MONTEREY BAY AREA ROUNDUP

Open: MBAR Minutes: September 24, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: August 27, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: August 20, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: August 13, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: August 6, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: July 9, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: June 11, 2022

Open: MBAR Minutes: May 14, 2022

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, April 9, 2022


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 4 was read: “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.” Tony spoke on this tradition, saying we can have whatever formats we want, as long as they don’t harm A.A. as a whole. But he also noted that our traditions cannot override the law, and that questionable actions of individual members can harm our groups.

IV: Introduction of the Steering Committee
First-time attendees none
Total including all attendees: 23

Recent A.A. Birthdays: none
Recent Anniversaries: Susan celebrated 20 years on Mar. 7. Tony had 14 years Mar. 5.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved with no changes.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Phil and Phillip volunteered to serve as next-month’s co-hosts. Mary Grace will share on Tradition 5 at the May meeting.
b. Cindy shared a list of committees that need chairs. Outreach and Hospitality are priorities, especially Outreach. She said we need to ramp up soon! Mary Grace also mentioned that we need volunteers for the A.A. panel and Friday night Zoom meeting committees.
c. Mona Nominated Renee C. to be Outreach Chair, and she accepted.
d. Cindy discussed the ability to do two online registrations at once (e.g. husband and wife). It is currently available, but rather complicated in practice. After input from Naomi, the decision was made to go back to only one registration at a time, and to make this clear on the website. Cindy pointed out that paper registration is also available.

Treasurer’s Report:

Daylene gave the report. Last month’s balance was $2364.38. We took in $225 ($85 for 7th Tradition and $140 for registration), and spent $7.70 on PayPal. The current balance is $2571.68. Daylene then brought up a number of concerns. She contrasted our current balance with that of $9300 in April 2019. There were 15 registered as of April 2019, vs. 4 now. We are not meeting our projections, which include 31 registered as of April and 83 total by the end of May. The overall increase in participants over 2019 is supposed to be 60. If we do not cover all our expenses, the remainder will be the responsibility of the steering committee.

Daylene made two recommendations: 1. Do not incur any more expenses this month, and let the committee see if we are on track by the end of the month. An additional 15 to 27 registrations are needed. 2. We desperately need to get an Outreach chair. This should be announced at every possible meeting, in every location, including Santa Cruz, Salinas, and San Benito County. Daylene noted that we owe $2550 to the Conference Center, whether the meeting takes place or not. This almost exactly matches the amount in our checking account.

Mary Grace suggested putting our Arizona speaker in someone’s home to save money. Charly offered his guest house.

Naomi asked if it were acceptable to email registration fliers to Central Offices, which they would print and have available there. She also said she could make packets of fliers to mail out. Cindy is available to print fliers as well.

Sidney will let everyone in the Al-Anon committee know that we need to increase registration. She will also try to find an Outreach chair.

Chris T. pointed out that the online registration link says “closed”, although it is not. Cindy said this is because it is still in testing mode; that will be fixed soon. Registrations made in testing mode are still valid. Phillip suggested updating the Monterey A.A. website with the registration flier. Naomi asked if Jana could include a link to the registration form in the monthly newsletter.

Committee Reports:

Social Events: Arthur said he is planning a summer event, but does not know what it will be. Registration will be available during the event.

Social Media: Chris T. will email fliers to past attendees, encouraging them to come back. She will also make the registration link available on Facebook, and encourage posting of fond memories on the Facebook page. This will hopefully increase the number of views. Chris will email Jana the registration link.

Spanish: Eric said the English meeting format is now fully translated into Spanish. The Spanish fliers are nearly done, and the block times for the Saturday and Sunday meetings set. May has offered to donate $300-400 worth of Spanish literature; Eric asked if this was acceptable. Cindy said May will explain at next month’s meeting. Eric also wanted to know if online registration was available in Spanish. Cindy replied that the form has English and Spanish titles already. If more is needed, the website can be adjusted, as long as it stays within budget.

Speakers: Mark B. said most of the work has already been done. He has a specific flight in mind for Rocky, but should be able to wait a few weeks to buy a ticket.

T-Shirts: Charly finally has graphics that can be printed at a reasonable cost. But setup will still be nearly $1000. We won’t need to order the shirts for 1-3 months. After setup, shirts will cost about $8 each to be printed. Eric asked about T-shirt sizes. Charly said this would be decided around May or June, along with how many to sell. Tony noted that unisex shirts would be cheaper than male/female.

Mona asked if we could have a T-shirt sample in advance of the main order. Charly replied this probably was not possible. Cindy then inquired if we could at least get a picture in advance of the April 30 birthday meeting; Charly said he would find out.

Daylene brought up the idea of using only one color on the T-shirts, to save startup money. She also asked if we had a specific formula for how many to buy. Charly said we would need an entirely different logo if we only used one color.

Mary Grace spoke with the A.A. panel, and they would like the flier to read A.A./Old-Timers Panel (since everyone on the panel is an old-timer). Each member will have their own topic to speak on.

Phillip spoke about the Friday night Zoom meeting. It needs a secretary, readers, co-hosts, and 50/50 raffle assistance. Cindy asked if there were an extra charge for more than 100 participants; Phillip said he’d find out.

Susan mentioned that Al-Anon has its speakers all set, but that they are still working on the family panel. She said the registration link and PDF could go on the Al-Anon website. This information will also be simple to email to group representatives.

Thomas has updated the A.A./Al-Anon financial agreement, and emailed it to most of the committee members. He also shared it onscreen.

Reports for next month: Breakfast Committee, Dinner Committee, BBQ Committee, Literature Committee, hotel room block. We will also try to finish going over the bylaws then.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, MWednesday, April 27, 2022

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, May 14, 2022

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:26 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, March 12, 202


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, March 12, 202
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 3 was read: “The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” Gina spoke on this tradition, saying we don’t need to have money, or any specific beliefs, to be in A.A. We just need to desire to stop drinking; nothing else is asked of us.

IV: Introduction of the Steering Committee
First-time attendees. Tony, Hilda
Total including all attendees: 24

Recent A.A. Birthdays: Arthur T. celebrated 23 years on Feb.2.
Recent Anniversaries: Susan celebrated 20 years on Mar. 7. Tony had 14 years Mar. 5.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved with no changes. Yes: 20, No: 0, Abstain: 3.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

Phil and Mary Grace volunteered to serve as next-month’s co-hosts. Tony will share on Tradition 4 at the March meeting.
b. Cindy encouraged attendees to join committees, and to find others willing to volunteer. Priorities include Hospitality, Facilities, Outreach, and Merchandise.

c. Cindy announced that we need a new co-chair. Phil had volunteered, but needed to be voted in. His nomination was approved with none opposed. Phil then pointed out that a speaker chair was now needed. Mark volunteered and will officially accept next meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Mona gave the report. This month’s balance was $2364.38, which includes $30 7th Tradition income and $0.52 PayPal expense.

Cindy screen shared the latest registration form to finalize. Eric pointed out that Spanish meetings should begin at 10 A.M. both days. A Zoom A.A. meeting had been proposed for Friday at 8 P.M., with Reggie as speaker. The meeting would be accessed from members’ homes, not the Conference Center. It was decided that the meeting would feature an A.A. speaker only, and not be limited to 100 at this time. Mary Grace moved that we have the Zoom meeting; the motion passed with none opposed.

The Conference Center will not allow us to do breakfast on the terrace, and the time frame at Bethlehem Lutheran is too tight. A hospitality room or restaurant might still be possible. Sidney suggested a continental breakfast with bagels and fruit, perhaps in the Conference Center. Cindy pointed out that the Center does not allow food. Other suggestions included having it outside at a park, or at the Monterey Fellowship Hall. Sidney pointed out that a continental breakfast at the church could still work. Cindy proposed leaving breakfast off the registration schedule for now, then maybe adding it later.

Mona suggested putting breakfast as TBD on the registration form for now. Cindy proposed having the breakfast on Sunday morning, with no price tag as of yet and not including it in the bundle. Arthur suggested calling it Roundup Continental Breakfast, and having it at the church Sunday 8 A.M. He made a motion to do this. The motion passed with no opposition.

Cost of the continental breakfast was discussed; $5 was proposed. Renee suggested using it as a “linchpin” for the bundle, to figure out how many are coming. Susan wanted to make breakfast as cheap as possible, adding the difference onto the dinner. Hilda disagreed, proposing a breakfast cost of $7. Sidney suggested coming up with the bundle price now, then watching the economy, putting out a donation bucket if needed. Cindy had everyone write down their preferred prices.

Naomi said that $20 was reasonable for dinner; others agreed. This was put to a vote and accepted, with one opposed. A cost of $10 was proposed for breakfast. That was accepted with one abstention. The price of ice cream was suggested to remain at $5. This was accepted with no opposition or abstentions. The last proposal was for a $30 bundle, which was also accepted without opposition.

Sidney inquired about putting Al-Anon marathon meetings on the A.A form. Naomi said she needed to know the times first.

