Area Assembly Agenda - October 2026
Trusted ServantPlease reach out to the Area Chair at chairperson@area41.org if you have any questions about the agenda. The agenda is subject to change! Sessions with (H) below will be available hybrid.
Area 41 Assembly with Business Meeting (Hybrid: In Person and Online)
October 10-11, 2026Quality Inn and Conference Center I-80 Grand Island
7838 S Hwy 281, Bldg A, Grand Island, NE 68803
308-384-7770
(In order to get the Area 41 reduced rate, you must reserve your room four weeks prior to the Area 41 meeting.)[Zoom Meeting ID added week of event]
🛜Please get acquainted with how to join online at area41.org/hybrid.
More about Area 41 and assemblies: area41.org/service
Schedule
| Saturday, October 10, 2026 | ||
| 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | First Timers' Orientation (H) | Important for First Time Attendees! |
| 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Area Committee Meetings (H) Committee/Service Position(s) (DCMs Assigned) Accessibilities, Accommodations, Treatment & Remote Communities (7/14/28) Agenda/Workshop (6/21/30) Archives/Archivist (9/10/18) Cooperation with the Professional Community & Public Information (1/16/22) Corrections (3/20/24) Finance (19/26/29) Grapevine (5/13/23) Literature (2/11/12) Report & Charter/ Newsletter/ Registrar (4/8/32) Technology & Communications (Wordly interpretation available)/ Audio-Visual/ Webmaster (15/25/31) | All GSRs are strongly encouraged to attend the committee meeting of their choice. |
| 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Lunch *on your own* | No Motion Required, Just Hunger! |
| 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Wordly interpretation available | Area 41 Inventory – Process Overview and then Breakout Groups (H) | |
| 4:15 PM – 5:45 PM Wordly interpretation available | Reports and Q&A (H) -District Committee Members (DCMs) -Officers -Service Positions -Ask It Basket | 🔗Ask It Basket  |
| 5:45 PM – 8:15 PM | Dinner *on your own* | Regroup, Refuel, Return! |
| 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM | Open A.A. Speaker Meeting | |
| Sunday, October 11, 2026 | ||
| 7:00 AM – 7:50 AM | Open A.A. Breakfast Meeting | Rise and Shine |
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Wordly interpretation available | Reports and Q&A (H) -Area Committees - including additional committee considerations for agenda items still in committee -Ask It Basket | 🔗Ask It Basket |
| 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM Wordly interpretation available | Area 41 Inventory Breakout Group Report Backs and Full Assembly Sharing (H) | |
| 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ish Wordly interpretation available | Area 41 Business Meeting (H) -Roll Call -Old Business -Agenda Items Moved to Vote -New Agenda Items Presented | Participate in the group conscience! |
Old Business: Voting Items (3)
✅(VOTE) Agenda Item 2026-07-11 001 (Agenda)
If the infeasibility of paying for or otherwise providing food and/or beverages is a barrier to a district’s sponsorship of a Four Corners Workshop that would otherwise be scheduled by the Area, the Area Workshop Chair, in consultation with the Agenda Committee and with notice to the Treasurer, has the discretion to spend up to $60 per Workshop for the purchase of food and/or beverages for the workshop. If the exercise of that discretion would necessitate an increase in the Workshop Chair’s budget, prior approval of the Treasurer must be obtained..
📌Background (click to hide/show)
The purpose of the Four Corners Workshops is to bring the Area to more locations in Nebraska—especially those parts of Nebraska that are geographically separated from the largest population centers where multiple districts are located in close proximity to each other. Host districts and the Area collaborate to plan these workshops. The Area pays for the venue cost. Cost of food and beverages for workshops is borne by the sponsoring district(s). The goal of this agenda item is to get workshops to more parts of the Area even when a willing district’s limited resources make providing sufficient food and beverages infeasible. This item would provide discretion to determine whether this additional support is needed to fulfill the purpose of the workshop. This is discretion the Workshop Chair currently does not have.
✅(VOTE) Agenda Item 2026-04-11 005 Finance
Approve the 2027 Area 41 Budget.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
See the Appendix for budget detail.
✅(VOTE) Agenda Item 2026-01-10 003 Finance
To remove any Sponsorship or Incentive payments from outside venues when considering hotel bids.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
7th Tradition states “We are self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” When considering hotel bids for 2027 & 2028, two hotels offered payments from their local Visitors Bureau. These were removed. In the future, any such Sponsorships or Incentives will be deleted from any hotel bids that are submitted to Area 41 for presentation to the Fellowship.
