That CNCA 06 Expand Area Officer Eligibility to Chairpersons of Area Standing and Sub-Committees.

That CNCA 06 expand area officer eligibility to Chairpersons of Area standing and sub-committees.
– Presented by Carol H, Jacqueline P, John O, Jose L, Thom H – Standing Committee & Sub-Committee Chairs CNCA06 Panel 73

• Jose L. presented:
  This motion follows the same principles of responsibility and inclusivity. After we’ve discussed this topic, some members believe more people should participate in our elections.
  
  Questions:
  Q: The last time this motion was made, was it an assembly motion?
  A: Yes.
  
  Q: Must committee chairs have previously been DCMC to serve as chairs?
  A: No.
  
  Friendly amendment that committee chairs must have previously served as DCMC.
  The amendment was not accepted.
  
  Q: In areas where committee chairs have voting rights, are they also eligible to be elected as area officers?
  A: Every area is so different that it’s hard to give a “one size fits all” answer. In some areas, committee chairs are eligible; in others, they aren’t. It’s not unusual for committee chairs to be elected as area officers in other areas.
  
  Q: Has there been consideration about how this would extend the length of our election assembly?
  A: Yes, we’ve considered this. We can’t predict how many people will be available or assume it will be the same amount as the last panel.
  
  There was a comment that could not be understood as a question and was therefore unable to be answered.
  
  Q: Is there a motion in place that keeps them from being eligible? Why are they ineligible?
  A: There is no motion in place that says they can’t. Historically, it’s been DCMs, DCMCs, and current Area Officers. There was a previous motion that committee chairs be eligible to be elected as Area Officers that didn’t pass. It did not include that chairs have voting representation.
  
  Q: When would they be available to stand as area officers? Current or past?
  A: They would need to be current chairs, as they would be informed about what is currently happening in our Area.
  
  A comment was made suggesting members read portions of the A.A Service Manual.
  
  Vote by simple majority to present this motion at the Area Assembly (the number of members voting in favor was substantial).
  Motion will become a Presentation of New Business at the Pre-Conference Assembly on April 6, 2024.
  
  

Presentation: Thom H. presented.
He presented an amendment to add “…who have served as DCMs and/or DCMCs.” This motion is also about participation. Through months of loving discussion, area members continue to voice their support and approval of the Area Committee chairs to have full participation in the area’s business and be eligible to serve as Area Officers. Of the 93 areas across the U.S. and Canada, 70 include committee chairs in voting and area officer eligibility. From personal experience having been a DCMC and a committee chair, I’ve learned about processes as a committee chair than as a DCMC.

Questions:
Q: When was the amendment made?
A: Just now. When asked to give the presentation, I discovered it was presented this way in 2016. To be eligible as a delegate, you need to be a current DCM or DCMC. For a chair to be eligible as an Area officer, they should have had similar experience as a GSR.

Q: Do they have to have been DCMC or DCM from Area 06?
A: It was not stated, but I assume they would be eligible from other areas.

Q: With this amendment, it seems that the requirements for being elected committee chair have changed, making it harder to elect a committee chair. Is that the intention?
A: This motion is not intended to change the committees themselves. The intent is to have more people available and eligible. Unless the committees’ guidelines are changed to match these motions, the chairs will have the same availability to be elected chairs.

Q: Why was the amendment made?
A: Without the amendment, area officer eligibility would conflict with Delegate eligibility (requirement to have been a GSR).

Q: To be eligible to be an area officer, you must be a current DCM or DCMC, but this amendment does not align with that.
A: This motion would change that. If someone is a committee chair, they are not a district chair simultaneously, so
they must have been a past DCMC or DCM.

Q: Is the amendment affecting the previous motion?
A: No.

I request a friendly amendment to the motion to include GSRs (i.e., past DCM, DCMC, or GSR).
A: We decline that amendment because a Delegate must have been a DCM or DCMC.

Q: Are GSRs eligible to be area officers?
A: No. Only DCMCs, DCMs, and area officers.

Motion to become New Business at the Post Conference Assembly on May 11, 2024

Group consciences:
It seems like you must have a current commitment to be eligible for officer. Is that correct?

Currently, those eligible to be area officers are current DCMs, DCMCs, or Area officers. This would change that to add current committee chairs who have served as DCMCs or DCMs previously.

Personal opinions:
I believe the amendment is unnecessary. Having chairpersons being past DCMs or DCMCs makes them more credible, but it changes policy. The current policy is that only current DCMs, DCMCs, or Area
Officers are eligible.

I was a chair of the web committee, and I couldn’t stand it, and it was frustrating. I had learned more and couldn’t participate. It felt like I wasn’t getting the right of participation.

I was also a web committee chair and was frustrated I couldn’t vote. Have we looked at the fact that there would be more people running for elections?

We’re debating about how our election assembly is long.

Seven more people could be available.

This doesn’t limit whether you’re a current DCMC or DCM. It doesn’t make it clear how long ago the chairperson was a DCMC or DCM in the past.

A lot of areas, committee chairs participate with votes and are available to be delegates. It doesn’t mean they’ll be elected; it just means they’ll be available to participate.

Motion to become Old Business at the Summer Assembly on August 10, 2024.