Next Business Meeting 1-15-2024

•   Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
• All meetings must have a secretary or leader who can guide the discussion and manage the meeting features. Secretaries can and should choose helpers to assist them co-host the meetings and manage the meeting features within Zoom
• Chat Function Ground Rule: To ensure maximum focus and respect for all participants during the meeting, we kindly request that all members refrain from using the chat function for general conversation or sharing during the main portion of the meeting. The chat function will only be enabled for the last 10 minutes of the meeting for any announcements, questions, or sharing related to the meeting's topic or logistics. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a respectful and focused atmosphere.
• Meetings may take a group conscience to have the Chat Feature left on, in certain circumstances
• Participants should be respectful, supportive, and tolerant of different opinions, backgrounds, and identities of other members
• Participants should mute their microphones when not speaking and avoid background noise or distractions
• Participants should turn their video on if possible and dress appropriately and be presentable
• Participants should not multitask, text, or use their phone during the meeting, unless it is an emergency
• Participants should respect the anonymity of other members and not share their names, faces, or stories outside the meeting
• Participants should not interrupt or crosstalk* other people or attempt to speak over them, but wait for their turn to share or use the raise hand feature if available
• Participants should limit their sharing time to the allotted time and stay on topic related to alcoholism and recovery
• Participants should not crosstalk, criticize, judge, or give advice to other members, but share their own experience, strength, and hope
• Participants should be respectful, supportive, and tolerant of different opinions, backgrounds, and identities of other members
   

* Crosstalk is giving advice to others who have already shared their stories. The individual speaks to them directly, instead of speaking to the group as a whole. Crosstalk can also include interrupting the person who is speaking or asking them a question unexpectedly. Crosstalk is generally frowned upon in AA because it can be intrusive, disrespectful, and disruptive to the meeting. Crosstalk can also suppress honest expression, create conflicts, and discourage newcomers from sharing.

Consequences

• If a participant engages in disruptive or inappropriate behavior that violates the ground rules, they will be warned by the meeting secretary and asked to stop
• If the behavior continues or recurs, the meeting secretary may mute, remove, or block the participant from the meeting, depending on the severity of the situation
• If the participant is blocked from the meeting, they may appeal to the trustees of the online AA group and request to be reinstated
• The trustees will review the case and vote on whether to unblock the participant or not, based on the evidence and testimonies of the meeting secretary and other members
• The trustees may determine that the participant is blocked from the Grounded in the Cloud platform of meetings if the offending behavior continues
• The decision of the trustees will be final and communicated to the participant and the group. The participant will be expected to respect and abide by the decision and the ground rules if they are allowed to rejoin the meeting(s)

• The Grounded in the Cloud Platform of meetings will be overseen by a group of 7 elected members that will serve staggered two-year terms
• The trustees meet periodically to discuss and decide on matters related to the platform, such as policies, procedures, finances, technology, security, etc.
• The trustees are elected by the online AA groups that use the platform at the June business meeting. 
• Upon the completion of their term, each outgoing Trustee will recommend a nominee to be approved by the overall group, to serve two years.  Nominees must be regular attendees of Grounded in the Cloud meetings, and have at least one year of sobriety
• The trustees are responsible for ensuring that the platform operates in accordance with the principles and traditions of AA and meets the needs of the online AA groups and members
• The trustees are accountable to the online AA groups and members and report on their activities and decisions at regular business meetings
• The trustees seek input and feedback from the online AA groups and members on matters that affect them and respect their group conscience and autonomy
• The trustees cooperate and communicate with each other and with other AA service entities, such as intergroups, districts, areas, regions, etc.
• The trustees adhere to the ground rules of online AA meetings and avoid disruptive or inappropriate behavior that may harm the platform or the fellowship

Above all else, the Trustees will seek guidance from a higher power and practice the principles of AA in all their affairs as set forth in the AA Traditions and the 12x12