Agenda - April 2025

Agenda subject to change.

🛜 NOTE! The April 2025 assembly will be hybrid (both in person and online). Please get acquainted with how to join online at area41.org/hybrid.

Schedule

Saturday, April 5, 2025
8:00 AM - 8:45 AMFirst Timer Orientation Important for 1st-time attendees
9:00 AM - 10:00 AMArea Committee Meetings (DCMs Assigned)
Agenda/Workshop (26/23/28)
Archives/Archivist (5/4/11)
Cooperation with the Professional Community/Public Information (2/31/32)
Corrections (1/12/20)
Finance (25/9/30)
Grapevine (16/22/8)
Literature (24/7/6)
Report & Charter/Newsletter/Taper/Registrar (19/3/18)
Treatment/Accessibilities & Accommodations/Remote Communities (29/10/15)
Technology & Communications (13/14/21)
All GSRs are strongly encouraged to attend the committee meeting of their choice.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AMCOMMITTEE SHOWCASE All Members
10:45 AM - 11:00 AMOverview GSC Discussion/ How to Participate this WeekendAll Members
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM75th GSC Hot Topic Sharing SessionAll Members
12:15 PM - 2:00 PMLunch *on your own* May the force be with you!
2:00 PM - 4:30 PMGSC Breakout Discussions-
Pick whichever committee interests YOU
All Members
4:45 PM - 6:00 PMGSC Overview Sharing SessionAll Members
6:00 PM - 8:00 PMDinner *on your own* Don't get lost!
8:00 PM - CloseScott H. Class B Trustee and GSB Chair
Kamloops BC, Canada
Speaker and ASK IT BASKET
bit.ly/area41question

All Members encouraged to attend and please participate with button below!

Button: Ask It Basket bit.ly/area41question
Sunday, April 6, 2025
8:00 AM - 8:45 AMOpen A.A. Breakfast MeetingAll Members Welcome!
9:00 AM - 10:45 AM Officer/DCM/Committee Highlights
Clarify Agenda Items after each committee report.
All Members
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM ishArea 41 Business Meeting:
-Roll Call
-Old Business/New Business
-Agenda Items Moved to Vote
-New Agenda Items Presented
All Members

Old Business: Voting Items (5)

✅(VOTE) Agenda Item 2024-04-06 002 Technology & Communications (with consultation of Report & Charter):

Dissolve the Taper service position and create a new Audio-Visual service position in its place. Because this position requires special skills and continuity, it will remain a six-year appointment. Area Chairperson to appoint. The service position would be overseen by the Technology and Communications Committee.

Scope:

  • Ensure proper storage and adequate security of applicable equipment, and timely delivery and setup for Area assemblies.
  • Manage the microphones/sound systems.
  • Ensure that Area assemblies are audio-recorded, and that recordings are provided to the Chairperson and Secretary, and to the Archives.
    • Provide audio recording of other Area functions as requested by Chairperson, subject to the availability of the Audio-Visual servant.
  • Make sure the projectors are working.
  • Assist with slide sharing, logistics and/or hosting for virtual or hybrid assemblies.

Amend budget to move Taper position lodging, mileage, and “Area Taping” expense lines from Secretary to Technology and Communications Committee, and rename appropriately. Update lodging to be for two nights per assembly, to allow servant to arrive on Friday with equipment. 

Amend the Area 41 Service Handbook to appropriately reflect these changes, and sunset any past actions in conflict.

✅(VOTE) Agenda Item 2025 Corrections 01-11 017:

The Area 41 Correctional Facilities Committee recommends the name of the committee be changed to Corrections. The name change would mirror the General Service Board (GSB) service structure and reflect what Area 41 currently calls the committee.

📌Background (click to hide/show)

In the Area 41 Service Handbook, Eighth Edition, 2024; Page 2, Section V. B. 3, the committee is named, Correctional Facilities Committee, yet it is referred to as Corrections in the Area 41 Nebraska News (newsletter). The General Service Board (GSB) service structure uses the name Corrections. The name change would mirror the GSB and reflect what Area 41 is doing in practice.

