AA SF/Marin Intergroup

San Francisco and Marin Intergroup Meeting – Proposed Minutes
Wednesday, February 1, 2023, 7-8:30 PM 

Intergroup coordinates services which individual groups in San Francisco and Marin cannot provide. We bring these services, as well as service opportunities, to our Member Groups. Our Intergroup observes the intent and spirit of A.A.’s Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts for World Service, as well as A.A.’s Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service. 

7:00 Getting Started 

1. Open with the Serenity Prayer 
2. Call to order. Statement of Purpose 
3. Review the minutes and agenda 
4. Roll Call 

• • 44 groups represented: 29 from San Francisco, 15 from Marin

5. New IGRs, Visitors, AA Anniversaries

• • New IGRs: Kathy V., Working Dogs (Novato); Russ S., Castro Discussion (San Francisco); Steven, Fairfax Attitude Adjustment (Fairfax); Maggie K, 7AM Milly Valley Group (Mill Valley)
  • Visitors: Cathy P, Co-Chair, Marin Accessibilities Committee
  • AA Anniversaries: Alison T., 7 Years); Elena R., 11 years

6. Approval of agenda (housekeeping item)

1. • Approved

7. Approval of last month’s Intergroup Meeting minutes (housekeeping item) 

• • Approved, with the following correction: Cocoanuts added to the January Roll Call 

7:15 Officer Reports 

1. Treasurer – Jim

• Revenue:
  • Total Revenue $329,000, 6% ahead of budget and 13% ahead of last year
  • The surge in revenues was greater than could be expected and directly attributed to the meeting announcements regarding Intergroup’s projected deficit. 

• Expenses: 
  • Total expenses were $361,000 and remain -6% under budget 

• Deficit and Rating:
  • The end of year 3.5% modest return on revenues will greatly improves our cash position   as we enter 2023
  • Cash for expenses increased to 2.7 months up from 1.2 = “Epic” rating 
  • Likely to increase even further in January, then draw down from February to October   2023
  • Many non-profits including GSO routinely hold 6 months above prudent reserve

• Faithful Fivers 
  • 375 Faithful Fivers (up another 32) donated $5,067 averaging $13.51
  • Number of fivers, dollars and average all increased blowing past goal of 350 

2. Executive Director – Christina

• Central Office Infrastructure continues to be a priority
  • The SF Teleservice remote access call forwarding line is experiencing issues. Marin Teleservice is answering the lines at night and on the weekends, when Central Office is closed. 
  • If anyone has connections to AT&T, reach out to [email protected] 
• Working on compliance and end of year taxes. Filed Intergroup’s bi-annual Statement of Information with the CA Secretary of State and preparing for the 2022 annual returns.
• Service Opportunities 
  • Volunteer Bookkeeper – help out with QuickBooks
  • Central Office Volunteers – 9 shifts open especially on Fridays 
  • SF Teleservice Chair 
• Filled Service Opportunities!!!
  • Marin Pop Up Bookstore Coordinator – Allen R. 
• AASFMarin.org has some exciting new updates:
  • All the Intergroup Service Committees are posted to aasfmarin.org/committees. Click on each one to get committee information, how to get involved, open service positions and when they meet. 
  • The En Espanol pages have been updated at https://aasfmarin.org/en-espanol  with information about Oficina Central and Oficina Norte and Spanish-speaking meetings in our area. 

