[Drafted by Ben G. of Missoula MT LSR]
1. NAME
The name of this organization shall be LifeRing Secular Recovery.
2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be to maintain a secular forum
for discussion of and abstinence from substance addiction.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The only requirement for membership is a sincere desire to get sober.
[This terminology, in my opinion, is ambiguous. It is offered as a
definition in our printed material, however ("Presenting LifeRing
Secular Recovery", pg.25).]
3.1 MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
a) member-at-large: an indidvidual interested in sobriety and self-help
methods toward sobriety who "attends" [define]
meetings but, for whatever reason, chooses not to
enlist with a home group. [Sign-in sheets could
provide home group registration. Elists could also
utilize sign-in sheets with home group registration]
b) active member: an individual interested in sobriety and self-help
methods toward sobriety who "attends" [define]
meetings and knowingly registers with a home group.
Rights include but are not limited to: the making of
motions and debate, voting, and serving on committee.
Obligations include but are not limited to: attending
a certain number of meetings, serving on committee,
acceptance of office if elected. An active member may
"attend" [define] any number of meetings but may only
be registered with one home group for the purposes of
meeting census toward delegate selection and/or acting
as a delegate.
c) associate member: an active member making a willing commitment toward
service of the organization. Associate members may
be recognized as, but are not limited to:
convenors, committee chairpersons, web masters,
[others?].
d) officers: an active member properly elected or appointed to the Board
of Directors [officers' duties and terms defined in Article
7.0 - 7.10]
4. MEETINGS
The organization serves it purpose primarily by forming and supporting
meetings.
A meeting shall be defined as: two or more persons who communicate
sobriety interests, in a secular discussion, in a publicly listed and
publicly accessible location, within a posted schedule.
[4.0.1 Define "publicly listed" and "publicly accessible" in regard to
face-to-face meetings and elists. Define "posted schedule"]
4.1 MEETING CATEGORIES
a) At-Large Meeting: a gathering as defined above (Article 4.) but
lacking structure dictated by charter. At-Large
meetings may contain all category of member but
are willingly restricted from representation
before the Convenor's Congress.
[A Board position of Board Member At-Large may be
desired as a contact/liaison between this aspect
of the organization's membership and the
Convenor's Congress]
b) Chartered Meeting: a gathering as defined by Article 4. that has
applied for and been granted a charter. A
chartered meeting may contain all category of
member and may elect/appoint any active member(s)
as said meeting's representative(s)/delegate(s)
but active members may only represent one
chartered meeting.
4.2 Meetings are autonomous, self-supporting, and independent except
insofar as their activity affects other meetings or the organization
as a whole.
4.3 DELEGATE SELECTION
Each chartered meeting is granted the option of delegate represent-
ation before the Convenor's Congress. This delegate selection may be
made through election or appointment as each chartered meeting sees
fit. A delegate is said to be an active member representative of
ten percent (10%) of his/her meeting body but having whole voice
for that meeting body i.e. one vote within the Convenor's Congress.
[A meeting of ten or fewer active members (members registered to that
meeting as his/her home group) is allowed one delegate. A meeting of
eleven to twenty active members is allowed two delegates, etc. A
provision for adjusting this members:delegates ratio will fall under
Article 5.3]
4.4 MEETING CHARTER
[A Meeting Charter shall be drafted (more comprehensive than present)
to tie individual meetings to the LSR organizational body for the
purpose of: obligating meetings to Article 2. PURPOSE, affirming
convenor contact, confirming a meeting's right to elect/appoint
delegate(s) to the Convenor's Congress, obtaining meeting schedule
information for posting, other?]
4.4.1 Meeting charters shall be amassed by the Convenor's Congress for the
purpose of confirming and recognizing meeting delegates at the annual
Convenor's Congress. [Logistics of collecting charters? Time frame as
to when a charter must be registered before Congress to validate that
meeting's delegate(s)?]
5. CONVENOR'S CONGRESS
On a regular, annual basis, delegates of chartered meetings, Board
Members, and operational body delegates may assemble, face-to-face,
as the Convenor's Congress.