New Agenda Items Assigned to Committee (7)
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 001 (Report & Charter)
Establish as policy that substantial unanimity (two-thirds vote) be required for proposals that would alter the voting membership of the Area Assembly.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
The Area 41 Handbook identifies the voting membership of the Area Assembly but does not currently specify the vote required for proposals that would alter the Assembly's voting membership.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 002 (Agenda)
Develop a proposed policy for the acknowledgment, routing, and communication of written correspondence from Area 41 groups regarding Area 41 business, with any proposed policy to be presented to the Area Assembly for approval.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
Area 41 groups occasionally submit written correspondence to Area trusted servants regarding Area 41 business. This correspondence may include questions, suggestions, expressions of appreciation, or written communications accompanying Area contributions explaining a group's decision regarding financial support ("power of the purse").
The Area 41 Handbook does not currently establish a consistent process for acknowledging, routing, or communicating such correspondence regarding Area 41 business, including guidance on what correspondence should be communicated to the Area Assembly and by what means.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 003 (Agenda)
Request that the General Service Conference establish a formal process through which the Fellowship may petition the Conference for review of significant Conference actions through the General Service structure.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
The General Service Conference serves as the collective group conscience of Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States and Canada. When significant Conference actions generate widespread concern within the Fellowship, many members perceive few meaningful avenues for requesting review other than reducing Seventh Tradition contributions, withholding literature purchases, or disengaging from the General Service structure.
This proposal does not seek to diminish Conference authority or require reversal of Conference actions. It requests the establishment of a defined process through which the Fellowship may request review or reconsideration of significant Conference actions while remaining fully engaged in A.A.'s trusted servant structure.
A defined review process would provide an orderly means for Conference to receive, evaluate, and respond to substantial Fellowship concerns while preserving the principles of participation, responsibility, and unity.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 004 (Agenda)
Request that the General Service Conference establish a recurring review of existing Conference actions at intervals determined by Conference.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
Conference actions accumulate over time. This proposal requests establishment of a recurring Conference review process to evaluate whether existing Conference actions remain relevant, effective, require clarification, or should be retired. The proposal establishes a governance process rather than addressing any individual Conference action.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 005 (Finance)
That Area 41 stops funding the Area 41 Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary to attend the West Central Regional AA Service Conference.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
The current, total budgeted expenditures for the Area 41 Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to attend the next West Central Regional Conference is $2014.32. The average budgeted expenses to attend the conference for those positions from 2023-2026 are $1600.21. Halting this funding would free up funds to be used for other expenses that could include (but are not limited to) equipment for the Technology committee, translation and interpretation services, and workshops. Note: the Delegate and Alt-Delegate would still be funded to attend to help them prepare for the GSC.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 006 (Report & Charter)
That the book The A.A. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Service (BM-31), hereafter referred to as the “Service Manual,” be included in the General Service Representative (G.S.R.) Kit and the District Committee Member (D.C.M.) Kit at no cost.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
“The Third Legacy Manual” published in 1955 (renamed “The AA Service Manual” in 1969) has been provided free of charge to new General Service Representatives (G.S.R.s) as part of a service kit sent by the General Service Office (G.S.O.) when the group registers. Concept I of The Twelve Concepts for World Service: “The A.A. groups today hold ultimate responsibility and final authority for our world services.” The role of the GSR and DCM is essential to ensuring that groups and districts can fulfill that responsibility. Only when a G.S.R. keeps the group informed and communicates the group conscience can the Conference truly act for A.A.as a whole.
The Service Manual was removed post-pandemic from the physical kits for budget reasons, also related to paper shortage/availability. This proposal gets the Service Manual back into the hands of the new G.S.R. and D.C.M. with no financial burden to the newly elected trusted servant, group, or their district. Some G.S.R.s get to area assemblies and have never heard of the Service Manual. Another problem this proposes to address is asking someone to do a service position with a composition and scope for their job, and by ending the two-class system of GSRs - those who can afford to purchase a manual and those who cannot.
ℹ️(NEW) Agenda Item 2026-10-10 007 (Agenda)
Change the procedure for floor actions to mirror the General Service Conference process and not require a motion to hear the emergency and instead allow a motion to decline to consider. A motion to decline to consider would require substantial unanimity to pass.