7:25 Intergroup Committee Reports 

1. Public Relations (Peter): 
   • Announcing SF Public Relations event Saturday March 11, 2023 at Central Office from 10AM to 11:30AM. Learn about PR service activity and opportunities to get involved. 
   • Meeting with SF District Attorney and a Board Supervisor to discuss AA presentations for DA     staff regarding what AA does and doesn’t do.
   • Working on a presentation at SF Marin Library intended for unhoused populations and what services AA provides for getting and staying sober. 
   • Next Public Relations meeting is Monday, 2/13 @7PM on zoom; Orientation at 6:30PM 
2. Outreach Committee (Alison T.) 
   • Second meeting held tonight and we need members, especially from Marin!
   • Looking to talk to different groups about their needs and what we can do for them
   • Next meeting will be first Wednesday of March at 6PM
3. Sunshine Club (Clayton)
   • Currently arranging meetings for three women in AA.
   • Seeking co-chairs especially one from Marin 
     • Two-year sobriety commitment and you do not need to be a current Sunshine Club volunteer to be eligible. Those interested can contact [email protected] for more information
   • AA Members who wish to schedule a Sunshine Club meeting in person can send a message to [email protected]
4. The Buzz (Caitlin)
   • The Buzz needs a new Associate Editor who helps put together the weekly newsletter
   • Guidelines for submitting to The Buzz
     • Event taking place in next 2 to 4 weeks 
     • Sponsored by AA group or service entity aligned with 12 traditions 
     • For more info, go to aasfmarin.org>stayconnected>the buzz
5. Fellowship Chair (Julie)
   • Intergroup Fellowship Committee is planning events for 2023 including Founder’s Day, Unity Days, and a Dance and did a poll to gauge interest
   • Join us at our next meeting on  2/15 @6pm on Zoom
   • Email [email protected] for more information and to get involved  

7:35 Service Committee Liaison Reports

1. Marin Teleservice (Jillian) 
   • Next volunteer orientation is at 6:30pm on 2/28 followed by the business meeting at 7:30pm on Zoom
   • New chairperson elected – Amanda S. 
   • For more information or to sign up to volunteer visit www.marinteleservice.com
   • Marin Teleservice has been busy helping out with SF Teleservice lines
2. SF General Service (Alison)
   • Agenda topics to arrive in late February and agenda workshop will be in mid-March (hybrid)
   • The General Service Office will re-open for visitors after two years. If you are visiting NY, please make an appointment 
3. Marin Accessibilities (Cathy)
   • Marin Accessibilities raises awareness with information and resources to make the A.A message available to anyone who reaches out for help 
   • This committee was adopted in January 2020 and supported by Marin General Service, in addition to Marin PI/CPC and Marin Bridging the Gap
   • Meets on second Monday, 2/13 on Zoom 
   • Ask yourself: Who is not here and why? 
4. Marin General Service (Kate)
   • Agenda Topics Workshop online this Saturday, 2/4 from 10:30-12:30PM. For more information, reach out to [email protected]
   • Panel 73 off to a great start! All officer positions filled and the highest attendance of GSRs in 3 years 
   • Monthly concepts study needs a chairperson
   • PRAASA 2023: March 3rd-5th in Los Angeles, CA – praasa.org

  7:45 Old Business 

• Inventory Question 4 Recap: 

• • No additional comments or feedback occurred regarding the feedback that was provided after the Inventory Question 4 break-out session responses.

• Inventory Question 5 Break-Out Session: How can Integroup avoid allowing any members to assume  excessive authority over Intergroup policy or actions? 

• • Group #1: 
    • Aligns with how the Intergroup already functions. Nothing happens quickly without ensuring they hear all viewpoints. Continual education to all members especially to those who are new and in the spirit of compassion, educate each other. One possible suggested action pertains to the Intergroup bylaws to elect committee chairs – which has not yet been put into practice. 
  • Group #2: 
    • There are existing safeguards. Provide a system to determine what is decided by Intergroup Reps and at the Board level. Things in AA take time and we need to acknowledge that the issue is put out there and there’s time to vote and that it should work out the way it should be. In the past we have gotten away from that. 
  • Group #3: 
    • We need to be mindful of Traditions and Concepts and those should guide our actions. Responsibility of the Intergroup to get involved. We also need more groups represented, which the Outreach Committee will work on.
  • Group #4: 
    • 50 IGRs and 900 meetings – those 50 meetings have more weight given to their concerns – how do we get these groups involved? The Outreach Committee was discussed.
  • Group #5: 
    • Guidelines around terms – term length should be in the bylaws; spirit of rotation to be two years and to rotate to minimize authority. Talked about the process of electing committee chairs.