The Convenor's Congress shall be the deliberative and legislative body
of the organization. The Convenor's Congress' mandate(s) shall be
binding apon the Board of Directors and operational bodies.
5.1 QUORUM
The Convenor's Congress shall be comprised of at least, but not limited
to: a) a simple majority of meeting delegates possible
b) a simple majority of Board Members
c) any number of operational body delegates not exceeding one
quarter (1/4 or 25%) of seated meeting delegates. Numbers
greater than 1/4 will be allowed to debate but will be precluded
from voting.
[What I am hoping to assure with this quorum is that adequate voice
be allowed for, primarily, the meetings. This will also, however,
throw responsibility to meetings to provide delegates. If a simple
majority of possible delegates do not attend, quorum cannot be
met. What provisions must be made for organizational decisions if
our meetings, for whatever reason, opt out of this process?]
5.2 THE CONVENOR'S CONGRESS SESSION
[The Session will be our organization's business meeting. We may
desire a term other than Convenor's Congress for the whole of what
occurs at this annual gathering. Perhaps something like: Convenor's
Congress and Convention.]
Apon reaching quorum, at a pre-posted time, date, and location the
Congress shall be said to be in session.
The session shall operate with flexibility as to structure, schedule,
and agenda but should, as primary activities:
a) appoint chair/secretary
b) appoint taker of minutes
c) recognize delegates
d) proceed with elections (when necessary)
5.3 The Congress, in session, may conduct elections for the purpose of
maintaining the Board of Directors.
5.4 The Congress, in Session, may appoint committee(s) for the purpose of
investigation or special action. Said committee shall be overseen by
the Board of Directors.
5.5 The Congress, in session, shall have the ability to adjust, as it sees
fit, the member:delegate ratio for the following year's Congress.
5.6 The Congress, in session, shall decide any questions arising about the
validity of a delegate or about the existance or status of a meeting.
5.7 The Congress shall have the power to meet in open, closed, or partially
open session.
5.8 The Congress may hear and may discuss reports from chartered meetings,
and/or the Board of Directors, and/or operational bodies, and/or
committees.
[The hearing and discussion of reports, due primarily to time
constraint, may take place, wholly or partially, "out of session".]
5.9 The Congress shall have no power to abrogate or amend the purpose of
this organization.
5.10 The Congress, in session, is granted the only authority to amend these
bylaws. Said amendment must appear before the session in final draft
form for review by delegates and the Board of Directors
representatives.
Said amendment must pass by super majority (3/4) vote of session.
5.11 The Congress, in session, may elect an ad hoc Congress to "sit in
session" until the next year's Congress. This ad hoc Congress may act
apon policy concerning the Board of Directors and/or operational
bodies, but has no power of amendment.
All decisions are dependent apon a super majority (3/4) vote of the
entire ad hoc Congress body.
The ad hoc Congress shall not interfere with "normal"[define]
operations of the Board, and the ad hoc Congress shall not create
business.
[This concept is offered as a "checks-and-balances" and as a manner for
Congress (the deliberative and legislative body) to act, if necessary,
other than on a regular, annual basis. I imagine this ad hoc body being
comprised of four to twelve individuals drawn from all aspects of our
active membership body.]
6.0 OPERATIONAL BODIES
The organization shall establish and maintain a structure for
information and publishing known wholly as Operational Bodies but being
comprised of individual entities operating separately but in close
contact with each other. These operational entities shall be but are
not limited to: a) the Service Center
b) the Press, henceforth LifeRing Press
6.1 The Service Center shall obligate itself to, but not be limited to:
a) maintain a public web site
b) publish a national [international?] meeting list
c) maintain an internal web site for meeting convenors
d) maintain a nationwide [international?] information and referral
service via telephone and the Internet
e) act as reference for meeting space providers by supplying required
documents and/or materials concerning a meeting's status
[These activities, I feel, should be the minimum expectation placed
apon the Service Center. The Service Center may also...(See 6.1.1)
6.1.1 The Service Center may also, as is capable:
a) develop and maintain contacts with actual and potential referral
sources
b) operate a speaker's bureau
c) conduct periodic workshops and similar educational events
d) supply to meetings apon request and through periodic mailings:
brochures, signage, opening statements, signup [sign-in] sheets,
envelopes, stamps, and other supplies for starting and maintaining
meetings
e) other [?]