Sidney asked how the marathon meeting rooms would be divided up between English/Spanish and A.A./Al-Anon. Cindy said that in the past, A.A. had its own rooms, and Al-Anon had theirs. She added that this issue could be worked out later. For now, only the start times of meetings need to be decided.

Arthur suggested having the A.A. and Al-Anon panels at different times, so people could attend both. Cindy moved to have the Al-Anon family panel at 11:30 on Saturday, and the A.A. panel at 1:30 on Sunday. The motion passed with none opposed. Hilda then suggested switching the days. Cindy withdrew the old motion and made a second one with the new times. This motion also passed unopposed.

Victoria asked about the PayPal account and its relation to website registration. It’s possible that a 3% fee might have to be added. This will be worked out by Daylene and Richard.

Sidney said Al-Anon has voted to pay for the tickets of the A.A./Al-Anon couples, and to have them stay in peoples’ homes.

Eric is going to have the format for English marathon meetings translated into Spanish. The Spanish marathon meetings will also need to have folders. MBAR will pay for this out of its printing budget.

Chris T. reported that some founding MBAR members have reached out through Facebook, and may want to participate in this meeting. Anyone who knows original members should give their numbers to Arthur.

Sidney thinks Al-Anon has a person to run their silent auction.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, March 30, 2022

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, April 9, 2022

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:52 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, February 12, 2022


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 2 was read:“For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.” Chris T. said that the expression of minority opinion is the most valued opinion. No one has the authority to make a sole decision; the collective conscience is what keeps everything moving along.

IV: Introduction of the Steering Committee and first-time attendees. Kelly, Renee C., Renee N., Mark B., Kathleen, Fawn, and Tony V.
Total including all attendees: 28

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Arthur T. celebrated 23 years on Feb.2.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved, with no changes and none opposed.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Phil C. and Mary Grace volunteered to serve as next-month’s co-hosts. Gina will share on Tradition 3 at the March meeting.
b. Cindy encouraged attendees to volunteer for committees, and to find others willing to volunteer. Priorities include Hospitality, Facilities, Outreach, Meals, and Merchandise.
c. Cindy announced that former Co-Chair Carrie M. had passed away, after resigning due to illness. A moment of silence was held for her and Roger. Cindy will be reaching out in the coming weeks to find a new Co-Chair.

Treasurer’s Report: Daylene gave the report. This month’s balance was $2353.72, after receiving $30 from 7th Tradition.

Sidney announced that Al-Anon is slowly filling positions on its committee. Susan said that all Al-Anon speakers are set. There may be a parents’ Al-Anon panel on Sunday morning.

Names were proposed for Kickoff Speaker (10 A.M. Saturday). Daylene had already nominated Naomi. Mary Grace nominated Phillip and Renee C.; Mona nominated Arthur. Matt was also included. All names went into a hat, and Arthur was chosen.

Mary Grace inquired if we were having a Friday night Zoom meeting. Cindy replied that none was planned as of yet.

Phil C. asked if the Spanish events would be on the main registration form. Eric said that there would be a separate registration form in Spanish. Cindy thought we might put an announcement mentioning Spanish marathon meetings on the English form.

Eric said the Spanish subcommittee is up and running, meeting once per week. He shared an English version of the proposed format for the Spanish marathon meetings. He suggested that it be approved at our next meeting.

Cindy proposed keeping the cutoff date for early registration at July 31. Eric made the motion to do this, which passed with none opposed.

It was thought the Speakers’ Meeting Dinner at 5 P.M. might be too close to the speaker meeting (7 P.M.). Mary Grace moved to change the meeting time to 7:30. It was also suggested that the raffle be listed as immediately following the speaker, and the dance as immediately following the raffle (in case the speaker goes over). Cindy raised concern that the speaker reception line might delay the raffle; Daylene said the line could move elsewhere. Mark B. pointed out that if the dance had a D.J., he or she might need a more definite starting time. Arthur proposed voting on just the 7:30 time; that passed with none opposed. Mary Grace made a separate motion to have the “immediately following” language included on the registration form. This motion also passed with no opposition. Mona made a third motion to clarify there would indeed be a dance, rather than simply a fun/fellowship event. That motion passed with none opposed as well.

Chris T. reported 53 new participants on the MBAR Facebook page. She is looking for ideas on interactive posts.

Breakfast on Sunday: Still to be determined. Bethlehem Lutheran says it’s possible there if we’re out by 10. They proposed having their church members intermingle with our A.A. members. Susan suggested handing out lists of open A.A./Al-Anon meetings. Church members would need to register to eat.

Cindy said we could also have breakfast at the hospitality suite, or on the same deck as the ice cream social. If we had it on the deck it would consist of pastries and similar; maybe don’t call it breakfast. Susan said this might be the most cost-effective option, and the easiest to get volunteers for. Naomi pointed out we couldn’t charge much for this, and that the conference center might not allow us to bring our own food. For now, breakfast will be listed as TBD on the registration form.

Aubrey said he is willing to do the dinner. Naomi suggested trying to find other people who might be willing to work on breakfast.

To finalize breakfast before next month, need someone to talk to the Conference Center about supplying food. Henry volunteered to do this. Renee N. has catering equipment for continental breakfast, so she volunteered to be on the meal committee. Mary Grace will check prices at local restaurants. She also mentioned having everyone bring their own food.

We may have a meal bundle as before, but will need to wait for a decision on breakfast.

Cindy suggested finding activities to squeeze into the empty spaces on the schedule.

Naomi asked if we would still charge $15 for dinner. Cindy suggested that we give Aubrey our estimated attendance, and check with him about the menu items.

Mary Grace proposed heading a committee to choose a panel, consisting of those speaker candidates not selected. It might be able to fit in Saturday afternoon, between the 2 P.M. meeting and dinner.

Cindy said we are planning to have the “thank the volunteers” BBQ on Friday, rather than Thursday as before. Henry is in charge of it.

Charly discovered that the T-shirt graphics are too complex for screen printing (too many colors). Also, the logo can’t be shrunk down to fit on the breast of the collared committee shirts. Naomi suggested just having T-shirts for the committee, rather than button-down ones. This would allow room for the logo. Cindy proposed checking the price of a collared shirt with only text in the breast area.

Arthur will be having surgery soon, so March is too early for an event. April or May seem possible, perhaps June as well. There are others willing to help with these events.

Henry had questions about the Friday night BBQ. Cindy said it will be self-supporting ($5 each), with attendees bringing a side dish. She will get information on past attendance to Henry.

Phil C. volunteered to be considered for Co-Chair, if he can get someone else to finish up his work as Speaker Chair. He said Mary Grace and Mark Bennett are good candidates for that. A formal vote for Co-Chair will take place next month.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, February 23, 2022

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, March 12, 2022

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:55 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, January 8, 2022


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 1 was read: "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” Mona said it means A.A. needs us, and we need A.A. She was grateful she was allowed to enter the program at her own pace, always surrounded by those who love her.

IV: Introduction of the Steering Committee and first-time attendees. Total including all attendees: 32

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Tim celebrated 32 years sobriety on December 12. Gigi had 5 years as of December 14. Victor’s 17th anniversary was December 26.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved, with no changes and none opposed.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Barbara volunteered to be next-month’s co-host; Phil C. agreed to serve as a second co-host. Chris T. will share on Tradition 2 at February’s meeting.
b. Cindy encouraged members to announce MBAR at their meetings. We are now looking for volunteers. Also, see if there are any committees you would like to join or chair. Priorities include Hospitality, Facilities, Merchandise, and Outreach.
c. There may be a social event in the next couple of months. Arthur would like help in planning it.

Treasurer’s Report: Daylene gave the report. This month’s balance was $2323.72.

Speaker Committee: Phil C. obtained a consensus of the top four A.A. speakers. Su B. has two pairs of speakers from Al-Anon.

The top-rated A.A. speaker was Rocky. The others are Reggie, Chris T., and Tiffany. Naomi suggested having our schedule set first, then choosing the speakers.

Phillip showed a proposed schedule onscreen (Google Docs). Naomi pointed out that Al-Anon sets its own schedule, with the exception of any joint meetings.

Lupe asked if the Spanish-speakers would have their own rooms, including for marathon meetings. Cindy replied there would be separate rooms for the marathons, and would check into space for the other speakers. Eric said he has been getting good feedback about MBAR in Watsonville and Salinas, although there is no Spanish-speaking subcommittee yet. He believed there would be enough space in the Colton rooms, but cautioned against overselling (fire marshal and social distancing).

May suggested having smaller raffles, with only the 50-50 live (other prize winners would check their names on a board). This would save time. A suggestion was also made to have raffles only on one day (probably Sunday). Barbara pointed out that having just one raffle might affect social distancing. Eric said we could pass out masks.

Susan proposed moving the A.A./Al-Anon speakers on Saturday to 7:00 or 7:30. Sidney suggested that we have a Zoom meeting on Friday night. Cindy pointed out that this would be limited to 100 people (unless we want to pay more). Mona suggested that we fill currently open slots, such as committee chairs, before adding anything.

