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Trustee Meeting Rules and Procedures
approved as of
10/24/08
Absentee Ballot
If a Trustee cannot attend the upcoming Trustee meeting he/she should
send an absentee ballot for the agenda items they wish to vote on. These absentee ballots will be
assigned by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to a current trustee and should be voted as
indicated and is limited to one absentee ballot per eligible Trustee.
Agenda
- Author
Any member of Gamblers Anonymous may author an agenda item to be heard before the Board
of Trustees, Only current or past Trustees may submit an agenda item to the Chairman of the
BOT by either mail, email or the Trustee website.
- Changing an item
- New agenda submission items may be modified or deleted by the author up until
the closing of the agenda 60 days prior to the beginning of the Trustee meeting.
- New agenda items on the floor are considered discussion items until a motion is
made. Changes to an item that has been brought to a motion can be changed through an
amendment by anyone who has the floor.
- Carried forward agenda items are treated as new agenda items when they are
heard. Items carried forward to the next BOT meeting will be considered as new agenda
submission items in between Trustee meetings.
- Tabled agenda items are treated as new agenda items when they are heard.
- Agenda items waiting for a second vote cannot be changed in any way.
- Deadline
Agenda items must be received by the Chairman of the BOT no later than 60
days before the next Trustee meeting. The Chairman of the BOT will be responsible to deliver
copies of the final agenda no later than 45 days before the next Trustee meeting. Delivery of the
official agendas will be available on the Trustee website. It will be the Trustee's responsibility to
request a mailed copy if Internet access is not available.
- Grouping
The agenda will be compiled in category order determined by the Chairman
of the BOT.
- Order of items heard
The Chairman of the BOT will take up items on the Agenda in an order that
he deems appropriate.
- Presenter
The author of an agenda item, or any current or past Trustee of their choosing, can present it to
the floor. Should the author not wish to present the item, any current or past Trustee may do so.
- Quantity of items
There is no limit to how many agenda items can be submitted by a Trustee,
either current or past, or by a GA member through a Trustee.
- Submitting an item
Only current or past Trustees may submit agenda items for the Trustee
meeting. The Chairman of the BOT must approve the addition of any item to the agenda.
Agenda items should be submitted via the Trustee website. If a qualified person wishes to
submit an item and is unable to access the Trustee website then the Chairman will take agenda
items sent via email, regular mail or fax.
- Submitted items that may be out of order
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees will make the initial determination if a newly submitted
agenda item is out of order. If deemed to be out of order, the author may request the item to be
reconsidered by the executive board, whose majority decision will be final. This process does
not interfere with procedures of the Trustee meeting once the item reaches the floor.
Portland '08
- Unheard items carryforward
All unheard items will automatically be placed on the next B.O.T. meeting
agenda and shall be heard before new agenda items.
- Withdrawing an item
Items submitted to the agenda before the 60 day deadline can be modified
or withdrawn at any time through the Chairman of the BOT. Once the agenda is finalized an
agenda item can only be withdrawn by the author or their appointed representative, when it has
been called to the floor by the presiding Chair. This may be done without objection only up until
discussion begins on the item.
Houston '08
Attendance
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each session to determine if a
quorum has been reached. The number of Trustees present will be announced and the Chair and
the Board will be advised if additional Trustees have come into the room that will increase the
available number of votes. It is the obligation of those Trustees who come into the session after
the role call has been taken by the Recording Secretary to make sure their presence
is recorded.
Challenge
Any current Trustee who feels that the presiding Chair has committed a
procedural error may challenge the Chair and must give the reason for the challenge. The Chair
must respond to the challenge. The challenge must receive a second. There is no discussion
on a challenge. The Trustees will then vote on whether the presiding chair's action was in order
or not. A challenge can be an open outcry that immediately stops the business currently on the
floor.
Changing a Procedure
Agenda items that address Trustee meeting rules and procedures will
always be the first order of business and if passed by a simple majority will take effect
immediately. Whenever the presiding chair is challenged regarding an existing procedure and
the challenge is successful, the new procedure will immediately take effect. All changes will
become part of the Rules and Procedures Manual.