6.2 The purpose of LifeRing Press is to publish, print, and distribute
material toward the education of members and the public about the
purpose and methods of the organization. To this end, LifeRing Press
shall: a) maintain a web site for display and distribution of said
material
b) periodically contact meetings or convenors to facilitate
internal distribution of said material
c) investigate and access, where appropriate, means of wider
distribution of LifeRing Press publications
6.3 Additional operational entities may be developed by individual
LifeRing Secular Recovery (LSR) members or organizational bodies.
Such development shall be made known to the Board of Directors
through written proposal. The Board of Directors shall establish
such additional operational entities apon review and approval of
said written proposal (See 7.8).
6.3.1 Written proposals for operational entities shall be presented to the
Board of Directors and shall supply information regarding, but not
limited to: purpose, operations, operatives, jurisdiction (legal, if
applicable, and organizational), location, projected lifespan,
funding.
6.4 OPERATIONAL BODIES' DELEGATES
All employees/agents of Operational Bodies are eligible to act as
delegates, on behalf of Operational Bodies, to the Convenor's Congress.
However, active members also agents, may opt to represent his/her home
group, thereby, possibly, enabling a greater number of Operational
Bodies agents/non-members to attend. (See 5.1)
7.0 THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Purpose: The Board of Directors of LifeRing Secular Recovery shall be
the organization's and the public's quality assurance and
advocate of the organization's good name; and shall oversee
all Operational Bodies and their actions; and shall oversee
all committees; and shall administer all meeting charters.
7.1 Legal ownership of the organization's tangible and intangible
property/properties is vested in LifeRing Inc., currently a nonprofit
corporation chartered in the state of California. As such, LifeRing
Inc. shall maintain officers required by law, namely: Chief Executive
Officer (CEO), Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or
Treasurer. Further, the Board of Directors of LifeRing Inc. shall
obligate itself, and therefore this organization, to operate under and
within such applicable legal parameters dictated by local (city,
county, township), state, and federal law, i.e., registration, filing
of tax returns, keeping of minutes and books, [other?]
7.2 The obligated Board Members of LifeRing Inc. shall be the executive
Board Members of LifeRing Secular Recovery.
7.2.1 The LifeRing Secular Recovery executive board shall be augmented by
one member who shall be entrusted with the responsibility of pro
tempore (pro tem) to either of the LifeRing Inc. Board duties in the
event of emergency or unforeseen circumstance. These four Board
Members shall henceforth be referred to as the primary board members
of LifeRing Secular Recovery.
[More than one additional member may assume a pro tem role but "a
minimum of one" is essential.]
7.2.2 The primary board members may so increase their number to best fulfill
the obligations of LifeRing Inc., the above described purpose (7.0),
and such responsibilities as the Board itself or the Board and the
Convenor's Congress sees fit. Additional board members shall be
referred to collectively as secondary board members but may be granted
such title(s) as the appointing body(s) sees fit.
7.3 Primary board vacancies shall be considered an organizational emergency
and may be filled by one of three means:
a) the remaining board members may seat any qualified LSR active
member and request the approval of the ad hoc Convenor's Congress
b) the ad hoc Convenor's Congress may seat any qualified LSR active
member apon request of the remaining board members
c) time allowing [?], the Convenor's Congress, while in session,
shall elect a qualified member to the board
[What is LifeRing Inc.'s legal obligation to filling such a
vacancy? Time?]