Cindy said we could move the Friday night A.A./Al-Anon meeting to Saturday afternoon, with Saturday evening reserved for the A.A. speaker. Thomas thought this was a good idea. Kathleen wanted Rocky to be the closing speaker on Sunday, and for Reggie to open.

Phil C. moved to have Rocky speak Saturday night. The motion was voted on and approved, with no objections. Chris T. was chosen as the Sunday afternoon speaker, also unanimously. Al-Anon will choose the Saturday afternoon A.A./Al-Anon couple, as well as the Sunday morning speaker. The A.A. kickoff speaker will share at 10:00 AM Saturday, name to be picked from a hat. Cindy urged attendees to find names to go into the hat. The speaker needs at least 5 years of sobriety, and to be willing to discuss their A.A. experience only.

Consensus was that the raffle should take place after the speaker (about 8:30).

Lupe asked if the Spanish meetings would be inserted into the program once they are set. Cindy said this could be done for marathon meetings, and for large meetings if necessary.

Chris T. showed a volunteer recruitment flier she had made, in order to get committee approval for it. Susan made a motion for this approval; the motion passed with no objections. The flier will be posted on our Facebook page and website. Eric said the flier can be translated into Spanish.

To be decided next month: Breakfast, dinner with speakers, dance/music, panels. We may also want to look into getting a room for a hospitality suite, as well as a block room discount for out of town speakers.

Phillip mentioned a comedy/magic show at the Dali Museum near the Conference Center, which some of MBAR could attend as a group.

Eric asked if it would be possible for some of us to meet in person next month, for example to discuss T-shirts. He also inquired if we could have two Zoom meetings per month, rather than one, as we approach the event. Cindy replied that we have traditionally had a meeting every Saturday during August.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, January 26, 2022

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, February 12, 2022

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:39 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, December 11, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, December 11, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 12 was read: “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” Phillip E. pointed out there are a lot of personalities and viewpoints in Alcoholics Anonymous. He said the traditions are guidelines that help us to remain A.A. He also stated that the first 11 traditions are based on the concept of anonymity.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 29

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Phillip E. celebrated 15 years on December 1. Gina had 1 year as of December 5.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved, with no changes and none opposed. Cindy noted errors on the last page of the September and October minutes, specifically wrong dates for the Committee and Steering Committee meetings. She asked for a motion to approve those two months’ minutes with the needed changes. The motion passed with none opposed.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Barbara volunteered to be next-month’s co-host; Tim agreed to serve as a second co-host. Mona will share on Tradition 1 at January’s meeting.
b. Cindy moved to confirm Daylene as Treasurer and Mona as Co-Treasurer. Mona will handle whatever needs to be done locally, as Daylene lives out town. Daylene will take care of accounting and bookkeeping. The motion passed with none opposed.
c. Cindy needs a volunteer to chair a media committee. Duties would include updating the Facebook page, sending text reminders, and similar. Mona nominated Chris T., who accepted. Kathleen nominated Victoria, who proposed working with Chris T. The arrangement was agreed on.

Treasurer’s Report: Cindy gave the report. Last month’s balance was $5341. We received $88 in 7th Tradition contributions. After paying the website expense of $660, our balance is $4769. Eventually there will be a QR code with link to PayPal for 7th Tradition contributions.

Mercy has resigned from the treasurer position. Daylene volunteered to be her replacement, although she lives in Southern California. She suggested having a co-treasurer who is local. Mona indicated she would be willing to help. Naomi also offered assistance in her role as registration chairperson.

The Bylaws will be addressed at next month’s meeting (more pressing issues today).

Arthur said he liked Mary Grace’s idea of having a more diverse selection of speakers, including young people.

Speaker Committee: Phil C. said the committee will listen to another speaker today. After a discussion, a list of speakers will be presented. Cindy said the proposed speaker list will need to be submitted to the full MBAR Committee for approval, probably in January. Mary Grace asked if we would only have three speaker meetings, suggesting we might want more.

Su B. said she knew two A.A./Al-Anon couples who could be potential speakers. Cindy suggested working with Phillip E. to add recordings of them to Google drive, where anyone can listen to them.

Spanish-Speaking Committee: Lorena has translated the 2019 schedule of events into Spanish. Our 2022 schedule will look similar. She has also translated the logo flier (excluding text inside the logo box), and will work with Naomi to translate registration materials. In addition, Lorena will act as interpreter at the conference.

Eric met with the Spanish-speaking District in Salinas, and said their GSR was willing to help. He will reach out to the Watsonville District next week.

Eric raised the issue of who would get profits from Spanish T-shirt sales (GSR or MBAR), should GSR print and pay for them. Mary Grace suggested that the MBAR Committee print both the Spanish and English T-shirts, rather than splitting production. MBAR would incur all costs and receive all profits (if any). Carrie pointed out that income from any goods sold at MBAR has always gone to MBAR, without exception.

T-shirt Committee: Charly talked to two people who both recommended Federico’s for T-shirts. Set-up cost would be $90 for a three-color shirt, with each additional color adding $25. Thirty T-shirts (medium quality short-sleeve) would cost about $300. A Spanish T-shirt would incur an additional $90 set-up cost. Roger suggested examining and pricing shirts of different qualities and sleeve lengths; he noted that long-sleeve shirts have been popular in the past. Carrie said zip-up jackets are another option. Cindy asked Charly to compare prices for different colors, and men’s vs. women’s styles. She also said he should ask about the cutoff deadline for ordering.

Registration will be the top priority next month. We will also vote on speakers at that time. Ideas for compressing a 3-day conference to 2 days are needed.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, December 29, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, January 8, 2022

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:03 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, November 13, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 11 was read: “Tradition 11 was read: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.” Ron said the tradition of anonymity helped him feel safe when he first came to A.A. He also said not to listen to those who claim the program doesn’t work.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 30

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Andy V.T. celebrated 18 years on October 18. Cindy had 9 years October 21; Mona achieved 36 years on October 19.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and unanimously approved.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded. Cindy stressed that it will not be published anywhere, only given to those individuals who request it.
b. Mary Grace volunteered to be next-month’s co-host. Philip will discuss Tradition 12, and also serve as a second co-host. Chris T. will be a third co-host.
Treasurer’s Report: Cindy gave the report. Last month’s balance was $5359. The BBQ brought in $141; after subtracting the payment for Zoom, our new balance is $5341. Cindy has begun putting the QR code in emails for 7th tradition contributions. It goes to PayPal.

Mercy has resigned from the treasurer position. Daylene volunteered to be her replacement, although she lives in Southern California. She suggested having a co-treasurer who is local. Mona indicated she would be willing to help. Naomi also offered assistance in her role as registration chairperson.

Speaker Committee: Phil C. still can use help. He needs links or CDs of shares of speakers, and/or their phone numbers, rather than just names. Phil said he has two good speakers already, which he will run by the committee. He will get together with the other volunteers to listen to speakers, once there are enough to listen to. This needs to be completed by Dec. 31.

Arthur said he liked Mary Grace’s idea of having a more diverse selection of speakers, including young people.

Registration timeline: We will begin talking about registration next month, and finalize the discussion in January. Registration will hopefully start in January, or February at the very latest.

Charly will begin looking into T-shirts. The volume will need to be decided on, as well as price, number of short-sleeve vs. long-sleeve shirts, and perhaps other issues. We already have a logo for the shirts. Carrie mentioned the possibility of doing jackets.

Eric wants to get Spanish-speaking Marathon meetings (and other activities) going, to include the large Spanish communities around. We would have a separate room for the meetings, with fliers in Spanish. Perhaps headphones and an interpreter for the speaker could be provided at the main meetings. Carrie asked if we could translate the registration form. Barbara wanted to know if the T-shirts would also be in Spanish. Eric wants to get a general idea of how much will be needed, for how many Spanish speakers. Charly will check how much a smaller batch of Spanish T-shirts would cost.

Naomi said translation equipment has worked well in the past. However, we won’t know how much we’ll need until registration begins. She suggested that the General Service rep in Eric’s group check with the District, so that the Area can then provide what is needed. Carrie proposed translating logo words into Spanish. Naomi said that to preserve unity, the translated flier should look the same as the English one. More generally, everything should be mirrored (in English & Spanish). Cindy will create a new Save the Date flier to be translated into Spanish.

More events (like the MBAR BBQ) were suggested by Carrie. Arthur said we should create a committee to assist. Carrie proposed having one event every few months, to keep the momentum going. Susan said the first one should be in late January or early February, when more about registration will be known. We can then use the event to push early registration. Mary Grace proposed having one event every two months, with the last one in July. Arthur said he would be willing to chair the Social Committee.

We will finish reading over the Bylaws next month (no more time today).
Arthur thanked Phil C. for providing the venue for the BBQ, and all those who contributed.


VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, December 1, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, December 11, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:12 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, October 9, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 10 was read: “Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” Mary Grace interpreted this to mean there should never be an official A.A. position on medical or political issues.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 17

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Naomi B. celebrated 21 years on September 26. Joe had 5 years as of October 8.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved, with none opposed.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded. It will be available to members on request, but will not go on the MBAR website or Facebook page.
b. Cindy asked Phillip E. to be next-month’s co-host; he accepted. Ron will discuss Tradition 11 next month.

Treasurer’s Report: Cindy gave the report. Last month’s balance was $5439. The QR brought in a net of $54; after subtracting the payment for the P.O. Box, our new balance is $5359.

Cindy presented a financial inventory. The purpose was to determine if we would have enough funds to last until registrations began. Cindy’s first projection was that our balance would bottom out at $1800 in April 2022, then rise as registration funds started coming in. A second projection, in which registration funds did not arrive until May 2022, forecast a minimum balance of $59. Arthur suggested having fundraisers as social events open up.

Speaker Committee: We need volunteers for the Speaker Committee, to listen to snippets of shares from potential speakers. Thus far Phil C. is the entire committee. He suggested having a steering committee, if people didn’t want to be on the full committee. Mary Grace, Susan, Phillip E. and Janet all volunteered. Mary Grace suggested starting with a list of about 10 names. Phil wanted to know how many speakers we would need; Cindy said five (3 A.A, 2 Al-Anon), based on a 3-day conference. But for a 2-day conference it could be fewer. Su said she knows two couples who might be willing to speak.

Phil said he had secured a location for the Oct. 30 get-together. It has a capacity of 70, kitchen, and pool. A committee will be needed to plan the event. It was agreed that afternoon was the best time. There could be BBQ, swimming, and fellowship. Arthur said he would ask Aubrey to help with the BBQ.

Cindy suggested that the event be open to those outside the committee, to encourage new volunteers. Arthur offered to contribute money for meat; Joe and Thomas said they would also make contributions. Cindy brought up making a flier. The details of the get-together would need to be set first. Mary Grace suggested putting the event on the calendar of the A.A. website.

Naomi wanted to know when the registration forms would be ready. Cindy said there would be discussion in December, with the final forms decided on in January. Naomi also inquired if the QR code could be used in registration. According to Cindy, it would not be ideal.

Cindy displayed the bylaws onscreen. MBAR were created to qualify for tax-exempt status. Now they need to be approved or amended. Cindy scrolled through the sections of the bylaws, allowing all to see and possibly comment. The meeting ended before she could get all the way through. The remainder of the bylaws will be presented next month.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, November 3, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, November 13, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:04 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, September 11, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 9 was read: “A.A., as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve..” Thomas said the traditions help when doing service, and in understanding roles and responsibilities. Everyone is equal, and no one is in a position to assume authority. In particular, A.A. and MBAR are not directed by the District.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 11

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: None.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and approved with one abstention.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Cindy asked Phillip to be next-month’s co-host; he accepted. Mary Grace will discuss Tradition 10 next month.

Treasurer’s Report: There has been no new activity in the last month, so our balance remains at $5439.29.

The new P.O. Box in Monterey will be up and running by the end of September, perhaps a week earlier. Cindy said we will be moving from a Size 2 to a Size 1 mailbox (smaller).

Speaker Committee: Phil C. said Matt E. has agreed to speak. He will try to get a CD with his talk out to everyone. He also got a list of speakers from Carroll, unfortunately without phone numbers. Phil stressed he is open to speaker ideas from everyone. We need their contact information and/or links to recordings.

Mary Grace suggested listening to potential speakers via a Zoom meeting, in which each would talk in turn. She is still working on getting Dot. She also suggested that each one of us provide the name of one potential speaker. Cindy stressed that would we need their contact information and hopefully recordings.

Due to the unusual times, it was agreed we wouldn’t need a final list of speakers until the end of this year, rather than September (one year before the event). Carrie noted that no airlines are booking a year in advance anyway. But Cindy made clear we still shouldn’t wait too long.

Susan said we could benefit by having more young people as speakers, or in panels. Phil asked for members to pass his number to some young people. Carrie suggested that we give their numbers to him, and mentioned Brady as a possible source of names. Cindy pointed out that we also need two Al-Anon speakers (of any age).

Cindy said the pandemic makes it hard to tighten up our schedule at this time (meals, speakers, etc.). She said everything that took place at the Conference Center should still be able to take place again. She also noted that Bethlehem Lutheran is available on Saturday, and that we are currently scheduled to rent it September 3. Cindy asked if there were any more ideas. Mary Grace suggested having Sunday morning breakfast at a restaurant.

A get-together has been suggested for October or November. Others could be invited to the event, perhaps a Gratitude BBQ. The idea is to build enthusiasm, attract volunteers, even raise funds (50/50 raffle). Mary Grace mentioned having a picnic at her condo, if there were 15-20 people at most. Susan said we could have a larger gathering at Laguna Grande Park or Toro Park, including more people than just the committee. Arthur suggested the Community Center in Carmel Valley Village.

Carrie brought up having a movie night/potluck. This would be simple, if a place can be found. Mary Grace said she was still wary of indoor events. Carrie pointed out that outdoor locations (Whispering Pines) are available. Phil said he had a family gathering house in Carmel Valley with capacity up to 70. Carrie suggested DiMaggio Park in Marina. Mary Grace brought up charging a minimal fee ($5) to raise funds. Cindy said we can, but that the main idea was to have fun.

Cindy will need a coordinator to set up the event and get a date. She can then put out a flyer and send email blasts. Once the date is set, Phil can find out if the house is available. October 23 was put forward as a tentative date, or if not suitable then October 30. Cindy will send a Save the Date flier once the exact day is known.

Cindy thanked the new volunteer (Dawn) who showed up today. She won a free MBAR registration. Two T-shirts remain to be given away later.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, September 29, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, October 9, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:02 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Zoom Meeting
Saturday, August 14, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, August 14, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 8 was read: “Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.” Cindy said this meant we should remain teachable and humble. May added that we can learn from our mistakes and grow.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 14

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: None.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and unanimously approved.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. The Coastal Rally is next weekend. We need volunteers to sit at the MBAR table; Carrie said she had not yet been contacted by any. T-shirts will be raffled as prizes for volunteering, and possibly also a free registration. Carrie’s idea was to require attendance at the next MBAR meeting as condition for winning a prize. Because of a possible group inventory in September, it was suggested that October would be better for prizes. Mary Grace proposed announcing the raffle at other meetings. She also made a motion to collect names and numbers at the Coastal Rally, and give out prizes at the September MBAR meeting. The motion passed with none opposed. Cindy suggested collecting names at the birthday meeting as well.
Treasurer’s Report: Our balance is the same as last month: no income and no expenses.

The possibility of changing our P.O. Box was discussed. Boxes are available in Monterey, but will not be grandfathered in at the current lower rate. The Post Office suggested that we put more than one name on the account. The smallest (Size 1) box is recommended in order to save money; the Post Office can hold any overflow. It was determined that using the Post Office was the best deal financially. Cindy moved to change our box from Pacific Grove to Monterey at the end of September, leaving one month overlap between the two boxes. Susan said that nothing we print should have the old P.O. Box number on it. Carrie agreed, stressing that we should hold off all printing until the new box number is available. Cindy amended the motion to include this condition. The motion passed with none opposed.

The possibility of in-person MBAR committee meetings was discussed. Naomi said the VTC was now allowing in-person H&I meetings. Cindy asked if we even wanted to go back to in-person meetings. Donna said she was apprehensive about the idea. Mary Grace also said she was not ready, and that it would be easier to get more volunteers if we remained on Zoom. Andy said he saw no real advantage of in-person MBAR meetings, other than the bagels. Carrie pointed out that costs for VTC and Zoom were comparable. Carrie moved to remain on Zoom until at least July 2022. Susan suggested that the date be extended until October 2022, after the MBAR meeting. The motion, with the later date, passed with no opposition.

Speaker Committee: Phil C. said he had a firm yes from Matt E, but again mentioned that he did not want to be the only one choosing speakers. He also noted that Carroll had Father Tom willing to speak. Donna M. suggested having recordings of different speakers sent out; Phil said he could get links. Mary Grace reported that she had a possible woman speaker.

Carrie suggested getting advice from a prior Speaker Committee chair. Roger mentioned asking our former CD vendor, who according to Cindy may no longer be available. Mary Grace pointed out that a lot of speaker information was now available online. May brought up Rich S., who tapes our birthday meetings, as another source for links. It was mentioned that Father Tom has spoken several times in the past, and that we may not want to have him yet again. Mary Grace made a suggestion for diversity.

The Monterey Youth Center has not yet gotten back to Carrie. Bethlehem Lutheran told Cindy that Sunday breakfast was an option, but that attendance would be limited and we would need to be out by 10:00. Arthur said the Filipino Club isn’t sure they will be renting space at all. Therefore, we do not yet have enough information to make an informed decision on our schedule. Cindy suggested leaving all discussion on this, and the raffles, until next month. The same was decided for discussion of the speaker schedule.