- Maintenance of the Rules and Procedures manual
The rules and procedures committee will be responsible for updating and maintaining the rules
and procedures manual on the Trustee website.
Collection
The chairman of the BOT appoints 2 former trustees to do the collection at
the end of each session and the collection is immediately given to the Executive Secretary, who
counts the collection and the amount collected is announced at the beginning of the next
session. These collections are for the I.S.O office to help defray expenses.
Committees
The Chairman of the B.O.T, establishes committees to do the necessary and
ongoing work of the B.O.T, in between B.O.T, meetings. Each committee will have a Chair Liaison
to oversee the committee. The liaison will either be the Chair of the B.O.T. or one of the Co-
Chairs.
- Committee chair
- Assignment
The Chairman of the BOT will assign all committee chairs. It will be the Chairman's discretion to
either appoint someone with or without requests for someone to volunteer for the position. A
committee chair must be a GA member and does not have to be a Trustee. If the designated
committee chair is not a current Trustee, then a current Trustee must be appointed as a
committee co-chair. If the Chairman is unsuccessful in fulfilling the above requirements before
the current session is over, then the committee will not be formed.
- Eligibility
Committee chairs must meet the same requirements as those members
wishing to be Trustees.
- Removal
A committee chair will be removed by the Chairman of the BOT discretion if he/she has been
uncooperative and not communicating with the designated members of the Executive Board after
repeated requests to do so. Inability of the committee chair to perform the duties for which the
committee was charged will also be cause for removal at the discretion of the Chairman of the
BOT. Removal may also be done if the chair no longer meets the requirements of being a
Trustee.
- Committee co-chair
- Assignment
If the designated committee chair is not a current Trustee, then a current
Trustee must be appointed as a committee co-chair.
- Eligibility
Committee co-chairs must
meet the same requirements as those members wishing to be Trustees.
- Removal
A committee co-chair will
be removed at the discretion of the Chairman of the BOT if he/she has been uncooperative and
not communicating with the designated members of the Executive Board after repeated requests
to do so. Inability of the committee co-chair to perform the duties for which the committee was
charged will also be cause for removal at the discretion of the Chairman of the BOT. Removal
may also be done if the co-chair no longer meets the requirements of being a Trustee.
- Committee dissolution
A committee is dissolved when its work has been completed and the BOT
has voted on the work that has been performed. The Chairman of the BOT will determine if the
committee should remain in effect to continue its duty if its work has been rejected by a BOT
vote. Committees can be dissolved if no progress has been made since the last meeting, and
also if the Chairman of the BOT is unable to find the necessary committee chair and co-chair
when required. Committees will also be dissolved if they do not meet the minimum number of
three (3) committee members. The committee chair and committee co-chair will be responsible
for finding a suitable replacement for any member of their committee.
- Committee formation
Requests for new BOT committees must be approved by the BOT through a
shows of hands or at the discretion of the Chairman. However, the Chairman cannot prevent the
formation of a committee if the BOT is in favor of it.
- Committee members
Although volunteers are asked for at the formation of the committee,
members may be added at anytime.
- Eligibility
Committee members must meet the same requirements as those members
wishing to be Trustees.
- Removals
If the committee chair is unable to get the cooperation of any member,
either through participation, sharing the work load or communication, the committee chair will
have option to have that member removed from the committee. Removal may also be done if the
committee member no longer meets the requirements of being a Trustee.
- Committee presentations
Committee reports are given a maximum of 15 minutes. Committee
chairmen are required to submit their committee reports to the Trustee website no later than 2
weeks before the beginning of the Trustee meeting to give the Trustees time to study the work
and formulate their opinions for discussion.
- Oral
Either the chairperson or a designated member of the committee makes a
committee report at each Trustee meeting. This report should take a maximum of 15 minutes.
- Printed
All printed committee
reports should be posted to the Trustee website no later than 2 weeks before the Trustee
meeting. Any printed reports that are completed subsequent to the cutoff date will not be
included on the Trustee website. It will be the committee's responsibility to see that all current
Trustees attending the Trustee meeting get a copy of the committee report before the official
committee report is given. Any reports handed out during the Trustee meeting must also be
given to the Recording Secretary to be included in the meeting minutes.