✅(VOTE) 2022-04-02 006 Agenda Item Report & Charter:

Update the scope of the Area Secretary (Area 41 Service Handbook page 11) to add item iv, “Send out an electronic Area 41 highlights communication to the Fellowship, suggested within two weeks of each Assembly, to include but not limited to, the results of the voting items and the voting items for the upcoming Assembly.”

📌Background (click to hide/show)

Area 41 relies on several avenues of communication in order for Area business to happen through an informed group conscience – the Area 41 Newsletter, DCMs communicating back to their district/groups, GSRs communicating back to their group, etc. The Area 41 Newsletter is printed quarterly following each Area Assembly including the agenda for the next assembly, new business assigned to committees, and reports from officers, committees, and districts from the previous assembly. Over the years, there have been challenges in producing the newsletter in a timely fashion ensuring districts and groups are able to have an informed group conscience on matters being voted on at the Area assembly. Over the last several rotations, frustrations have been raised by varying members of Area 41 and each rotation has worked hard to improve communication to ensure all groups are able to participate in the business of the Area. During the 2022-2023 Rotation, the Report and Charter committee tested a few new ideas to see if they would improve communication. The first was an addition to the newsletter explaining how any member could receive a digital copy by signing up with the Secretary. The second was for the Secretary to send an Area Highlights message that included the results of the voting items from the Assembly and the upcoming voting items. The Highlights message ensured that groups and districts would be able to form an informed group conscience without a newsletter delay impacting the group conscience process. Positive feedback was received by the committee and as a result, the committee proposes continuing the Highlights message in future rotations.

✅(VOTE) 2022-04-02 005 (a1) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc:

Have a (voting) Business Meeting at 3 of our 4 Area 41 assemblies each year. Business Meetings would take place in April, October, and January. July would be a one day Service Assembly focused on workshops, fellowship, helping to educate our members and trusted servants, and may or may not include committee meetings. Any changes would begin after any current Area 41 hotel contract. If contract negotiations are taking place, those plans supersede the timing of this Agenda item.

The passing of this agenda item shall suspend: AGENDA ITEM 2011-09-17 013 Agenda Area 41 consider scheduling Area 41 Business Meetings in January, March, July, and October with reunion meeting date to remain in June.

📌Background (click to hide/show)

Comparatively, many other Areas spend more time studying the concepts of AA,training future leaders, and enjoying themselves, rather than spending much time arguing about business. A large portion of the time of the business meeting is roll call, & wordsmithing, & we could do that less. Cutting that time by having fewer business meetings is one item that would assist in the efficiency of time. We are seeking to make Area more efficient, not to take anything away.

The ad hoc committee feels the Area could adequately conduct its business in 2 business meetings, but understands the hesitancy to make such a drastic change, so our recommendation has changed from “2” to “3” business meetings.

The ad hoc committee feels that it would be of importance to see if, having a larger gap between business meetings (i.e. newsletters) would also help to improve the inform group conscience by giving each group the necessary time to receive, discuss, and reflect on voting items before bring the voice of their group to the Area for a final vote. The longer gap between business meetings (April to October), can provide a comparison with our current format and timeframes (January through April), and perhaps inform future actions.

The July assembly could or could not be limited to: committee meetings, workshops, speakers, orientations, and anything else. With the addition of a hybrid option, there are now more opportunities for members to participate.

Area 41 is tasked with considering what is fiscally responsible. Meeting space used to be included for free at hotels & hotel rooms were $70.00. Now, meeting space may cost between a few hundred to a thousand or more, and rooms have doubled. Some groups or Districts cannot afford to send trusted servants at that current rate. Asking a group to fund a GSR 4x per year may be cost prohibitive and hinder inclusive participation. According to Concept IV, “We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive,” because we each “deeply desire to belong.” Furthermore, the increased cost in meeting space and lodging is taking a larger percentage of our total revenue. The ad hoc committee agrees this is a financial situation we are currently surviving, but is this really fiscally sustainable for our FUTURE?

The finance committee has been contacted and there is no financial statement.