Cindy mentioned that she had sent out a Word document with a list of previous ideas. She suggested looking it over before the next meeting.

A group inventory for our committee was proposed, to determine what we can do to attract more volunteers. Members are advised to consider if this would be a good idea. Thomas and others said the lack of volunteers may be related to the current pandemic issues.

Susan suggested discussing an outdoor fundraiser at next month’s meeting.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, September 29, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, September 11, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:02 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, July 10, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, July 10, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: : Tradition 7 was read: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” Mercy referred to the 12 and 12, which states that we ought to collect only enough for operating expenses and a small prudent reserve.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 10

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: None.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and unanimously approved.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as usual, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Coastal Rally will be held in person, Aug. 20-22. Salinas Central Office is letting MBAR have a table. Carrie said we need volunteers to sit at the table.
c. Cindy asked for ideas about what to do at the table. May suggested a drawing to win an MBAR registration (for those who sign up as volunteers). Another idea for a prize was Coastal Rally meal tickets.
d. Speaker Committee: Phil C. contacted Matt E. as a potential speaker. He also mentioned Father Tom as a possibility. Susan thought we should have more schedule information before making a final decision on speakers. In addition, she asked the committee to think about speakers for possible fundraisers.

Cindy began the discussion about making schedule changes for a two-day conference. Friday’s events will need to be eliminated or moved to Saturday/Sunday. Carrie suggested moving both raffles to Sunday, just before the end of the conference (to encourage more people to stay). Phil thought the breakfast could move to Sunday, with Friday’s events all going into Saturday. Cindy pointed out that Bethlehem Lutheran would not want us to have anything there on Sunday. Susan thought we could move the A.A./Al-Anon meeting to the middle of Saturday or Sunday, maybe combining with breakfast or lunch. She suggested eliminating the Friday kickoff speaker altogether. Since the conference will be on a Labor Day holiday, she also noted that we did not need to end early on Sunday.

Another suggestion was breakfast or brunch on Saturday with speakers, no Saturday dinner, then lunch/early dinner on Sunday. Carrie suggested a box lunch with a field trip.

Cindy said that a meal with a speaker would have to occur at Bethlehem Lutheran or the Filipino Center, both with limited seating. Carrie suggested looking into Dennis the Menace Youth Center or Whispering Pines. She said we could rent Whispering Pines for a few hours, then go to the Conference Center for speakers. Cindy noted that Whispering Pines was also a good place for speakers. Carrie will check availability for both it and the Youth Center.

Cindy thought we could determine which speakers go on which days, even if the entire schedule is not yet solid. This would help the speaker committee. Mercy asked how having a full Sunday schedule would affect paying for speakers’ hotel stay. Cindy said we would probably end up housing them for three days.

Susan said that if we had to give up one meal, the best one would be breakfast (lots of prep, low attendance). Carrie agreed, saying it might be hard squeezing breakfast in before the speakers. Susan then suggested having a speaker/breakfast at the Youth Center. Cindy pointed out that attendees would need their breakfast tickets; Carrie said this might encourage early registration. There could also be a registration desk at the breakfast.

Mercy compared different mailbox services, and found that the Post Office was the best value. Our Pacific Grove P.O. Box renews at the end of Oct. 2021. Cindy suggested making a motion to switch our P.O. Box to Monterey at that time. Mercy said that if we did that, we could have mail forwarded to the new box for many months.

Carrie suggested asking if we could keep the same rate we now have at Pacific Grove, which may be a grandfathered lower rate. Cindy brought up the idea of going to a smaller box. Susan said we should open the new box by September, so its address would be consistent with the one on registration flyers.

Cindy asked for ideas on how to increase attendance at the monthly MBAR meetings.

Mercy thanked Cindy for her excellent past work as treasurer. We currently have $5439.29 available, $2500 of which is earmarked for the January Conference Center payment. The remainder is thus $2939.29.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, August 4, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, August 14, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:12 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, June 12, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 6 was read: “An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” Thomas L. gave an Al-Anon perspective on this tradition, saying it has helped keep outside influences from hurting continuity.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 10

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: Donna M. celebrated her 34-year A.A. birthday May 25.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and unanimously approved.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as usual, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. A Zoom waiting room has been added for more security. Cindy thanked Thomas for being last month’s co-host. Phil will co-host the next meeting.
c. The budget was approved last month, and has been distributed by email.
d. We ordered a banner, which Cindy displayed on screen.

Mercy gave the Treasurer’s report. The beginning balance was $5555. After purchase of the banner, our new balance is $5439.
Moving our P.O. Box from Pacific Grove to Monterey was discussed. The main advantage would be easier pickup for a number of members. Phil made a motion to move the box to Monterey. However, Naomi raised questions about price, availability, and the time remaining on our current box (don’t want to double pay). Phil then amended his motion, saying we should move the box only if Naomi’s concerns were addressed. Naomi suggested tabling the motion until next month, and Phil withdrew the motion altogether. Susan pointed out that the decision should be made within the next couple of months, so we have the right address on our registration forms. Mercy will look into the issues raised.

Milestones:

Speaker committee: Phil pointed out that he was currently a committee of one, and does not want to be responsible for choosing the main speaker. He does have a good speaker in mind for Friday night, but could use help in getting the Saturday night speaker. Carol is willing to be involved. Susan said she knows someone who can be a good speaker resource.

Cindy pointed out that we need to first determine how many speakers we need: Do we try to squeeze 3 days’ worth of speakers into 2 days, or eliminate one or more? This needs to be decided by September.

Hospitality committee: Arthur said nothing has been decided yet about use of the Filipino Center. He will bring this up at their next board meeting. We also don’t know the status of Bethlehem Lutheran; nothing is likely to be known before September.

Cindy displayed a spreadsheet comparing different registration prices. Two one-day options were also shown. We need a total registration income of $17000. May suggested keeping the 2019 prices ($40 in advance, $50 onsite), and asking one-day attendees for a contribution. Cindy pointed out that those only coming for one day often don’t want to make contributions. Thomas also suggested keeping prices the same, saying any surplus could be used to reduce prices later.

Naomi said the onsite price of $50 seemed punitive, suggesting it be $40 instead. She thought a one-day price of $25 would be fine. Donna mentioned that old-timers paying the full amount for one day would help offset those who don’t pay at all.

Susan wanted to keep the $40 advance/$50 onsite price, to encourage early registration. She suggested that one-day attendees be encouraged to pay $25, but not advertising this in advance. Mercy and Arthur also liked the $40/$50 split, both pointing out that $50 could seem a bit high, but not out of line with other conferences. Andy said to keep it simple and retain the current prices as well. Cindy pointed out that early registration is definitely helpful, but not critical since little money has to be paid in advance.

May moved to keep the $40/$50 prices, with no one-day price at all. Thomas then brought up the idea of a $35 advance/$45 onsite price, saying we would need only 100 more people to reach our income goal, and that there should be plenty of pent-up demand. Naomi spoke in favor of keeping the price consistent from year to year. The original motion was voted on and passed, 9 in favor and none opposed.

Bundling of meals will be discussed next month, along with preliminary speaker recommendations and schedule changes. Enthusiasm builders may be brought up as well.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, June 30, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, July10, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:07 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, May 8, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 5 was read: “Each group has but one primary purpose: to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” Arthur summarized this tradition as meaning it’s better to do one thing well than many things badly. We focus on the most important aim, which is reaching out our hand to the newcomer.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 9

V: Recent A.A. Birthdays: May H. celebrated her 31-year A.A. birthday May 1. Thomas L.’s 15th Al-Anon birthday was in April.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were voted on and unanimously approved.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Cindy brought up meeting security, specifically the avoidance of Zoom bombing. Arthur suggested having a waiting room, but not changing our password. Other members agreed with this. Cindy said she would be willing to have a waiting room, but would need a co-host. A motion was made to use a waiting room, with a different co-host for each meeting. The motion passed: 7 in favor, none against.
c. Cindy shared a copy of our logo. The next step is to order the banner. A copy can be shown at in-person meetings when they resume.
Cindy gave the Treasurer’s report. The current balance is still $5555. We filed our state tax information return (nothing owed). Mercy will start looking into what we need to do about Federal taxes. We currently don’t have Federal non-profit status. Thomas said our old EIN is probably still available, so we wouldn’t need to apply for a new one. May confirmed that we do in fact have (and know) the old number.
Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. The current balance is $5555. This includes the $2500 paid to the Conference Center. Jill also said that we are now officially tax-exempt in California, according to a recent letter. We may now look into a Federal tax exemption as well.

Milestones:

a) Budget: We paid $540 for security last time. (Conference Center has its own security, but mostly for keeping watch on its property.) Arthur suggested adding security if need be, depending on future circumstances. In response to a question from Roger, Cindy said that our security person would not be armed, and would need to call the police in case of violence. A motion was made to wait until next year before deciding whether to put security in the budget. It passed unanimously.