- Visual
Visual presentations must receive the approval of the Chairman of the BOT,
in advance of the agenda deadline. Requests for visual presentations after that date will not be
accepted if there is any additional cost to the conference committee. It is requested that the
presenting member(s) try to bring whatever equipment they can to help defray the costs
associated with a visual presentation.
- Discussions on committee reports
Time allowed for discussion is 15 minutes and additional 15 minute
segments must be voted upon by the BOT.
- Motions from committee reports
Motions will not be accepted from committee reports. If a committee wishes
to make a motion it should be submitted as an agenda item separate from the report.
Conference Bids
Conference bids will be heard during the Trustee meetings at a time
designated by the Chairman of the BOT. Gam-Anon members from the areas presenting bids
may speak as part of the bid presentation. Gam-Anon members, during the conferences in
which they hold delegate meetings, will be able to reflect their preferences for area selection,
which will be announced to the BOT before it takes its vote for the preferred area. Conference
presentations that require audio or visual aid equipment will be approved at the discretion of the
Chairman of the BOT and the Conference Committee Chair of the current conference in which the
vote will be held. Bids will be awarded by a simple majority of the BOT.
Discussion on Item
The presiding chair of the Trustee meeting will introduce all items to the floor, at which time the
author or designated current or past Trustee is permitted to initiate the discussion amongst the
BOT.
- Alternating opinions
The chair will accept alternating opinions to be heard starting with those in
favor of the item. If a motion is on the floor and only one opinion is available for that item, the
chair will only hear a maximum of 5 qualified speakers before calling for the vote. Items without
a motion do not need alternating opinions and will run the full allotted time or until there are no
further speakers.
- Frequency of speaking
All qualified members who wish to speak on an item must do so before anyone can speak again
on the same item.
- Impact of procedural issues
Procedural issues such as the full process of amendments and roll call votes, points of
information, points of order, and challenges, will not count toward the 15 minute limit on agenda
items.
Disruptive members
The person chairing the BOT meeting has the obligation to address disruptive members by
requesting that they respect the BOT process and may also request that a disruptive member
leave the meeting room if they continue to cause a disturbance.
Executive Board
- Procedure For Election Of Chairman
The vote for Chairman of the Board of Trustees will be via closed ballot from current Trustees. If
more than 2 candidates are running a candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote on the
first ballot shall be elected. If none of the candidates receive more than 50% then the candidate
with the lowest count will be dropped and successive ballots shall be cast until one candidate
receives more than 50% of the vote.
- Procedure For Co-Chairs
Voting for Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees will be done separately for each Co-Chair and will
follow the procedure outlined for the election of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Good and Welfare
There will be no Good and Welfare as part of the Trustee meeting. Trustees who wish to say
something about the Trustee meeting should do so in the Trustee Line.
Head Table
The head table at the BOT meetings will comprise the following:
- The International Executive Secretary of the ISO.
- The Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
- The two (2) Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees.
- The Chairman of the Board of Regents.
- Any other officers approved by the BOT, or GA members appointed by the Chairman to
assist in any process of the Trustee meeting.
Items to be heard that are not on the agenda
No item shall be heard if not submitted to the Chairman of the BOT for the agenda prior to the
60 day deadline. However, the Chairman of the BOT may add items to the agenda at anytime,
even after the start of the Trustee meeting, if deemed important or urgent.
Literature Approval Process
- Any member wishing to submit a new piece of literature must have the literature placed as
an item on the B.O.T. agenda.
- Every Trustee serving on the B.O.T. is to receive a copy of the said literature at least 30 days
before the B.O.T. convenes.
- At the B.O.T. meeting the Trustees will vote to approve or disapprove the merit of
proceeding with literature.
- Upon approval at B.O.T. meeting each Trustee has 30 days to advise literature committee of
his or her recommendations to improve the literature.
- The literature committee will edit and produce a final version and submit the literature to the
subsequent B.O.T. meeting for a final 2 vote passage.
- New literature coming from B.O.T. approved committees will only have to submit their item
to the literature committee for editing changes involving spelling and grammar, providing the
item passes the 1st of 2 votes.
