Chair Report – Derek S.
Name: Derek S.
Position: Chair
Date: 12-24-24
Greetings Area 72!
I am super excited for the new rotation, and I am grateful for being elected as your Chair.
Accomplishments from the past quarter:
My accomplishments this past quarter are best categorized in the two service rotations I have had a part in since October:
- Outgoing Treasurer
- Finalizing the 2025 Budget: Lisa S. and I as outgoing Treasurer and Alt-Treasurer and Theresa H. and Derek N. as incoming Treasurer and Alt-Treasurer went through 2024 projected year-end actuals and anticipated expenses this year to come up with the 2025 Budget. We then met with the Finance Committee for input and suggestions and finalized the budget for presentation at this Quarterly.
- Year End Financial Reports: I have been working with Theresa on contribution receipts and coding in QuickBooks and this next week we will close the books on 2024 and begin preparing the final reports for the Quarterly. She will be included in the entire process, and I expect she will be up to speed and ready to fulfill the responsibilities of Treasurer without difficulty
- Quarterly Presentation of Financial Results: Once we have the results, we will know the story and form the Treasurer’s presentation and draft the Narrative Financial Report for handout at the Quarterly.
- Other / Miscellaneous: This past quarter I have had the privilege of speaking at two gratitude banquets, speaking at the December Corrections Quarterly and attending to my service sponsees as they begin their new rotations as Appointeds, DCMs, Alt DCMs, and GSRs.
- Finalizing the 2025 Budget: Lisa S. and I as outgoing Treasurer and Alt-Treasurer and Theresa H. and Derek N. as incoming Treasurer and Alt-Treasurer went through 2024 projected year-end actuals and anticipated expenses this year to come up with the 2025 Budget. We then met with the Finance Committee for input and suggestions and finalized the budget for presentation at this Quarterly.
- As Your Incoming Area Chair – First thought: Woo Hoo! Second thought: Holy Moly, what have I gotten myself into? Third thought: Woo Hoo!
- Selecting the Appointeds – The electeds have selected a proposed slate of appointed trusted servants for Panel 75. I say proposed because they have not been approved by the incoming DCMs yet and we honor the DCMs and their authority to view and approve the proposed slate of appointeds. This is your Area, and we serve at your pleasure so the electeds have reservations about sharing who the proposed panel of appointeds are until January’s Quarterly in honor of the DCMs having the final say. The process follows that of the General Service Conference where slates of proposed committee members are presented by the nominating committee for approval by the Delegates.
- End of Rotation Handoff; Appointed Orientation and Quarterly Check-In Meeting – The outgoing electeds and appointeds met with the incoming electeds and appointeds for an end of rotation potluck at Seattle Intergroup where outgoing appointeds and electeds celebrated the end of their rotation and formally handing off their experience, strength and hope to the incoming rotation. That was followed by a one hour Appointed Orientation to the proposed incoming appointeds presented by the electeds and then the customary Area Quarterly Check-In Meeting where the Electeds and selected appointeds walk through the agenda, report on their progress acclimating to their new service positions and all getting up to speed on Area customs and traditions in preparation for the Quarterly and the rotation. I have found these check-in meetings incredibly helpful as an appointed and most recently as your Treasurer. It gets us focused on and prepared for the quarterly so that each of us are at our best for the Area we report to. As your chair, I will continue in this tradition.
- Multiple Meetings on serving as Chair – I have had several meetings and conversations with our outgoing Chair Lupita, our outgoing Delegate Crystal (on her experience strength and hope on as a past Area Chair) and my Service Sponsor Heather (also a past Area Chair). I have also talked with several past Delegates who also served as Area Chair. All were extremely helpful and wish our Area well in this next panel. I am humbled by their generosity and spirit of service. And I pray to continue in their great tradition and honor.
- Preparing for the January Quarterly – We’re in the big push to get everything ready for the January Quarterly including Friday night events ending with the Ice Cream social and business on Saturday including preparing the agenda, the background information for the discussion topics and presenting the panel of Appointeds for approval. I look forward to seeing you all there and to experience what it is like to Chair an Area Quarterly.
- Selecting the Appointeds – The electeds have selected a proposed slate of appointed trusted servants for Panel 75. I say proposed because they have not been approved by the incoming DCMs yet and we honor the DCMs and their authority to view and approve the proposed slate of appointeds. This is your Area, and we serve at your pleasure so the electeds have reservations about sharing who the proposed panel of appointeds are until January’s Quarterly in honor of the DCMs having the final say. The process follows that of the General Service Conference where slates of proposed committee members are presented by the nominating committee for approval by the Delegates.
Problems or issues you are facing or have already dealt with. None
Please share some goals you hope to achieve or begin work on in the next quarter.
- Make sure everyone knows how accessible and responsive I am (or intend to be). Send me an email, text or call me. I will get back to you;
- We have a great system at Area 72, I look forward to simply continuing that tradition and responding to you all (the Assembly body) as your conscience dictates;
- Home Group Outreach – I am available to visit either in person or via zoom at your District and/or Home Groups to share on general service, the importance of group participation at District and Area and to assist our Appointeds, GSRs and DCMs in any way I can.
In closing, I am available to any Intergroup, District, Home Group and the like to share on personal recovery, or to moderate group inventories, or assist in group resolution. Just email me as I am always happy to be of service. As of January 1st: chair@area72aa.org.
Yours in service,
Derek S.
