LAKESIDE GROUP OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS POLICY, TRADITIONS, AND BASIC PRINCIPLES
General:
The Traditions and Principles stated in this section are of broad policy nature and serve as the foundation on which other traditional procedures of the Group’s operations have been based.
ELECTED TRUSTED SERVANTS:
Eligibility
To be eligible for election or appointment all members should meet certain minimum requirements as to length of continuous sobriety and active membership in Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Incumbent members will assist the newly elected person to help them get familiar with the position’s responsibilities.
Relationship of Individual meetings and the Group as a Whole:
There have been many misunderstandings about this, but it is not true that each meeting can make up their individual minds as to how they want to run their meeting. All meetings are governed, so to speak, by the decisions of the Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous and therefore, anything that might in any way affect our Group as a whole needs to be brought to the attention of the Chairperson. We are not individual meetings but are conducted under one overall Group. ALL deviations from the general group format should be cleared through the Group Conscience and/or Steering Committee.
Financial Support of GSO, Dallas Intergroup (Central Office). and Area Committee
The Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous maintains a $1000.00[MC6] $4000 prudent reserve. Enough to cover expenses is removed monthly from our 7th Tradition contributions, provided we are above our prudent reserve. The remaining funds are distributed quarterly as follows: 40-25-25-10 to the Dallas Intergroup, District 22, NETA Area 65, and the GSO NY Central Office. [7]
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee constitutes an informed Group Conscience which decides and votes on various issues and procedures relating to the Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. On major policy issues the Steering Committee prepares a proposed position for submission to the General Membership for consideration, modification, and final vote.
Amendment to these guidelines requires a majority vote of the Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous . The amendment process requires the reading of said amendment at the various AA Group Meetings of the Lakeside Group of Alcoholics Anonymous for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days in one calendar month.
AMENDMENTS
CHANGE CONTROL AND RESCINDMENT
Group Guidelines were adopted at a Group Conscience meeting August 5, 2021 Subsequent amendments were approved as follows:
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Sobriety requirement for chairing any normal meeting: 6 months
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Trusted servants shall be reimbursed for mileage and miscellaneous expenses under $100 based on receipts submitted directly to the Treasurer.
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Trusted servants shall submit proposed travel budgets when out of town travel is required to perform their elected functions for approval at Group Conscience PRIOR to attending such meetings.
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If this is not possible (last minute meeting or change of venue), submission to the Chairperson and Treasurer shall be made PRIOR to travel is started.
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Reimbursement shall be based on IRS values ($0.56/mile for 2021) and receipt submittal. Mileage shall be verified via printout of a web-based application. (e.g., MapQuest, Google Maps, etc.,)
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Reasonable attempts shall be made to minimize expenses. Generally, hotels should not exceed $150/night, meals should not exceed $75/day, air fare shall be only for coach travel.
4. The birthday and supply chairs are authorized to spend up to $100 without prior approval for needed supplies. Reimbursement shall be based on the submission of receipts. Extraordinary purchase requests shall be submitted for Group Conscience approval.
5. Funeral flowers for members, their spouses, parents or children may be purchased by the Treasurer (or designee) with approval of 7 Trusted servants or 50% of filled positions, whichever is less. The limit, without prior Group Conscience approval, shall be $75.