Mail Meetings
- How they are called
Notice of a mail meeting will be sent via regular mail.
- Who can call them
Mail meeting can be called by the chairman of the BOT at any time between
physical meetings. Participation will be counted as attendance as though it were a physical
meeting.
- What subject matter qualifies for requesting a mail meeting
The purpose would be to settle an issue that could not wait until the next
physical meeting or to lighten up the next agenda.
- Deadline for returning mail meeting votes
All votes must be returned to the ISO no later than 3 weeks subsequent to
the mail meeting distribution date. All responses should have the words 'Mail Meeting Vote' on
the envelope.
- Notification to Trustees of the mail meeting results
At least 3 current members of the Board of Regents will tabulate the mail
meeting ballots. The International Executive Secretary of the ISO will notify the Trustees of the
final vote on each item within 10 days after the deadline for submitting the mail meeting
responses.
Meetings
- Meeting time for Trustee meeting
The Trustee meeting will begin at 10 AM local time on the 1st day of the
Trustee meeting. The Chairman of the BOT will designate when that session ends and the
starting and ending times for all other sessions of the Trustee meeting.
Minutes
Minutes of the Trustee meetings will be taken via a recording device in order
to archive the information. The IES will send the written minutes to the Trustees for approval.
- Approval Process
The Trustees will have 30 days after the unofficial minutes have been
released to contact International Executive Secretary with any corrections, amendments and
amplifications that may need to be addressed. The International Executive Secretary will
exercise best efforts to confirm the information that is being requested to be changed. The IES
will discuss the final version of the item in question with the member bringing up the correction.
The formal acceptance of the minutes will be made at the next physical Trustee meeting.
- Displaying Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
The Trustee website will store and display the minutes from all Trustee meetings.
Houston '08
Motions
Motions on agenda items are made either during the presentation or
discussion of the item. Motions must be seconded in order for the BOT to vote on any item. Only
current Trustees may make or second a motion.
- Appearance of Approved Motion
A Trustee making a motion on an agenda item, should clearly indicate where in our literature or
in the GA program this item should be placed if it is passed by the BOT.
- Amendment
A motion to amend a motion can be made by any current Trustee who has the floor and will have
its own allotted time segment. Amendments are voted on before the original motion and only
affect the original motion if they are approved by the same majority required to pass the motion.
An amendment must be germane to the motion on the floor to be in order. Motions to amend
must be seconded. The time taken to go through any amendment process will not count against
the original 15 minutes allotted to the agenda item.
- Extending Time of Discussion Due to Amendments
Any proposed amendment to a motion will be granted up to 10 minutes
extra time for subsequent discussion.
- Motion form
A standard motion form is provided by the recording secretary and must be
completed word for word with the motion and must include the name of the Trustee making the
motion, his area number and the name of the seconder.
- Postponing agenda items
A motion to postpone delays
action on an agenda item until later in the BOT meeting, but cannot be carried over to the next
meeting. It is a debatable motion with debate centering only on the postponement.
- Tabling agenda items
A Trustee must have the floor to make a motion to table and it is not subject to discussion or an
amendment. A motion to table requires a second and a two-thirds majority vote to pass, which
automatically places the item on the agenda for the next Trustee meeting and will be the first
order of business before any new business items are heard. A motion to table has no priority.
Past Trustee Discussions
Any agenda items that become discussions and do not result in a motion
should not be printed or distributed. They are opinions of one group of Trustees at one
particular period of time.
Point of Information
A point of information may be posed in an open outcry by any current
Trustee and be related to the subject that is on the floor. The point of information must be a
question and does not interrupt the business currently being conducted on the floor. It will be
handled when the current speaker has concluded his/her business, or if the person speaking
wishes to yield to the point of information. The Trustee calling for the point of information can
only ask the question to the Chair and does not constitute being in control of the floor, nor does
it allow for information to be given or to present debate.
Point of Order
A point of order may be posed by any current Trustee by rising and stating
out loud, 'point of order', if he/she thinks that the Chairperson is invoking an improper
procedure. The person shall point out specifically in what manner the Chair is out of order. No
discussion will be allowed from the floor on the point of order. Any current Trustee may
challenge the decision of the Chair.