7.3.1 Primary board vacancies shall not be considered an emergency if the
board carries enough members to "rotate" into such vacancies. Such
actions are subject to review by the ad hoc Convenor's Congress with
counter-action being considered extremely rare. The ad hoc Congress
may, however, suggest replacement for the new vacancy created by the
"rotation".
7.3.2 All other board vacancies may be filled by remaining board members
pending approval of the ad hoc Congress or by the Convenor's
Congress while in session.
7.4 Qualifications for Board members shall be:
a) active membership in LifeRing Secular Recovery
b) two (2) years continuous abstinence prior to commencement of service
7.5 DURATION OF BOARD MEMBER TERMS
Executive board members shall serve a term of three (3) years*.
Secondary board members shall serve a term of two (2) years*.
*and until a replacement is elected
7.6 Relapse of any board member shall be reviewed by the remaining board and
the ad hoc Convenor's Congress. Actions toward said relapse may follow
one of three courses: dismissal, probation, or resignation. No
recommendation may be made by this document, rather, the organization's
seated operatives (the board and the ad hoc Congress) shall bear all
judgement to this matter.
7.7 The Board of Directors shall not become involved in trivial disputes or
personality conflicts, however, the Board of Directors does reserve the
right to take disciplinary action against such members whose misconduct
or impropriety may be injurious to the organization or its purpose.
7.8 The Board of Directors shall retain the authority to:
a) police its own body and enact disciplinary action, including
dismissal, as it sees fit
b) appoint and/or remove Operational Bodies or employee/agents
c) control and/or audit Operational budgets
d) issue and/or revoke meeting charters
e) form and disband committees
f) other [?]
7.9 Each board members may act as a delegate to the Convenor's Congress.
7.10 The Board of Directors shall:
a) provide a written annual report for the Convenor's Congress.
b) retain a list of all meeting charters to be provided to the
Convenor's Congress
c) meet annually on the first Saturday in January, at 10:00 am PST
unless a legal holiday, in which case, the following Saturday
d) other [?]
[The structure and legalities of the Board of Directors is an aspect too
huge to be comprehended at this time. I appeal to all board members,
past and present, and other concerned parties to provide input
as to the scope, composition, and execution of these and any assumed
Articles. Difficulties abound, for example, in areas committing the
board toward face-to-face gathering to conduct business, and inclusion
of existing mandate or principle i.e., Bylaws of LifeRing Inc.]
8.0 COMMITTEES
The Board of Directors or the Convenor's Congress may form committee
for any reason. All committees shall be considered agents of the
organization and are therefore bound by the organizations purpose and
bylaws.
8.1 All committees shall be overseen by the Board of Directors.
8.2 All committees shall provide annual written report to the Convenor's
Congress.
9.0 ELECTIONS
Elections may occur only at the Convenor's Congress Session and,
therefore, should be considered standard business of that gathering.
9.1 NOMINATIONS
a) nominations shall be called for two (2) months prior to the election
and shall close two (2) weeks prior to the election.
b) nominations shall be mailed to: LifeRing Secular Recovery Service
Center
c) post mark shall validate time frame criteria for all nominations
d) nominations must include nominee's first and last name, nominee's
home group name and/or location, and nominator's first name and
location (community of residence)
e) qualified members may nominate themselves
f) the Board of Directors Secretary shall oversee the printing of and
delivery to the Convenor's Congress a ballot containing all
qualified (See 3.1b) nominees names
9.2 Elections voting shall be carried out by the Convenor's Congress, in
session, and may be:
a) closed ballot voting with duplicates (one ballot per delegate) of
the Secretary's ballot (See 9.1f)
b) open, hand count voting with results noted on the Secretary's ballot
and read into record
[Timing as to electees assuming office?]
10.0 AMENDMENT TO BYLAWS
A reiteration of Article 5.10 shall be sufficient description as to
allowance for and action toward any amendment of these bylaws.
(5.10) The Congress, in session, is granted the only authority to
amend these bylaws. Said amendment must appear before the
session in final draft form for review by delegates and
the Board of Directors representatives.
Said amendment must pass by super majority (3/4) vote
of session.