The District 4 Meeting starts at 6:30 PM on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the District 4 Service Office in Kennewick. The meeting assists in carrying A.A.'s message to the still suffering alcoholic by providing a forum to:

• share information about Alcoholics Anonymous in District 4,
• address issues of concern to our fellowship and other A.A. service entities, and
• periodically select trusted servants to carry out District 4 duties and responsibilities.

The below guidelines are intended to help new meeting participants, as well as assist in the conduct of the meeting.

1. Agenda
2. Speaking At Meetings
3. Motions
4. Selecting Trusted Servants
5. Guidelines Revision

1. Agenda

1. Open with a Moment of Silence, followed by "A Declaration of Unity" [1]
2. Reading of A.A.'s 12 Traditions
3. Acceptance of Minutes from Previous Meeting
4. Additions and Acceptance of Agenda for Old and New Business
5. Announcements and Reports
   1. Treasurer
   2. District Committee Member (DCM)
   3. Answering Service Committee
   4. Archives Committee
   5. Cooperation with the Professional Community/Public Information (CPC/PI) Committee
   6. Corrections Committee
   7. Hospitals & Treatment Committee
   8. Java Journal Committee
   9. Literature Committee
   10. Meeting Schedule Coordinator
   11. Home Groups
6. Old Business (Carry Over from Previous Meetings.)
7. New Business (Discussions, Motions, etc.)
8. Close the Meeting with the Responsibility Declaration [2]

2. Speaking At Meetings

When speaking for the first time, meeting participants should state their name, along with any service position they may hold. This will help other participants and facilitates the recording of the meeting minutes. It is also requested that speakers generally try to limit their sharing to less than 2 minutes, to allow adequate time for full participation by everyone present.

Common courtesy should be observed while someone is speaking. Conversations when others are talking, interruptions and other similar disruptions are discouraged.

3. Motions

• the sharing of full information,
• individual points of view, and
• the practice of A.A. principles

On sensitive issues, we should work slowly -- discouraging formal motions until a clear sense of it's collective view emerges. Placing principles before personalities, the District Committee is wary of dominant opinions. Our District's voice is heard when a well-informed group arrives at a decision. The result rests on more than a "yes" or "no" count -- precisely because it is the spiritual expression of the District's conscience. The term "informed group conscience" implies that pertinent information has been studied and all views have been heard before a vote is taken.

This perspective was taken from The AA Group pamphlet, "What is an informed A.A. group conscience?", and is the overriding philosophy in the guidelines that follow:

3.1 Definitions
3.2 Making A Motion
3.3 Motion Second
3.4 Discussion 3.5 Amendments 3.6 Tabling A Motion 3.7 Motion Withdrawal
3.8 Voting 3.9 Minority Opinion 3.10 Reconsideration
3.11 Record Keeping

3.1 Definitions

3.2 Making A Motion

• a District Motion, or
• a Housekeeping Motion,

The motion will be read during New Business, and the motion sponsor or designated representative will be asked to identify themselves and present the rationale for the motion.

3.3 Motion Second

3.4 Discussion

Discussion should focus on the motion being addressed. The Guidelines for Speaking At Meetings apply to discussion of motions too. When discussing a motion an attempt should be made to not repeat what has already been said, as it provides no new facts to aid in arriving at an informed group conscience. Further, merely voicing agreement or disagreement with the motion is also discouraged, since that is the purpose of the vote which follows.

After everyone has had an opportunity to speak to the motion and when no new information is available, a member of the voting body should "Call for the Question". The motion will then be reread and Voting will take place.

3.5 Amendments

• If the maker of the original motion agrees with the amendment, also known as a Friendly Amendment, the change shall be accepted and discussion will continue based on the amended motion.

• If the maker of the motion does not agree with the proposed amendment, the amendment must be seconded prior to discussion, a Simple Majority of the Voting Body is needed to accept the amendment. If accepted, the amended motion will supersede the motion being amended.

3.6 Tabling A Motion

Anyone can request that a motion be tabled, they do not need to be a member of the Voting Body. Following such a request the members of the Voting Body are polled, and a Simple Majority is sufficient to table a motion.

3.7 Motion Withdrawal

• Both the maker of the motion and the motion second agree that the motion should be withdrawn.

• The second for the motion is withdrawn and no other member of the Voting Body seconds the motion.

3.8 Voting

1. Housekeeping Motions: A Housekeeping Motion is not submitted to the Home Groups for consideration. A Simple Majority of the Voting Body is required to pass a Housekeeping Motion.

2. District Motions: A Simple Majority of the Voting Body is required to formally submit a District Motion to the Home Groups for their consideration. The vote will be taken during Old Business in the 2nd District Meeting following that when the motion was made. For example, if a motion is sent back to the Home Groups in January, then voting will take place in March. A Substantial Majority of the Voting Body is required to pass a District Motion.