• Intergroup In-Person Meetings 

• Temperature check to gauge interest in returning to In-person or a hybrid meeting with the majority preferring hybrid
• Followed by discussion around whether or not Intergroup should go back to In-Person meetings. Some of the feedback included:
  • Will honor if people want to meet in person
  • Perhaps we alternate between in-person and online
  • The Marin General Service meeting does a great job with hybrid and they have a lot of people in person and online. Hybrid helps people out who may live way out on the coast and it would be hard to get to in-person.
  • Join the Tech Service Committee if people want to learn more about hybrid meetings. It meets the second Monday of the month at 6PM.
  • If you go hybrid, it will create a new service commitment and rotating that commitment can be a lot
  • With in-person meetings, you’re able to meet with people and doesn’t get that with the online meeting.

• Tech Follow-Up 

• • Tabled for the next month 

8:30  New Business 

• Online AA meetings based in San Francisco and Marin Counties shall be listed on theprinted meeting schedule of meeting 

• • Tabled until next month

       8:30 Targeted Message 

1. San Francisco and Marin Intergroup need Central Office Volunteers to answer the phone lines, greet customers, and assist with special projects. Minimum of 1 year sobriety. For more information about this weekly shift opportunity, please email [email protected]. 
2. Join an Intergroup Service Committee! Check out the newly updated aasfmarin.org/committees for the complete list of Intergroup Committees, including what they do, when they meet, and service opportunities. 
3. Sign up for Faithful Fivers to support the work of San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. To sign-up, visit aasfmarin.org/contributions. Your additional contributions support important 12th Step services, including running Central Office, selling A.A. literature, publishing the meeting schedule and our website at aasfmarin.org. 

Adjourn with the Responsibility Statement

February 2023 Intergroup Meeting Treasurer’s Narrative

The Year in Review Ended
December 31, 2022

REVENUES:

Year to date revenues exceeded budget as well as prior year in every category except individual
which were only $1,276 or 1% under prior year but exceeded budget by 3% Monthly individual
contributions surged a whopping 78% from November to December and 101% as compared to prior
year. Group contributions (not to be outdone) exceeded both budget by 1% which was a 6% increase
over December 2021. Adding “Fellowship” contributions which are primarily group contributions
consolidated via Marin Teleservice, as well as events such as Sobriety by the Bay were reclassified
out of group contributions and increase those percentages to 10% and 15% respectively. Bookstore
revenues exceeded prior year by 39% and were exactly on budget. The surge in revenues was
greater than could be expected and directly attributed to those making announcements, reaching a
little deeper, and getting the word out.

EXPENSES:

Expenses year to date were under budget by 6% consistent with November. The Central Office
continued to maintain tight expense management as we’d been in deficit territory for the entire year.
With the greater than expected surge in revenues, expenses did not overtake and left us with a net
profit and increase in cash reserves.

NET DEFICIT:

IFAA turned the November YTD loss of -$22K completely around to a net profit of $13K with a budget
loss of $33K exceeding 2021 by $3,738 dollars. Gratitude month, end of year contributions, Faithful
Fivers, the contribution letter announcements, and getting the word out are all key factors in the
turnaround as explained in revenues above. Profitability is 3.5% on revenues which is not egregious
for a non-profit.

LIQUIDITY RESERVE:

Unrestricted cash in addition to our 6-month prudent reserve surged a whopping 2.7 months up from
1.2 months leaving us in a good position to cover cyclical losses which tend to occur from roughly
February through October. 2.7 months of unrestricted cash is not excessive as many non-profits
(Including GSO) carry a full 6 months on their balance sheet.

FAITHFUL FIVERS:

December saw another increase in Faithful Fivers adding another 32 for a total of 375 blowing past
our year end goal of 350.

San Francisco and Marin Intergroup Meeting  – Proposed Minutes 

Wednesday, January 4, 2023, 7-8:30 PM

Intergroup coordinates services which individual groups in San Francisco and Marin cannot provide. We bring these services, as well as service opportunities, to our Member Groups. Our Intergroup observes the intent and spirit of A.A.’s Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts for World Service, as well as A.A.’s Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service.