AV is estimated at $3600 ($3800 budgeted). A suggestion was made to bring in an offsite speaker (virtual presenter). Up to 500 people could call or Zoom in, while others watched the speaker projected on a big screen. This would cost an extra $6400! May pointed out that the Salinas Gratitude Dinner had a virtual presenter, and didn’t think it cost them nearly that much. She suggested finding a technical person from Salinas to help. But the Conference Center might require us to use their approved AV company, even if we could bring in our own people and/or equipment. So virtual speakers do not appear more cost-effective than live ones.

Roger suggested getting speakers from within driving distance. He said the ability to meet speakers in person is a plus. Thomas proposed having a registration fee of $25 for virtual presenters, which would recoup much of the cost. May said she would like to have a mix of virtual and in-person speakers.

Roger proposed keeping the budget for speakers the same as last time. Later on, the speaker committee could propose changes including virtual speakers.

Cindy said that we could save $400 by using the Filipino Center as the Hospitality Suite. But it is not known if that is possible. We could also buy $400 worth of Starbucks gift cards. It was decided to keep the $400 in the budget, although Thomas pointed out that it may be too low for a 2-day suite. Roger said a contribution bucket for coffee could offset most of the cost.

It was decided to leave $200 in the budget for tax filing fees, since this is currently an unknown for Federal taxes. Thomas said that the amount could actually be $400 (or more).

May proposed approving the budget as is, leaving open the possibility of making needed changes later. The motion passed with none opposed.

A new flier is available to share at meetings.

Bylaws have been approved by the tax committee, and will be presented to everyone later.

Registration fees and other prices will be discussed at next month’s committee meeting.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, June 2, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, June 12, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:13 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy V.T., MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, April 10, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, April 10, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 4 was read: “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.” Cindy discussed this tradition, saying it means our group doesn’t have to do what another group does, or vice versa, as long as it doesn’t harm A.A. as a whole.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 10

V. Recent A.A. Birthdays: None.

VI: Minutes: Jill pointed out that we paid $646 for web maintenance the previous month, not $846. The minutes were approved with this correction.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was mentioned, as always, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Cindy reported that she had asked Mercy to be the new treasurer. Mercy said she was excited at the prospect, and was glad that MBAR would continue. A motion was introduced to confirm Mercy as the new treasurer. It passed with 8 in favor, none opposed.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. The current balance is $5555. This includes the $2500 paid to the Conference Center. Jill also said that we are now officially tax-exempt in California, according to a recent letter. We may now look into a Federal tax exemption as well.

Milestones:


Budget: Cindy shared a screenshot of the proposed 2022 budget. She pointed out that we no longer have our $10,000 prudent reserve, as we have been dipping into it since 2019. The budget set aside for fundraisers is $0, to avoid the problems encountered in putting them on. Early registration (A.A. and Al-Anon) and onsite registration will both need to be increased from 2019, in order to balance the budget. The projected income from all registration is $17,000.

Less 7th tradition income has been coming from MBAR committee meetings, thanks to Zoom. Cindy suggested inviting others to contribute via PayPal. There is $300 projected for 7th tradition at the MBAR marathon meetings.

Before October, we need to decide whether to renew our Zoom account ($150), or resume in-person meetings at the VTC. Jill suggested we would get better attendance at a Zoom meeting.

Printing and mailing expenses were discussed. Jill proposed that we continue to do printing, to distribute materials at meetings and elsewhere, but no mailing. The question will be decided later.

Estimated cost for the conference center is $7500. No money is budgeted for security this time; 2019 was the only year we had it. Carrie brought up some of the recent mass shootings, asking if the Conference Center had their own security. Cindy said she did not believe any was included in the contract, but said she would ask. Jill suggested A.A. volunteers could serve as security. Carrie suggested only using people who were currently security, and could be unobtrusive.

Carrie made a motion to continue examining budget numbers this month, then vote on the budget next month. The motion passed with none opposed.

Audiovisual expenses are projected to be $3600; there seems no likely way to make them lower. We have not needed insurance in the past, and should not this time. The amount set aside for speaker expenses is $2000. Phil said he would like help on the speaker committee. Jill suggested setting up Zoom for some of the speakers; Carrie pointed out that the cost would be less than that for airfare and a hotel. Mercy said Zoom speakers are still rewarding, and would be a good way to keep costs down.

$2000 is projected for speaker lodging; this is less than in 2019, as it would only be for 2 nights. Reimbursements for Al-Anon speaker travel and lodging are estimated as $1100. Other projected expenses include: $200 speaker gifts, $1200 ASL interpreters, $160 banners, $200 decorations, $30 literature, $125 preregistration raffle. The hospitality suite may cost $400, unless we can use Bethlehem Lutheran for coffee. Our new tax-exempt status might save us $200 in fees. It is possible we will not serve breakfast, as the conference is only two days.

The proposed budget has a surplus of $10,000, the amount of our prudent reserve. To clarify, we currently have no prudent reserve in addition to the $5555 balance.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting: Wednesday, April 28, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting: Saturday, May 8, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned: at 12:10 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, March 13, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, Saturday, March 13, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 3 was read: “The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” May discussed this tradition, saying it meant no one could be ousted from A.A.; everyone is welcome.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 13

V. Recent A.A. Birthdays: Carrie M. celebrated 10 years on February 23. Susan A. had her 19th Al-Anon birthday March 7.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were approved with no changes.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was pointed out, as always, that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Cindy reminded everyone that we decided not to have a virtual or in- person MBAR in 2021. She also noted that all committee members had agreed to stay on through 2022.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. We paid $846 for web maintenance this month. On April 1, we need to pay $2500 to the conference center. That will leave us with $5555. Jill also said she would be stepping down as treasurer. Milestones:


a) Choose date and number of days: The Conference Center mentioned two other possible dates, for which we would get the same price as Labor Day. Cindy said an earlier date would reduce the amount of time until the next conference, and possibly catch the earliest wave of people looking to gather after the pandemic. She also said it meant the committee wouldn’t have to stay together so long.

In addition, if we only have a 2-day conference, we can get the same daily rate. Cindy suggested a motion to pick both the date and the number of days. Carrie proposed making this into two separate motions (first length of conference, then date). Cindy moved to change MBAR to 2 days. She showed budgets for both 2 and 3 days, with projected overall losses of $800 and $6200, respectively. Carrie pointed out that these budgets do not include fundraisers, which are unpredictable. She also mentioned that a 2-day conference would eliminate “dead time”. Jill and others suggested Saturday-Sunday, so we don’t pay full price for a half-day Friday. The motion to have a 2-day conference was voted on and approved: 10 yes, none opposed, the rest abstaining or ineligible.

The next motion was to have the conference Saturday-Sunday, instead of Friday-Saturday. Donna preferred Friday-Saturday, as Friday was a big night and Sunday was less well-attended. Carrie said we could add programs to bump up Sunday attendance. She also suggested a Friday night pre-conference social. Thomas said he liked Friday-Saturday because of the Friday night Al-Anon/AA event, and low Sunday attendance. Mary Grace pointed out that Saturday-Sunday could have lower hotel rates for out of town travelers. Susan A. asked how a 2-day conference would affect setup. Carrie thought the center would let us have 1 hour Friday, but that there would probably be enough time early Saturday morning. Cindy made a motion to have the conference on Saturday-Sunday. It passed 6 yes, 2 no, 2 abstaining, the remainder ineligible.

Cindy mentioned two dates besides Labor Day: April 9-10, and May 7-8. She made a motion to select the April date. Arthur recommended against it, as it was Pebble Beach Food and Wine weekend. Naomi thought moving the date from Labor Day would be one change too many, and also noted that May 7-8 was the weekend of Mother’s Day. Thomas said that if the date were changed, it should be to a later one. May liked Labor Day out of tradition. Cindy made a three-part motion, first asking if we should choose Labor Day. That part passed: 10 yes, 0 no, 3 ineligible. The second and third parts, votes for April and May, respectively, gathered 0 votes each.

Cindy told everyone to let their groups know of the decision. Changes will be made to the Facebook group, and a new save the date flier composed. Naomi suggested discussing registration fees, to include them on the flier and Facebook, but Cindy pointed out that there is plenty of time to decide this. She said it will be brought up next month. Carrie recommended looking closely at the budget, knowing now that the conference will be 2 days. This will help in deciding registration fees.

