.

How much money does H & I use for their programs? Use it for them instead of reimbursing CoDA.

Action Item: Barbara will contact the Bookkeeper to get some info on what was actually spent on Books for Inmates.

• CSC Prep (Lisa): Laurie C asked about a message regarding interpretation/translation: “Working with Carole last year, we suggested adding the wording in red and that was done. I'd like to add this to the agenda and ask Lisa to get with the Board to see if they want to use this same message and/or make any changes. If we plan to offer languages other than Spanish, those can certainly be added.

Interpretation/Translation

CoDA World embraces the multilingual and cultural diversity the Fellowship holds around the world. The CoDA Board recognizes it is easier than ever for groups and individuals, without English as a primary language, to enjoy and stay current with CoDA international events and activities like the CoDA Service Conference (CSC) which gives CoDA as a whole direction, CoDA International Convention (ICC) where living the program is shared, Board meetings, World Committees, and the website.

Voting Entities and Intergroups are already playing an active role in inclusivity and the global reach to carry the message of recovery to the still-suffering codependent in a familiar language. The coda.org website now has a translation feature for multiple languages. Publishing translated CoDA literature is another avenue and groups are interpreting during events such as at the annual business of CSC, and the ICC workshops. A simple practical process has been effective, for the latter, coordinating at the local level bilingual members who are willing to interpret.

With this processes, CoDA World committees and events will continue to become familiar and enjoyed by members, no matter where you are in the world or what language is spoken. The Board encourages these endeavors to further the experience of world connections and its global reach. CEC (CoDA Events Committee), WCC (World Connections Committee), IMC (Issues Mediation Committee), TMC (Translations Management Committee) and World Outreach Committee can be reached to support these efforts and to connect members and countries with one another for a global reach. To contact any committee, please email info@coda.org.

If you are interested in attending the 2023 CSC (or future CSCs)  and working in the English language would hamper your attendance, please reach out to IMCVEL@coda.org for information.

Spanish interpretation will be offered.

Action Item: Lisa will extend the discussion to email for possible email vote on the CSC Prep issue regarding translation/interpretation for 2023

Next Public Board Meeting – February 4th, 2023 @ 8 AM Pacific (1st Sat of month)

Next Workgroup Meeting: January 15th, 2022 @ 9 AM Pacific (3rd Sunday of  month)

Note: Changed via email GC from 8 am to 9 am.
(See email:GC needed 3rd Sunday Workgroups - can we start at 9 AM versus 8 AM)

Move to Executive Session:

board@coda.org

2019-2023 minutes: https://coda.org/service-info/board-minutes/

The preceding message was from The CoDA Board Of Trustees, board@coda.org

You can review previous emails here: https://codependents.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi/list/main/

If you have a friend who would like to subscribe, please have them go here: https://www.codependents.org/sub.htm

If you have a general question about CoDA (as opposed to the specific content of this email), please email info@coda.org

If you wish more information by phone, please call (888) 444-2359 {Toll free} or (602) 277-7991

For Spanish inquiries you may email espanol@coda.org or call (888) 444-2379 {Spanish toll free}.