Day 2

·         12 Steps, 12 Traditions, Service Concepts, Serenity Prayer, Welcome, Introductions, Announcements

·         Co-NNections Committee – Gary, MD

• All are invited to visit Co-NNections at coda.org/co-nnections.php
• Committee provides online venue for CoDA members to share their thoughts about their recovery journey

·         Hospitals and Institutions – Yumi, NorCal

• Motion: To include the description of the committee in the Fellowship Service Manual (FSM) – passed no one against, 1 abstention
• Accomplishments

o   “H&I Service Manual” in process

o   Served as a resource to institutions

o   Created tracking system and spreadsheet to track literature distribution

• Created email listserve contact list to communicate with H&I area contacts, intergroups, & individual members
• Worked with CoRE and Finance to improve the efficiency of shipping and tracking donations and expenditures for the Books for Inmates program which is being renamed the Books for Inmates and Institutions program

·         Finance Committee – Explain the Budget Process

• Prudent reserve = 3 times average of last 3e years actual expenditures. For this year(2012) PR IS $301,500.00
• Some estimates were a little out of line with previous actual, so estimates were cut where necessary to more reasonable number.(i.e. $1000 for committee chair’s to travel to CSC, $750 per person for face to face, higher amounts for trustees from outside the US).
• Philosophy: CSC is a necessary CoDA event and must be funded. Convention is a fellowship recovery event and should be self supporting through its own contributions (fees charged cover expenses). More will be revealed.

·         TMC

• Motion: To publish the CoDA Book in Spanish and other languages without the stories be printed and renamed the abridged Codependents Anonymous book – passed unanimously
• Why haven’t more countries been able to get permission to translate and publish literature?
• As part of working out such an agreement a country must demonstrate that they will be able to publish and distribute the literature being translated
• The cost involved in publishing and distributing literature is very high and many countries cannot afford to do so

·         Service Structure Committee (SSC) – Flo F., MD

• Motion – To include a column for email address in the “about the Phone List” item – passed unanimously
• Motion –To modify the Fellowship Service Manual(FSM) and the Meeting Starter Packet (MSP) so that they are two separate documents – passed with no one against, 1 abstention
• Motion – To clarify description in the FSM concerning open, closed and restricted meetings –35 for, 2 against, 5 abstentions
• Motion - to change the FSM/MSP FAQ section to clarify that the CoDA Tax ID Number, also known as the Employer Identification Number (EIN) is not for use by any other level of CoDA except the corporate level – motion tabled to correct wording
• Motion - To add the following language to Section 9 of the Fellowship Service Manual, under the CoDA Board of Trustees Position Description – tabled to re-craft
• Demonstration of skills and abilities while doing CoDA service in your Voting Entity / Intergroup/ community for at least one year
• Service experience on a CoDA standing committee for at least one year
• Previous attendance at a CoDA Service Conference
• Delegate service for at least one year
• Fluency in English
• Motion - To modify the meeting update form in the Service Manual to match the current  database entry form on the website – passed unanimously

·         International Task Force- Jim Y, NorCal and JudiAnn, Board Chair

• Looking into other fellowships to see how they work, and what we can learn from them and how to adapt them. Also what outreach projects are used in other 12 Step Programs.
• The only thing that has been done so far is the formation of the task force.

·         Issues Mediation Committee (IMC) – Natasha K, AZ

• Motion - To edit the FSM IMC description to assist the fellowship with the mediation process & to rearrange a couple of IMC description lines to improve positioning – passed with no one against and 6 abstentions - passed by 2/3 vote
• Motion - To change the process of handling a dispute that involves a Board liaison since the old process could result in a conflict of interest
• Minor changes were made to the motion to change the word “submit” to “may submit” to ensure that people understand that whether to bring a dispute to IMC is a choice not a requirement
• A con statement was made that the Board is the governing body of CoDA. The general response was to remind everyone of Tradition 2 which says ”For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority: a loving Higher Power as expressed to our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”
• Motion passed 31 for, 4 against, 6 abstentions – passed by 2/3 vote
• Motion – to correct items that were accidentally dropped from a prior edit and to add new verbiage to ensure that a member of one group may not be removed from that service by a member of any other group but rather a discussion should be held to discuss a possible temporary break from that service – 30 for, 7 against, 3 abstentions – passed by 2/3 vote
• Motion – 1)people involved in a dispute are expected to follow the FSM and ByLaws and 2) if the Board or a Board member are involved in a dispute an irresolvable dispute may be brought to the CSC with names and title removed to protect confidentiality and 3) consequences may be applied by the Board of Trustees or CSC, working with IMC, to a trusted servant who excessively violates FSM policies and/or ByLaws
• A pro was presented for this motion because we have a hole in our current process and this motion is intended to fill it
• Cons were made by 2 board members and legal counsel – motion passed 24 for, 12 against, 4 abstentions

·         Communication Committee – Evie, SoCal

• Communication is the newest committee, having been created 2 years ago after 2 years as a Task Force
• The purpose of the Committee is to improve communication throughout CoDA and to improve access to information about CoDA to codependents throughout the world
• Motion – Change the CoDA Telephone Point of Contact section of the FSM to say the following:
• A system that will provide meeting information and answers to questions using available technology to keep costs at a minimal level without diminishing service. CoDA volunteers should be used where possible
• Passed unanimously
• Motion – To define Task Forces and Ad Hoc committees in the FSM; to define the procedure to be used by the Board if creating one between CSC meetings and to agree that any current Task Force or Ad Hoc committee created not using the above process will be disbanded and recreated following the correct procedures - passed 30 for, 6 against, 7 abstentions - passed by 2/3 vote
• Motion – Add the following bullet to the FSM:
• No content changes may be made to a committee’s QSR submission without mutual agreement unless legal issues are involved
• Passed by voice vote 1 against, 0 abstentions - passed by 2/3 vote
• Motion – recognize the existence of the Chairs Forum as a working entity within CoDA and add a purpose statement FSM – Approved unanimously with 2 abstentions
• Motion – Replace 3 sections of the FSM related to communication with new sections modified to reflect how we now do business utilizing newer available technologies
• Time ran out during crafting of the motion so we tabled the motion to Old Business and committee will present a revised motion which suggested changes
• Motion – CoDA Board will ensure that the CoDA business calendar is up to date and available in the Committee Workarea section of the website – not covered because of lack of time