Naomi suggested asking Bethlehem Lutheran if we could have a Friday event there, including registration. Susan A. mentioned that the Filipino Community Center, which is much closer to the conference, is another good possibility.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, March 31, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, April 10, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned at 12:10 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes
Martinez Hall, Marina CA
Saturday, February 13, 2021


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, February 13, 2021
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 2 was read: “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” Phil C. discussed this tradition, saying the principle of group conscience helps keep ego out of the mix. He also noted the importance of having a power greater than ourselves, and of remembering that we are all servants.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 18

V. Recent A.A. Birthdays: Arthur T. celebrated 22 years on February 2.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were approved with no changes.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was pointed out to everyone that the meeting was being recorded. b. Cindy stated that she sent the Franchise Tax Board all the information it had requested, and was waiting for a response.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. We still have $8701 in the bank. However, a webmaster payment of $640 is now due. Other possible future expenses (outreach, banner, postage, Zoom) would decrease our balance to $7451. Jill noted that fundraisers would still be nice. Arthur asked if we would need a banner for a virtual event. Cindy replied that if we don’t get one, there will be a banner missing when we hang them all up.
Milestones:


a) Conference center deposit: For an in-person Labor Day conference in 2022, we need to sign a contract by April 1 to ensure the same pricing. A $2500 deposit is also required at that time. A second $2500 deposit could wait until January 1, 2022. Cindy asked if earlier weekends in 2022 were possible; the conference center will look into it.

Susan mentioned the idea of a Toro Park fundraiser this year, instead of a virtual conference. May suggested researching the cost of a virtual conference. Phil said we could have 1000 attendees for $340, if we purchased Zoom for a month. Susan asked if we could have both a virtual and an outdoor in-person event in 2021; Carrie responded that this would not be a problem.

Carrie made a motion to decide whether we want a virtual conference during Labor Day weekend 2021. Arthur said he would not enjoy sitting in front of a computer for so long. Jill pointed out that she went to a virtual event and did not spend the whole time online; attendees can pick meetings. She also said the event would not need to be three days long. Cindy said a virtual event would cost less, and so would not need as many participants willing to sit for long periods. Carrie suggested using $500 Zoom expense as a guideline when voting on a virtual event.

Thomas asked if having a virtual event meant separate committees for the two events. He suggested amending the motion to clarify this. Cindy proposed having the present committee work on the virtual event, if one occurs. Carrie instead suggested that this committee continue working on 2022, with a subcommittee formed for 2021 if needed. Thomas agreed with the latter idea.

Carrie stated her motion: Should we have a virtual event in 2021? After comments from Arthur and May, this was clarified to: Should we have a virtual conference in 2021? The motion was defeated: 9 no, 0 yes, the rest abstaining.

Susan made a motion to sign a contract and put down a deposit by April 1. Carrie suggested putting off this decision until March, when we would have more information. The motion was tabled.

The current committee members were polled, and all said they would stay on through the 2022 conference.

Cindy will try to have the bylaws approved next month.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, March 3, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, March 13, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned at 12:06 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes - Martinez Hall, Marina CA - Saturday, January 9, 2021


I. Call to Order: Saturday, January 9, 2021 - Time: 11:00 am
II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 1 was read: “Our common welfare should come first; personal progress depends upon AA unity.” Tim A. briefly spoke on this tradition, saying it meant no member could be compelled, punished, or expelled.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 19

V. Recent A.A. Birthdays: None.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were approved with no changes.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was pointed out to everyone that the meeting was being recorded.
b. Cindy stated that she received a response from the Tax Board, which is asking for more information.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. We have $8701 in the bank; no major change since the last report.

Milestones:

a) In-person vs. virtual MBAR. Only 5 (out of 19) respondents to Cindy’s e-blast said they would go to an in-person event in 2021. Response to Carrie’s Facebook poll was more evenly split: 10 would go to in-person MBAR, 10 would go to virtual, 4 want it postponed to 2022.

Cindy noted that we have $8700 currently available. The Conference Center would need a $5000 deposit in January, and there is about $1000 in other expenses (website, printing, postage, etc.) This would leave us with $2700. With no fundraisers, would need 400 preregistrations at $40 each, plus 240 onsite registrations at $25 each, to break even. Reducing the preregistration fee to $25 would raise the total number needed to over 1000.

Carrie noted that most registration occurs just before and at the conference, with little preregistration earlier. Arthur brought up possible “Zoom fatigue”, as people grow tired of virtual events. Cindy said that if attendance had to be limited due to the pandemic, we would be able to get our deposit back, and that she would make sure to have this in writing.

Thomas brought up delaying MBAR until 2022, when there will be pent-up demand for fellowship. Carrie suggested a virtual 2021 event, held Labor Day weekend, which could act as a fundraiser for the 2022 meeting. That would keep momentum going. Naomi pointed out that Zoom fatigue could still be an issue, whatever the virtual event was called. Arthur suggested using attendance at birthday meetings to estimate interest in a virtual MBAR.

Cory doubted that loss of momentum would be a problem if no MBAR were held in 2021. She also mentioned the possibility of having an outdoor event at Toro Park. Roger asked if the virtual conference would be a full 3 days or only 1. Mona noted that Covid was likely to be endemic through most of 2021, making an in-person conference very unlikely.

Carrie proposed a two-part motion: Should we have an in-person event in 2021? If not, should a virtual conference replace it? May suggested that we let the Conference Center know of these deliberations. She also announced that she will attend the International Women’s Conference in February, allowing her to gather information on virtual meetings.

Arthur moved to have no in-person MBAR event in 2021. The motion passed with none opposed. Carrie then moved to table the rest of the conversation (regarding a virtual or outdoor event) until February.

Jill stressed that we should inform the Conference Center we want Labor Day 2022. She also said we still need chairpersons, either for a virtual event or 2022.

Anyone with ideas on a virtual conference should send them to the Steering Committee.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, February 3, 2021

X. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, February 13, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned at 12:02 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes - Martinez Hall, Marina CA - Saturday, December 12, 2020


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, December 12, 2020
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 12 was read: “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” Andy briefly spoke on this tradition, saying the good of the group should come before personalities.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 16 Cindy welcomed newcomers, inviting them to provide their contact information in chat.

V. Recent A.A. Birthdays: Tim A., 31 years.

VI: Minutes: The minutes were unanimously approved with no changes.

VII: Chairperson’s Report:

a. It was pointed out to everyone that the meeting was being recorded.
b. At the last minute, MBAR did not sign the contract with the Conference Center, because they announced they may not have the rooms we want. The Center may need to move us, and want that in the contract. A.A. meetings might be moved from the Steinbeck arena downstairs to the Serra rooms. Al- Anon could be moved to Colton. Cindy brought up getting our deposit back if the 6-ft apart rule were still in effect in September. Carrie said she would specifically ask the Conference Center about this, and have it put in the contract. She also said the Center agreed there would be no increase in cost if we had to move. It’s possible we could use some areas as virtual rooms, if needed. Jill brought up negotiating for reduced costs, if we were forced to go to smaller venues.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. There was one generous 7th tradition donation of $100, increasing our balance to $8701.62. This leaves plenty available for our $5000 deposit on January 15.

Milestones: a) Logo contest. Only 1 entry received. Cindy displayed it onscreen for all to see. The cost to put it on a banner will not be any more than previously, although it is uncertain if all details and colors would appear on T-shirts/mugs. The design was voted on and unanimously approved. Background colors will be finalized later.

b) Registration price: Carrie suggested making the price as attractive as possible, to maximize the number of paying attendees. In the past, non-payers reduced the effective fee from $40 to $25 per person. Cindy pointed out we will probably have less income from fundraisers, although costs are likely to be the same. May said it would be a good idea to continue the Helping Hand fund, where those who can’t attend pay to help those who do. Donna suggested a partial fee for those attending only 1 or 2 days. Jill proposed $10 per day, or $25 for all 3 days; Carrie suggested $20 per day ($40 total). Stacy brought up polling members at meetings, to see how many would attend. Thomas pointed out that lack of fundraisers this time will make it hard to lower the registration fee. Roger suggested finding out how many registered we would need to break even at $25 each vs. $40 each.

Naomi asked about a deadline for deciding on a virtual vs. in-person conference. Phil and Thomas suggested preparing for a virtual conference as a backup plan. Carrie said a Zoom mini-conference next year could raise interest (and funds) for an in-person conference in 2022. Naomi suggested a full online conference in 2021, with contributions to go toward 2022. Roger’s idea was to make the 2021 meeting a hybrid one. Jill pointed out that preparing for two conferences (virtual and in-person) might be too time-consuming. She suggested trying for virtual only. Carrie mentioned that a virtual conference would be a good teaser for 2022, and opened up many more speaker options. She moved to have a virtual meeting in 2021, followed by an in-person MBAR in 2022. Naomi suggested putting the decision off until January, urging members to discuss and pray about it in the meantime.
The motion was tabled until next month, and will be re-introduced at the January meeting. Representatives are urged to poll members of their groups before then. In addition, Carrie suggested a Facebook question on the issue; Naomi said Facebook has a poll feature we can use.

VIII. Seventh Tradition:

IX. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, December 30, 2020

X. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, January 9, 2021

XI. Meeting adjourned at 12:12 pm with the Serenity Prayer

Respectfully submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes Martinez Hall, Marina CA Saturday, November 14, 2020


I. Call to Order:
Saturday, November 14, 2020
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 11 was read: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.” Cindy gave a brief discussion on this tradition, saying she much preferred attraction to promotion.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 14

V: Minutes: Jill C. said the suggestion to act “as if” the conference were happening normally came from May, not her. The minutes were amended to reflect this and unanimously approved.