7:00   Getting Started

1. Open with the Serenity Prayer
2. Call to order. Statement of Purpose
3. Review the minutes and agenda
4. Roll Call

1. 1. 44 groups represented: 29 from San Francisco, 15 from Marin

1. New IGRs, Visitors, AA Anniversaries
   1. New IGRs: Noah G., Tuesday Chip (San Rafael); Zoe A., Greenfield Newcomers (San Rafael); Lindsay L., Friday Night Book Study (Larkspur), Jackie Z, Anything is Possible; Ali H, Each Day a New Beginning, Alt-IGR
   2. Visitors: Phil S, SFBTG; Charlie B, San Mateo Liaison
   3. AA Anniversaries: Isae, 30 years; Lexi, 3 years; Clayton, 30 years; Chad, 4 years 
2. Approval of agenda (housekeeping item)
   1. Approved
3. Approval of last month’s Intergroup Meeting minutes (housekeeping item)
   1. Approved

7:15   Officer Reports

1. Board Chair -Charlie
   1. Tonight was the first meeting of the Outreach Committee 
   2. Intergroup’s annual report will be presented in the next month or two 
   3. Happy one year anniversary to Christina! 
2. Treasurer – Jim
   1. Revenue: 
      1. Total Revenue $282,000, 5% under budget but 9% ahead of last year
      2. Individual contributions under, but up 50%
         1. Plus $5,000 month over month
      3. Group contributions exceed budget and prior year when adding in “fellowship contributions” (from other service entities
      4. Bookstore sales at budget and exceed prior year by 44%
   2. Expenses:
      1. Total expenses $330,000, 6% under budget but 13% ahead of prior year
      2. Deferral in rent increase and other measures to improve slightly
   3. Deficit and rating:
      1. Budgeted deficit of $30,000, however actual deficit is currently at $22,000 
      2. Revenue surge and expense management likely to close the gap
      3. We can pay for 1.2 months of expenses without prudent reserve, which is a rating of Fair to Good 
      4. Cash is holding, and we expect improvement in December and January
   4. Faithful Fivers
      1. 343 Faithful Fivers (up 38) donated $4,558 (up $402); average contribution is $13.29
      2. Faithful Fivers was termed approximately 30+ years ago where $5 = $10.60 today
      3. Submit new ideas for rebranding Faithful Fivers to [email protected]
   5. Question/Answer:
      1. If a group collects money for Gratitude Month, but doesn’t submit their contribution until January, it will be counted towards 2023 
3. Executive Director, Christina 
   1. One Year as a special worker with Intergroup! Grateful for the opportunity. It has come with both challenges and successes:
      1. Challenges 
         1. Central Office Internet from DSL to Fiber continues to be an issue
      2. Successes 
         1. Volunteers back in office. Currently 6 volunteers work two hour shifts each week.
         2. Intergroup with name change 
         3. Kicking off the Marin Pop-Up Bookstore 
         4. New Website! More to come from Communications Committee
         5. First Outreach Committee met today
         6. Opportunity to collaborate with other service entities 
   2. Service Opportunities – Spread the word! Refer to Packet with more information
      1. Volunteer bookkeeper – help out with QuickBooks
         1. 2x a month (12 hour commitment); 2 year sobriety requirement
      2. Marin Pop-Up Bookstore Coordinator 
         1. 1x a month going to Marin District Meeting, third Monday of the Month from 6:30-9:30PM; 2 year sobriety requirement 
      3. Central Office Volunteers – especially on Fridays 
         1. Sobriety requirement 1 year 
   3. Encourage new Secretaries and Treasurers to register with Intergroup to receive updates and subscribe to The Buzz

7:31   Intergroup Committee Reports 

• The Buzz, Caitlin: 

1. 1. Thank you to John L. for stepping up to be Associate Editor
2. The Sunshine Club, Clayton:
   1. Seeking co-chairs, especially one from Marin. Two-year sobriety requirement
   2. Those interested in volunteering or wish to schedule a Sunshine Club meeting in person at home or hospital can contact [email protected] 
3. Outreach, Alison T:
   1. First meeting was tonight!
   2. Discussion of statement of purpose and next steps 
   3. Help get the word out the committee (please do outreach about outreach)
   4. Next meeting is directly before the Intergroup meeting at 6PM on the same link
   5. Notes from today’s meeting will be available
   6. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions 
4. Help Chat, Colleen:
   1. Email [email protected] for more information on how to volunteer with HelpChat 
5. SF Teleservice, Christina on behalf of Co-Chair Jeff 
   1. SF Teleservice is In need of a Chair; 2 year sobriety requirement
   2. Also need a Friday Daily Coordinator 
   3. Email [email protected] 
   4. Spread the word and refer to packet page 13
6. The Point, Bernadette: 
   1. Save the Date: Writing workshop on Sunday, March 21st from 2-5PM on Zoom
   2. Moved the committee meeting time to first Mondays at 5:30PM
      1. Next Meeting (online) February 6th at 5:30PM
   3. Now available writing prompts for each month on The Point! 