Proxies
- Eligible proxy voter
Current trustees who cannot attend physical Trustee meetings, can assign a proxy to another
current Trustee to vote on their behalf. Only the Trustee can assign his/her proxy. If no Trustee
is assigned, the proxy will be null and void. Current Trustees may only have 1 proxy.
- Reassigning Proxies
If a Trustee leaves before the end of the BOT meeting, they are able to give their proxy to another
Trustee who is present and does not already have a proxy, by notifying the Chairman of the BOT.
Quick Response Meetings
A quick response meeting should be used only in an emergency, i.e.
expense items over the BOR limit, a vacancy of the IES position, etc. A quick response meeting
requires a response from the voting Trustees within 15 days. Responses will be counted as
though it were a physical meeting.
- Consequences of not voting
Any Trustee who does not participate in the quick response meeting will be
considered absent, just as if a physical Trustee meeting is missed.
- Counting Votes
The votes should be counted in the presence of at least 3 BOR members.
- How they are called
Notice is sent to all voting Trustees by either email, regular mail or fax notifying
them of the quick response meeting and this notice will contain the emergency question or
problem that must be voted upon.
- Notification to Trustees of the quick response meeting results
The IES will send out the results of the vote as soon as the vote is
finalized.
- Submitting Ballots
All responses should be sent to the ISO in a clearly marked
envelope.
- Who can call them
Quick response meetings can only be called by the Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, or, by the 1st. co-chair, if the Chairman is incapacitated.
Recording Secretary
If the International Executive Secretary is not available to act as recording
secretary for the Trustee meetings, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees will appoint a GA
member who is not a current Trustee to act as the Recording Secretary.
Robert's Rules
The order of business and parliamentary procedures of all GA Trustee
meetings, unless otherwise prescribed by the Guidance Code or the decisions of the Board of
Trustees, shall be governed by Roberts Rules.
- Appointment of Parliamentarian for interpretation
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees will appoint a member of Gamblers
Anonymous as the Parliamentarian at the start of each Trustee meeting to aid the Chairs with the
interpretation and application of Robert’s Rules as well as the Trustee Rules and Procedures
during the Trustee meeting.
Straw votes
Straw votes can be taken with the understanding that they will not be
considered policy, just an opinion of those Trustees voting on the issues.
Tabling
Any item may be tabled providing the motion to table receives a two-thirds majority vote. A
motion to table has no priority and can only be made when a Trustee has the floor in the order
of all other speakers.
Any agenda item that is tabled over 2 successive Trustee meetings will not be automatically
placed on the next agenda. If so desired, it must be re-submitted as a new agenda item.
Time
- Time Limit
Agenda items, other than committee reports and conference bids, are limited to 15 minutes in
length excluding procedural issues. The BOT must approve each additional 15 minute segment.
Current and past Trustees can vote to extend time.
- Committee
Committee reports are limited to 15 minutes. If there is an audio/visual
segment, the presentation will be limited to 15 minutes during which no questions will be
entertained by the chair. The presentation period cannot be extended. A 15 minute discussion
period will commence at the conclusion of the presentation, with the BOT approving additional
15 minute segment, if deemed necessary.
- Conference bids
Conference bids are allotted as much time as needed to present and discuss the presentation.
- Discussion on motion
Time for discussion on agenda items, other than committee reports and
conference bids, is limited to 15 minutes in length excluding procedural issues, which includes
points of order and information, the entire amendment process, and roll call votes. The BOT
must approve additional 15 minute segments.
Voting
- Counting votes
Votes taken during the Trustee meeting should be counted by the chairman
and both co-chairs of the BOT and recorded in the minutes. Votes do not have to be recorded
for extending time.
- Eligibility
Only current Trustees are eligible to vote on agenda items at the BOT
meeting.
- Roll Call Votes
When a roll call vote is requested and seconded, the recording secretary will
call the names of all eligible voters present and record their votes. The votes are counted and the
results will be immediately announced. Only current Trustees can call for a roll call vote.
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