3.9 Minority Opinion

Note:

If a motion passes only those who are against the motion may speak. Conversely, if a motion fails, only those who are for the motion may speak.

3.10 Reconsideration

3.11 Record Keeping

• the motion wording,
• the type of motion (Housekeeping or District),
• the maker of the motion and the second,
• the number of votes for and against each motion, and
• the final disposition of the motion (Passed, Failed or Withdrawn).

4. Selecting Trusted Servants

District 4 does not have written qualifications and job descriptions for it's trusted servants. It is therefore the responsibility of the candidate to find out what is expected before making themselves available to fulfill a particular service position. This is normally accomplished by talking with others in our fellowship who are familiar with the service position in question, and it is strongly suggested that current and past trusted servants who have held the service position be sought out and their experience understood. It is also recommended that the general job description and qualifications in the A.A. Service Manual be reviewed, as applicable, as well as any relevant General Service Office guidelines.

Alcoholics Anonymous embraces the principle of rotation in it's trusted servants. This principle infuses vitality and energy into the A.A. service structure, as well as promoting humility and growth within the A.A. fellowship. As such, the tenure of District 4 service positions is normally two (2) years, with newly elected and appointed trusted servants commencing their rotation on January 1 of even-numbered years. Elections should be conducted far enough in advance to give the incoming DCM the opportunity to attend an Area Assembly before assuming his/her responsibilities at the start of the next rotation. Also, since elected trusted servants select appointed trusted servants, the election process should be done early enough for the District to affirm the newly appointed trusted servants before the start of the new rotation.

When a candidate makes themselves available for a service position they provide information to aid in the selection process. In doing so it is implied the candidate understands the responsibilities of the service position in question, as well as being both willing and able to make the commitment needed to accomplish the assigned duties. Historically this has been accomplished by the candidate making a statement summarizing their experience, or by the submission of a service resume. However it is felt that a written statement is the better of these two options, since it more accurately communicates their candidacy to the Home Groups and Elected Officers. This is especially true of candidates making themselves available outside of a regularly schedule District Committee meeting.

In some instances trusted servants are unable to fulfill their commitment to the full two-year period of service. In these instances the general suggestions given above and the specific guidelines in the following sections (independent of specific dates) should still be followed.

4.1 Electing Officers 4.2 Appointing Trusted Servants

4.1 Electing Officers

Election of District 4 Officers generally follows A.A.'s Third Legacy Procedure, as given in The A.A. Service Manual.[1999 - 2000 Edition, pp S20-S21, © Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.] The adopted electoral procedures used by District 4 are:

1. The Voting Body size is determined and the candidate names announced before each ballot. *
2. All members of the Voting Body cast written ballots, one choice to a ballot. The tally for each candidate is declared after each ballot. *
3. The first candidate to receive two-thirds of the total vote is elected.
4. Withdrawals start after the second ballot. If any candidate has less than one-fifth of the total vote, his or her name is automatically withdrawn -- except that the top two candidates must remain. (In case of ties for second place, the top candidate and all tied runners-up remain as candidates.)
5. After the third ballot, candidates with less than one-third of the total vote will be withdrawn automatically, except the two top candidates remain. (In case there are ties for second place, the top candidate and all tied runners-up remain as candidates.)
6. After the 4th ballot, if no candidate has two-thirds of the total vote, the candidate with the smallest total is automatically withdrawn, except that the top two candidates remain. In case there are ties for second place, the top candidate and all tied second-place candidates remain. At this point, the chairperson asks for a motion, second, and a simple majority of hands on conducting a fifth and final ballot. If this motion is defeated, balloting is over and the choice is made by lot -- "going to the hat" -- immediately. If the motion carries, a fifth and final ballot is conducted.
7. If after the fifth ballot no election occurs, the chairperson announces that the choice will be made by lot (from the hat). At this point, balloting usually involves only the top two or three candidates.
8. Lots are then drawn by the teller, and the first one "out of the hat" is the elected officer. *

4.2 Appointing Trusted Servants

The entire appointment process should start soon enough to ensure appointments are affirmed before the start of the new rotation, no later than the last District Committee meeting of the outgoing rotation (typically in December of an odd-numbered year). Affirmation is made for entire slate of appointed officers, not on an individual basis.

An objection to an individual appointment can be made by any member of District 4. However the reason behind the objection should be communicated to one or more of the elected officers in private, who in turn will reconsider the appointment in question.

• If the objection is sustained the original appointment will be withdrawn and a new nominee selected and presented for affirmation at the next regularly scheduled District Committee meeting.

• If the elected officers do not feel the objection is sufficient to overturn the appointment, the original appointment will be resubmitted for affirmation at the next regularly scheduled business meeting.

5. Guidelines Revision