📌Background (click to hide/show)
Currently, floor actions can be made but require a motion to be made and pass to hear the item. This limits the ability of the minority to have their voice heard by the Assembly. At the GSC, the procedure works the opposite. Motions are heard, but a motion to decline to consider can be made to not hear. If that motion passes by 2/3, the same threshold as calling the question, then the item is not considered. This allows the minority voice, even one member, to have their voice heard without a majority voting to allow them to be heard.
Agenda Items Still in Committee (17)
- Agenda Item 2026-05-22 004 Report & Charter: Allow for the option to vote electronically with virtual platforms during all area voting.
- Agenda Item 2026-04-11 006 Report & Charter and consult Technology & Communications: Review recent changes to Area 41 service material and documentation posted on www.area41.org without requiring logging into Member Services, and create a policy for what requires logging in vs. being publicly available.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005m Accessibilities, Accommodations, Treatment, and Remote Communities (from FUNction Ad Hoc): That Area 41 establish a procedure to ensure that all shared Area documentation, publications, and communications are translated into Spanish.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005h Agenda (from FUNction Ad Hoc): Area 41 shall have an Orientation Workshop at the Election Assembly for all new Officers, Area Committee Chairs, and Service Positions to learn about their new service responsibilities.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005i Agenda (from FUNction Ad Hoc): Area 41 shall have a 3rd Legacy Workshop in July preceding the Elections.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005k Agenda (with consult from Delegate from FUNction Ad Hoc): That the Area 41 Chairperson, either personally or through delegation to the Agenda Committee or another appropriate servant, ensure that the fellowship is provided with a yearly or rotational (two-year) flyer or PDF listing Area and Region-wide events. This schedule should include: 1) Dates, locations, and brief descriptions of events, and 2) Information on where to find additional or updated details (such as the Area 41 website). The flyer should be printable and easy to include in the newsletter or post at meetings or online. This item is not intended to include events with short notice or frequent changes (e.g., Four- Corners Workshops or similar).
- Agenda Item 2026-01-10 008 Agenda: Amend the Scope of the Agenda Committee in the Area 41 Guidelines and Service Manual to Include a Defined Inventory Process.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005j Report and Charter (from FUNction Ad Hoc): All documents distributed at or by Area 41 should have a revision date on them.
- Agenda Item 2022-04-02 005n Report and Charter (from FUNction Ad Hoc): That Area 41 make District Committee Member (DCM) reports available on the Area 41 website rather than printing them in the Newsletter.
- Agenda Item 2022-10-09 014 Technology & Communications: 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 2026-01-10 007 Technology & Communications (and consult with Finance): Purchase of Additional Hybrid Meeting Equipment. Area 41 will purchase additional equipment to support hybrid meetings and events, which allow for both virtual and in-person participation, in an amount up to $2,500 including tax.
- Proposed Equipment:
- Two projectors, one laptop, one small amplifier, six additional webcams with tripods, and cases for audio equipment storage and transport
- The AV Servant will be responsible for oversight, management, and storage of this equipment.
- Proposed Equipment:
- Agenda Item 2026-07-11 002 (Literature and Finance): Establish Cash on Hand, Inventory, and Operating Balance Guidelines for the Literature Committee
- Agenda Item 2026-07-11 003 (Grapevine/La Viña and Finance): Establish Cash on Hand, Inventory, and Operating Balance Guidelines for the Grapevine / La Viña Committee
- Agenda Item 2026-07-11 004 (Cooperation with the Professional Community & Public Information): Amend the Area 41 Website Guidelines by adding a new paragraph immediately after paragraph 3.g.2:
- h. For the purpose of defining Area 41’s agreed-upon anonymity protection for the website, all documents published on the area41.org server shall be clear of members’ last names and/or likenesses, including last names contained in email addresses. The Technology and Communications Committee and Webmaster may redact any last name found in a document provided for the website prior to uploading. Because even “closed” or “private” online spaces may reveal an individual’s identity, Area 41 requests that all documents hosted on the website remain anonymity protected whether located in public or restricted sections of the website.
- Agenda Item 2026-07-11 005 (Agenda): That Area 41 to review the current level of participation at the General Service Conference, ensuring that the Area’s continued involvement is contingent upon a service environment that adheres to A.A. principles and safety standards.
- Agenda Item 2026-07-11 006 (Agenda): That Area 41 determines whether to send a Delegate to the upcoming General Service Conference Panel 77, based on an evaluation of the Conference environment and its alignment with our Area’s spiritual principles, safety responsibilities, and the strategic exercise of our collective power.
