Accept Ad Hoc Committee’s Recommendation to Increase the Food Budget for Assemblies

Presentation: Jackie presented. Today’s assembly guidelines were created by an assembly coordinator in Panel 45 as service material. They were updated in 1997 and passed in May 1998. Food cost has doubled since 1998 ($3.50/person for a one-day assembly and $5.50 for a two-day assembly). The food budget was increased in 2017 to $5.50 and $7.50 per person for one-day and two-day assemblies, respectively. The 2023 Assembly Ad Hoc committee recommended further increases in food costs, as reflected in this motion. Because of the financial impact of this recommendation, I wanted this presented as a new business rather than a housekeeping motion. According to archival records, the average 7th tradition contributions collected at the assembly are about the same as they were in 1997 when almost all assembly costs were half of what they are today. Copies of the Ad Hoc report and the historical seventh tradition information are available.

Questions:
Q: Does the budget still have the current guidelines?
A: Yes, the 2017 guidelines are the ones we operate on currently.
Q: Was Zoom taken into consideration?
A: Zoom costs are separate from assembly budgets because they’re an annual expense.
Q: Has the food consideration changed due to us being hybrid?
A: No, that has not been part of the discussion.
Q: Has the ad hoc committee considered a food registration fee?
A: We’ll stick to clarifying questions on this motion. That question can be brought up during discussion.
Vote by simple majority to keep the motion at the Area Committee Meeting. 24 for ACM and 11 for Assembly.
Motion to become New Business at the December Area Committee Meeting on December 16, 2023.

Group/district consciences: None.

Personal opinions:
We just accepted an assembly bid at $7.50/person and decorations were $150. Can we fast-track this motion? Since we accepted that bid, this motion seems like a waste of time.

My responsibility as the assembly coordinator was to execute the recommendations of the assembly ad hoc. I introduced this as a business presentation instead of a housekeeping motion because of the financial impact. This warrants discussion, including discussion about food at our assemblies in general and how we will handle the increasing cost of food and the increasing challenge for districts, especially the smaller ones. Assembly venues, food, and paper goods have doubled since the 1990s, but contributions at assemblies have stayed the same.

The chair clarified that as it’s not urgent and there was an intent for it to be a new business, it will become an old business next month, and we can vote on it then if there is no further discussion.

We can do much better on the cost of food, whether that’s creating registration, bringing food ourselves, or charging for food; we could get rid of that $12,000 per year to help the still-suffering alcoholic directly.

When we had the fall assembly, and the budget said $5/person, everyone said there was no way we could do that. We were encouraged that we could go over, but we were able to stay under budget. It seems like that’s happened in the past couple of assemblies.

Even if this was the budget that would be the guideline for a maximum, not what you have to spend.
Santa Cruz was very interested in submitting a bid for the election assembly, but we decided not to because of the cost of food. People attending online don’t get any food. Perhaps we should be open to inviting people to bring bag lunches.

I don’t think I can bring a bag lunch for that price. I’m happy to spend $7.50 or more on food.

Motion will become Old Business at the January Area Committee Meeting on January 20, 2024.

Group/district consciences: None.
Personal opinions: None.

The chair conducted a sense of the room and determined that the body was ready to vote. The chair polled the body to determine whether to vote by simple majority or substantial unanimity.
Vote by simple majority. Y: 54. N: 2. There was no minority opinion expressed.
Motion Passed.  1/20/24