Definitions:

  • The Area 41 Handbook defines a business meeting as: “is an activity at an Area 41 Assembly, usually scheduled for Sunday Morning” where “agenda item recommendations” “are discussed and voted upon
”
  • THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL “REGULAR (NON-ELECTION) ASSEMBLY This kind of meeting is typically held multiple times during the year and may take different forms. Each area decides for itself on the number — and interval between — meetings. In some areas, a “regular” assembly meeting may be called a “workshop” or “general sharing session.” To keep agendas lively and meaningful, some areas appoint agenda committees, which may include the officers and GSRs. Some areas choose to keep business to a minimum and use most of the time for sharing sessions or workshops. Special speakers who have experience with general service may also be invited to shed light on worldwide services.” (p19)
✅(VOTE) 2022-04-02 005 (a2) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc:

Vary the location of Area 41 Assembly meeting(s) that are NOT conducting a formal Business Meeting. Non-Business Assemblies, known as “Service Assemblies” in this Agenda Item, would ideally move to a different city than the “Business Assemblies,” either rotating around the state or being in a permanent fixed location outside the city that hosts the Business meetings. Any changes would begin after any current Area 41 hotel contract. If contract negotiations are taking place, those plans supersede the timing of this Agenda item. Area 41 will secure a meeting space suitable for a day to host workshops and fellowship. The passing of this agenda item shall suspend: Jan. 2006 Motion that Area 41 Standing Committee meetings scheduled to run concurrently on Saturday morning of all Area meetings for 9am –noon, with appropriate breaks as determined within each committee.

📌Background (click to hide/show)

Currently, we have not been able to afford moving our Area assemblies. Other Areas rotate their service days & look for smaller locations, such as schools, gyms, churches, etc. This may allow for more participation and better Unity throughout the Area by bringing Area to different parts of our state. Our Responsibility Statement charges us to extend our hand “when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help.” Some of the rural groups and Districts have clearly and repeatedly stated that they cannot afford to send their members to Area. Bringing Service Assemblies closer to them may reduce the cost, and lower the barrier for participation. Area 41 is tasked with considering what is fiscally responsible. Meeting space used to be included for free at hotels & hotel rooms were $70.00. Now, meeting space may cost between a few hundred to a thousand or more, and rooms have doubled. Some groups or Districts cannot afford to send trusted servants at that current rate. Asking a group to fund a GSR 4x per year may be cost prohibitive and hinder inclusive participation. According to Concept IV, “We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive,” because we each “deeply desire to belong.” Furthermore, the increased cost in meeting space and lodging is taking a larger percentage of our total revenue. The ad hoc committee agrees this is a financial situation we are currently surviving, but is this really fiscally sustainable for our FUTURE?

Finance has been contacted and there is no financial statement.

New Agenda Items Assigned to Committee (2)

â„č(NEW) Agenda Item 2025 Report and Charter 04-05 018:

Transition Newsletter Printing Responsibility to Districts.

Effective immediately, Area 41 will discontinue centralized printing and mailing of newsletters. Instead:

  1. Area 41 will provide all newsletter content digitally via email and the Area website.
  2. Districts will be responsible for printing and distributing newsletters to members who request physical copies.
  3. Area 41 can offer guidance to districts on cost-effective printing methods, including sharing best practices and connecting them with local resources.
  4. Districts may use their local funds or contributions to cover printing costs.
📌Background (click to hide/show)

For years, Area 41 has faced ongoing challenges regarding the cost and logistics of printing and mailing newsletters. While digital distribution through email and the Area website has become the primary mode of communication, some members still prefer or require printed copies. However, continuing to print and distribute newsletters centrally has proven to be resource-intensive and financially burdensome. Empowering districts to take responsibility for providing printed copies to members who need them would decentralize the process, reduce costs, and increase local accountability.

Benefits of the Proposed Change:

  1. Reduces financial and logistical strain on Area 41.
  2. Empowers districts to tailor newsletter distribution to the needs of their local groups.
  3. Encourages members to transition to digital communication while still providing support for those requiring physical copies.
  4. Promotes collaboration and ownership of communication processes at the district level.
â„č(NEW) Agenda Item 2024-01-06 003 Report & Charter:

Area 41 to form a new Area committee tasked with hosting the area reunions.