7:35   Service Committee Liaison Reports 

1. Marin Teleservice, Jillian:
   1. The next volunteer orientation is at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, January 24 followed by a business meeting at 7:30PM. We continue to meet on Zoom
   2. At the January meeting, we will turn over all committee positions; 6 month sobriety requirement 
   3. For more information, to sign up to volunteer for a shift, and/or to get the link to the meeting, go to our website www.marinteleservice.net 
2. SF H&I, Chad:
   1. Next Meeting in person, January 21 at 10AM at 2900 24th Street in SF
   2. Orientations are scheduled in person every third Saturday of the month at 11AM
   3. Currently have 3 H&I Zoom meetings; 22 in-person meetings and 1 new in-person meeting
   4. SF H&I needs volunteers to take meeting into the facilities 
   5. Area 62 is looking for regional Chair for H&I NorCal and we filled the correctional co-chair position 
3. SF General Service, Alison:
   1. Election Season for the District (General Service)
   2. Agenda topics to arrive in late February; workshop coming in mid-March (hybrid)
   3. The General Service Office (GSO) will re-open for visitors after two years! If you are visiting NYC, please make an appointment
4. MCYPAA, Kaitlin:
   1. Meets the first Sunday of each month with the exception of this month to accommodate the holiday. We will be meeting 2PM Sunday, January 8 at the Marin Alano Club and will discuss events like game night and dancing. 
5. Marin General Service, Andrew:
   1. All Panel 73 Officer positions filled 
      1. Incoming DCMC – Dylan R
      2. Incoming alt CDMC – Kate K (future liaison)
   2. Created Technology and information Services Committee. Meeting time and date TBD. 
   3. Online concept study – First Tuesday of the month at 7pm and they are in need of a chair 

7:45   Old Business

• Inventory Question 4 Break-out Session: Should Intergroup use a decision-making process for non-routine matters that includes discussion, vote and, whenever possible, substantial unanimity, or a two-thirds majority? Responses from break-out session were shared back after the meeting:
  • Group #1: 
    • Group wants more clarity on:
      • Actual definition/distinction between routine vs non-routine matters.
      • Who, then, determines if the matter is routine vs non-routine? The Board or IGRs? One fellow said this should be a democratic process for us to decide whether it’s common or uncommon.
      • As a side, if a matter has a cost associated with it (i.e. upgrading to new internet), one fellow said they’d prefer to have a cost minimum or maximum defined for IGR involvement in regards to  decision-making (i.e. “any matter under or exceeding X amount, the Board will automatically handle that decision-making process without consulting IGRs”)…this fellow said they didn’t want IGRs to be burdened with too much decision-making. 
      • We were left asking ourselves, does it make sense to have a monthly meeting (or agenda item) dedicated to getting clarity on this to define these unknowns?
  • Group #2:
    • Discussion centered around what’s routine versus non-routine? Would be helpful to have clarity on that.  Having that information would help inform the need for a decision-making process.  The consensus seemed to be that a big topic requires a big vote, small topic small vote.  Or no vote for small topics.  Let committees stick with deciding the routine issues.
  • Group #3:
    • Most people thought no further action was required in response to Question #4, some people had two main concerns:
      • where is “substantial unanimity” defined, and who decides when a matter is “non-routine”?
    • Someone suggested that “substantial unanimity” is defined in the Bylaws, but it’s unclear. As to whether a matter is “routine” or “non-routine,” it was the sense of the group that the IGRs should decide that.
  • Group #4:  
    • Members not seeing the need for further action based on solutions offered and vote to move forward 
• Suggestion to have more discussion on the solutions offered in the packet
• If this was something about an event that happened two years ago, it seems like it is a philosophical issue rather than practical. Move forward with solutions offered as we are focused on other issues at this time 

8:05  New Business

• Accessibilities Presentation (Claudia G., CNCA 06 Accessibilities Committee Co-Chair)
  • Hearing from deaf and hard of hearing community that closed captioning and online meetings are great, but many want to be in person with other hearing and non-hearing people. 
  • In the past several areas had ASL meetings but they have all gone away, including: San Francisco, Sonoma and Alameda
  • In many cases, Intergroups are on the front lines when it comes to accessibility issues
  • Questions SF and Marin Intergroup are encouraged to think about:
    • How can this service be provided? 
    • Is there a way that San Francisco and Marin can reach out to the deaf and hard of hearing community to find out where they would like a meeting?
  • Encourage IGRs to help figure out how San Francisco and Marin counties can provide at least one ASL meeting in our area. 
  • The CNCA 06 Accessibilities Committee will continue to meet with Intergroups and will send out additional information regarding this issue
  • Refer to page 20 of the packet for more information and how to contact Claudia

• Returning to In-Person Meetings:
  • At the last Intergroup meeting there was a question regarding going back to in-person Intergroup meetings. The meeting was open for discussion/thoughts:
    • Online and Zoom is accessible for all, alleviates any excuses and it is convenient. With the new Outreach Committee, being online could be a selling point to get new IGRs. 
    • Worthwhile to consider going back to in-person meetings. Shift in AA that people are using Zoom to not go to AA and shifting the culture (group of one alcoholic talking to another). 
    • Could be a real benefit to go back to in-person. Able to talk one-on-one with people and get to know them. However, there is an appeal of online, especially for those who are traveling 

8:30   Targeted Message

1. Be of service to San Francisco and Marin Intergroup – reach out to [email protected] for details. Here are some of the volunteer positions we are looking to fill:
   1. Volunteer Bookkeeper
   2. Marin Pop-Up Bookstore Coordinator
   3. San Francisco Teleservice Chair
2. Sign up for Faithful Fivers to support the work of San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. To sign-up visit, aasfmarin.org/contributions. Your additional contributions support important 12th Step services, including running Central Office, selling A.A. literature, publishing the meeting schedule and our website at aasfmarin.org.
3. New Year, New Commitment? Please encourage Secretaries and Treasurers to register with Intergroup as a Trusted Servant to stay informed. To sign-up, visit aasfmarin.org/tsreg.

          Adjourn with the Responsibility Statement

January 2023 Intergroup Meeting Treasurer’s Narrative

Year to Date Ended
November 30, 2022

REVENUES:
Total revenues were $15K or 5% under budget year to date; group contributions slightly
exceed budget when factoring in fellowship contributions (Sobriety by the Bay / Marin
Teleservice) and surpassed the prior year by 5% Individual contributions have
decreased by $13K marking the continuing transition back to in person meetings.
Bookstore sales were right on budget and 44% ahead of prior year due to post
pandemic increase in foot traffic.

EXPENSES:
Expenses year to date were under budget by 6% slightly better than the slight shortfall
in revenues. The rent increase in November was deferred until the new year improving
our outcome for the year end. We will likely end the year within budget overall, but
expenses will still likely still exceed revenues leaving us with an over deficit (as
expected and as per budget). As discussed during the budgeting process, an increase
in revenues back to pre-pandemic levels will need to happen to cover increased
expenses due to inflationary pressures. An audit of expenses by vendor revealed costs
increasing across the board.

NET DEFICIT:
IFAA is currently experiencing a year to date loss of $22K a significant improvement
over October and ahead of budget by $8K. Gratitude month, and end of year
contributions will continue to improve our outlook as most will manifest in December. It
is likely we will end the year with a loss better than budgeted but in excess of prior year.
Also discussed during the budgeting process, this was largely anticipated and
sustainable for 2022, but not in 2023.

LIQUIDITY RESERVE:
Unrestricted cash in addition to our 6-month prudent reserve remained steady at 1.2
months or “Fair to Good” as our deficit improves approaching year end. We are still in a
solvent cash position, and will likely end the year slightly ahead of November as
contributions flow in as noted above.

FAITHFUL FIVERS:
November saw an increase of 38 Faithful Fivers as word of deficit got out. This
translated to $402 over October but the average decreased from $13.63 to $13.29.