REUNION RECONFIGURATION
Rationale: During discussion of Reunion Host Committee at the July, 2022 Business Meeting, it was proposed that an Area 41-level Reunion committee be implemented. It was recognized, among other things that Districts have been hesitant toward hosting, and attendance has trended downward.

Given Area 41’s timetable for business, this proposal could be approved in 2024 for implementation in 2025 for the 2026 Reunion.

EXPERIMENTAL: This proposal is for a four year trial period. It will sunset and the Reunion structure revert to the District-based organization if not adopted by the first (January) Assembly of the year – 2030 - following the fourth experimental event.

POSITIONS:

Alt Reunion Chair / Reunion Chair
Area Chair would prepare a slate of candidates from which the Area Assembly would select the Alt Reunion chair for the current year to serve as Reunion Chair for the following year. This would be done via the third legacy procedure. Then every January at the Area 41 Assembly a new slate would be prepared by the Area chair and a new Alt Reunion Chair would be elected for the current year to serve as Reunion Chair the following year.

Funding
The Alt Reunion Chair will be funded for two nights of hotel and mileage at the Area 41 rate to attend one Area 41 Reunion: the Area 41 Reunion which is held in year one of his/her selection to be Alt Reunion Chair and the Area 41 Reunion held in year two - in which he/she will be serving as the Reunion Chair. The Alt Reunion Chair will also be funded for one night of hotel and mileage at the Area 41 rate to attend the next two Area 41 assemblies.

The Reunion Chair will be funded for two nights of hotel and mileage at Area 41 rate to attend one Area 41 Reunion. The Reunion Chair will be funded for one night of hotel and mileage at the Area 41 rate to attend four Area 41 assemblies. The funds to cover the expenses of the Reunion Chair as well as the Alt Reunion Chair will come from Area 41 General Fund via the Area 41 Treasurer.

Funding for the following positions for two nights and mileage at Area 41 rate to attend the Area 41 Reunion should be added to each of the Officer & Committee Chairs’ annual budgets rather than coming from the seed money that is provided to the Reunion Committee.

Area 41 Delegate, Area 41 Archives Chair, Area 41 Grapevine Chair, Area 41 Literature Chair

The funds needed to rent meeting space to hold the Area 41 Reunion should come from the Area 41 Alternate Delegate’s budget rather than from the seed money that is provided to the Reunion Committee.

Subcommittee Chairs
The Host Committee may include, but is not limited to:

  1. Secretary
  2. Treasurer
  3. Facilities Coordinator (provide Reunion needs to the Alternate Delegate)
  4. Pre-Registration/Registration
  5. Coffee
  6. Program Coordinator – planning, scheduling, etc.
  7. Speakers (A.A., Al-Anon, Alateen speakers. Seek input from those fellowships on their potential speakers).
  8. Social Activities – dance, ice cream social, etc.
  9. Others
decorations, speakers’ hosts, greeters, security, publicity, etc. In general Area 41 encourages the Host Committee to enlist as many individuals as possible in the planning, development, and operation of the Area 41 Reunion.

Subcommittee Members
All A.A. members are eligible.

📌Background (click to hide/show)

ASSEMBLED BY THE AREA 41 REUNION AD-HOC COMMITTEE:

Pluses of the Reunion:

  • Opportunity for members to hear Delegate’s Report of the GSC
  • Lots of fellowship
  • More opportunities for service work

Challenges of the Reunion:

  • Trend toward low attendance in recent years
  • Difficulty being self-supporting some years
  • Difficulty finding different districts willing to host the event
  • Difficulty getting host committee volunteers

Other Points Considered:

There may be some good information learned from the area Ad-hoc Function Committee. We don’t currently have the benefit of knowing what any of that information may be.

Area 41 is currently locked in to having the Reunion through 2024 only. A vote is scheduled October 2023 to set dates and facility for 2025 and 2026 Reunion.

The Delegate’s Report is given at the Reunion and also given approximately 1 month later at the Area business meeting. Sometimes it has been the same or a very similar report, but it doesn’t have to be.

It’s unknown what would be the Area financial ramifications of not having a reunion (the cost that could be saved not having a Reunion versus the change in costs for the other 4 annual business meetings without having a Reunion). We found that there were just too many variable such as dates, locations and different hotel policies to determine if eliminating the Reunion and meeting 4 times per year rather than 5 times would be financially beneficial to Area 41. We’d need to solicit actual bids for 4 meetings vs 5 meetings to know for certain what impact this would have on the Area finances.

We discussed at length the possibility of Area 41 establishing a Reunion Committee rather than having districts host it.

We discussed having a one day event rather than having the Reunion last the entire weekend.

There was talk of somehow attaching the Reunion to the 4-Corners Workshop.

There was mention and discussion of the possibility of changing the Reunion date(s).

The Reunion is held when it is aligned with an Alanon Business meeting. Alanon’s Service Conference is held in the spring just as our GSC is. Alanons in Nebraska meet 4 times per year (3 business meetings and 1 reunion). They meet in conjunction with Area 41 meetings at all except our January meetings.

We think we may need to advertise more.

We think providing more seed money could benefit some Reunion committees. Also, not being as adamant that the seed money be returned could help some committees.

We could use officers’ and/or committee chairs’ budgets (i.e. Delegate, Literature, Grapevine, Archives) rather than Reunion committee budget to pay for hotel sleeping rooms or meeting rooms.

Host districts could communicate more with previous host committees to get more information and ideas concerning reunion “best practices”.

We could reconfigure the agenda of the Reunion. We could have workshops at the Reunion.

We were able to get some past Reunion attendance records and finance records. The results were as follows ----

We have financial information from 14 of the past 17 reunions. That shows an overall profit for the Reunion of $5360.67.

We have attendance records from 15 of the past 17 reunions. We consider the low attendance from the 2020 & 2021 as outliers rather than part of a trend since they were held during COVID. But there has been a downward trend from 2007 'til now even though the number of attendees does not seem to correlate with the annual financial profits vs losses.

We feel that two of the major problems the Area is experiencing with the reunion are as follows:

  1. We discussed the fact that there doesn’t always seem to be a lot of interest shown from individual districts who would like to volunteer to host the reunion.
  2. We think more continuity is needed from year to year with each new reunion committee.

Items Still in Committee (9)

  • Agenda Item 2022-10-09 014 Technology & Communication: To create an Email Subscription Service.
  • Agenda Item 2023-04-15 008b Technology and Communications: Create guidelines and answer Traditions questions for future Area 41 purchases of electronic equipment. Determine who Area 41 should purchase electronic equipment for, how the items should be handled, used, protected, stored or passed along. Address questions of ongoing costs (subscriptions, maintenance, etc.) have not been addressed.
  • Agenda Item 2025 Report and Charter 01-11 016: Name Change for the “Reunion” to “Delegate’s Report & Service Summit”.
  • Agenda Item 2024-07-13 008 Report & Character (AATRC/Tech & Comm): Explore offering Spanish translation for all Area 41 events including 4-corners workshops and assemblies.
  • 2022-04-02 005 (a3) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc: For a trial run of 3 rotations, pause the 4-Corners workshops and its requisite service position at Area 41, if the agenda item voting to hold one day service assemblies in a separate city than the Area 41 Business Meeting passes. The passing of this agenda item shall suspend: April 1990 Motion for the Area to sponsor having a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 4 one day workshops per year by any Area Committee that is asked for the four corners of the State utilizing Area funds.
  • 2022-04-02 005 (b) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc: Replace GSR & DCM Workshops with Topic Workshop(s).The passing of this item will repeal the GSR Workshop and alternate GSR Workshop positions.
  • 2022-04-02 005 (c) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc: The Area Chair is to appoint committee chair and service positions from a pool of interested candidates, nominations, and anyone else that the Area Chair may identify as a suitable candidate. The final slate of candidates to be approved by the Area by a 2/3 vote.
  • 2022-04-02 005 (d) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc: Area 41 should invite a speaker once per year from another Area, at the purview of the Area Chair.
  • 2022-04-02 005 (e) Agenda Item FUNction Ad Hoc: Keeping in mind the always existing right of decision of the area chair and agenda committee, and that sometimes special circumstances arise, the fellowship would like it known that they appreciate efforts to attempt business meetings on Saturdays.