VI: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Cindy noted that the meeting was being recorded, making sure to inform all participants of this fact.
b. She also suggested increasing the official meeting length to 90 minutes. Others said the current length was fine; it was decided to keep it for now (no official motion).
c. The meeting now has a new Zoom ID. It was agreed to let other groups use it.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. The balance has been going down, with nothing coming in. Initial balance $9909, expenses $1308, ending balance $8602. Most of the expenses were for the CPA working on our tax issue.

Milestones: a) Dates and venues. The Hyatt room rental would be much less than that of the Conference Center. But adding in food and 25% gratuity greatly increases the Hyatt cost, making the Conference Center a better deal overall. Rental would cost $15,900, the same as last year. AV would cost the same also. Susan A. questioned if having all food under one roof, as at the Hyatt, would result in larger attendance and thus more income. Roger suggested having a spaghetti dinner, or something else simple, to keep down food costs. Carrie noted that both venues would be flexible on refunds, if they were needed due to lockdown orders.

Naomi asked for a comparative cost sheet to be included in the minutes for future reference:

Item	Hyatt	MCC/Bethlehem
Breakfast	$2,750.00	$550.40
Dinner	$6,050.00	$742.26
Ice Cream	$1,650.00	$257.53
Svc Fees/Sales Tax	$6,630.47
Bethlehem Rental		$300.00
Total	$17,080.47	$1,850.19
Conf Room Rental	$8,000.00	$13,900.00
Total	$25,080.47	$15,750.19
Audio Visual	$2,678.00	$2,672.00

May moved to have the 2021 MBAR at the Monterey Conference Center on Labor Day weekend (the only date available). The motion passed unanimously.

b) Speaker Committee: Phil has been listening to different speakers online. He welcomes anyone throwing speaker names his way. Susan has connections who know speakers, and would like to again have Friday night speakers who are local, in part to keep down costs. She will also talk to Sue about possible Sunday speakers. Phil does not want to be the whole speaker committee; other members are welcomed and needed!

c) Logo Contest: No submissions so far. Jill suggested voting on one of the existing designs, or picking one at random. Roger’s idea was to wait until the December deadline, encouraging submissions in the meantime, then pick an existing design if necessary. Carrie suggested placing an announcement in the monthly newsletter. Roger mentioned the email contact list as another option.

As part of the application process, the tax committee had to create set of bylaws. It should probably be approved at some point, probably in December or January. Members are encouraged to read it.

Cindy moved to replace Walter’s social security number with our EIN on the MBAR Comerica bank account #1894925039. The motion also included removing Walter Washington and Margaret Weaver as signatories, retaining Cynthia Ahern and adding this year’s Treasurer Jill Curran. The motion passed unanimously.

VII. Seventh Tradition:

VIII. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, December 2, 2020

IX. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, December 12, 2020

X. Meeting adjourned at 12:06 pm with the Serenity Prayer
Respectfully Submitted by Andy Van Tuyl, MBAR Recording Secretary

MBAR Committee Minutes Martinez Hall, Marina CA Saturday, Saturday, October 10, 2020


Call to Order:
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 10 was read: “Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues, hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” May gave a brief discussion on this tradition.
IV: Introduction of all attendees: 12
V: Minutes: The minutes of the last meeting were unanimously approved as written.
VI: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Cindy noted that the meeting was being recorded, making sure to inform all participants of this fact.
b. She also mentioned that she had placed the minutes of last month’s meeting on the MBAR Facebook page.
c. Cindy said she had asked Carrie to be MBAR co-chair. Carrie was nominated for the position and unanimously approved.
d. Milestone charts will be used, effective immediately, so that necessary deadlines can be achieved.

Jill gave the Treasurer’s report. Total assets are still $9909.
It was initially proposed to have MBAR meetings via Zoom indefinitely. The proposal was changed to have Zoom meetings until the VTC was again available, and to pay for one year of Zoom. No 2021 rent will be paid to VTC in the meantime. The resolution was passed. Jill will ask the VTC to notify us when in-person meetings can resume.
May contacted four possible venues. The Conference Center is available Labor Day weekend 2021, but not any of the first three weekends in October. The Hyatt is available during both periods; however, we need to buy $7500 worth of food and drink. The Fairgrounds has no small meeting rooms, and is definitely not available Labor Day (October is uncertain). The Marriott has not been heard from. Carrie will now take over as messenger to the venues.

The December meeting (Dec. 12) is the milestone date for the venue decision, including a signed contract. At the November meeting, the majority of needed information will be brought to the committee; it will then be determined if still more is required. The problem of COVID restrictions was mentioned. Jill said we should just go ahead for now, and that if there are any issues our deposit could be refunded. For the last MBAR, 100% deposit refund was possible up to 3 months in advance. It was also suggested to use one center’s proposed rate to bid for lower rates from others.
It was proposed to begin a Speaker Committee, possibly asking if Brady knew someone who wanted to be chair. Phil C. volunteered to take on the position. Carrie pointed out that we also need an Al-Anon speaker chair, which Susan A. volunteered for.
The admission charge will be decided in a few months, when we have a firm venue and know who the speakers are. For now we will act “as if” the conference will be in person. This will be another item on the milestone chart.
The following possible milestone dates were suggested: vendors (December), ice cream/dinner (January), activities chair/banner (January), website registration available (December or January). The ice/cream dinner will be discussed with Bethlehem Lutheran, to make sure there are no church-related conflicts. Roger said a good way to choose milestone dates would be to start from “drop-dead” dates and work backward.
Neither Roger nor Cindy has seen any entries for the Logo Contest yet. Cindy suggested passing around fliers to drum up interest. Members are encouraged to distribute the flier to their sponsees.
The MBAR website has been updated. A proposal was made to put the meeting recording on our private Facebook page, and not the website. Carrie volunteered to be a second Facebook administrator.
Carrie will make an MBAR announcement at the Monterey Intergroup Birthday Meeting. Cindy will make an announcement at Linda and Dave's meeting, and Andy will make an announcement at the Salinas meeting.
We may again put together a diary with personal MBAR stories.

VII. Seventh Tradition:
VIII. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, November 4, 2020
IX. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, November 14, 2020
X. Meeting adjourned at 12:24 pm with the Serenity Prayer

MBAR Committee Minutes Martinez Hall, Marina CA Saturday, September 12, 2020


I. Call to Order: Saturday, September 12, 2020 Time: 11:00 am II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 9 was read: “A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.” Jill said A.A. was responsible for bringing sobriety within reach of all, without organization, animated by the spirit of fellowship.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 14

V: Minutes: Jill proposed a change to the minutes as written, noting that she has been to four previous meetings. The amended minutes were unanimously approved.

VI: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Cindy noted that the meeting was being recorded, making sure to inform all participants of this fact. b. She also said each item was being timed, to keep the meeting within 1 hour.

Jill gave her first treasurer’s report. There was $5 in 7th tradition income for the month, raising our total assets from $9904 to $9909.

May has not contacted anyone about venues, saying we should have a specific date first. Cindy said we had voted and decided on October 2021. Carrie suggested going in asking for this date, but also checking with each venue to see if there was a better one. All agreed that was a good idea. After Naomi questioned if there actually was a vote for October 2021, it was determined there was not. Instead, it was agreed to use that date and Labor Day as possibilities when contacting venues.

Cindy emailed committee description lists out to possible volunteers.

Not much response so far for the logo contest. Esther suggested asking newcomers or and/or people in recovery centers to participate. Arthur said he will reach out to different recovery centers. Roger pointed out that the logo contest flier has no due date. A corrected version will be made soon.

The possibility of an online fellowship event was brought up. Susan will ask South Bay Roundup about their activities. Esther noted that the Knucklehead group does online bingo; maybe try that?

Cindy said we can use help with outreach. It’s not necessary to have an outreach chair at this point, just someone who can help at a given time. Again, South Bay Roundup may have ideas. May suggested having one person reach out to others, etc., starting a “chain reaction”. Susan said it’s not too early for an outreach flier, with a Zoom link and instructions on how to get involved.

Naomi suggested putting the MBAR minutes and recording on our website; Carrie mentioned linking to them from the Facebook group. Cindy thought both were good ideas.

Cindy can use someone to work with our webmaster. Susan thought this might be a good position for newcomers or sponsees. Roger volunteered to help with this.

Nothing new from Chuck on T-shirts. A definite date will be needed before a T-shirt design is finalized. In the event MBAR has to be virtual, we may still sell T-shirts to raise funds. So as not to be stuck with many unsold T-shirts, they may be ordered as people request them, rather than all at once.

Due to uncertainty over the future course of the pandemic, there was discussion of a virtual or hybrid event in 2021, maybe one with attendees staying in their cars. Also mentioned was the option of waiting until 2022. May said we should still plan for an in-person conference at this point.

Rent is paid at the VTC through 2020.

VII. Seventh Tradition:

VIII. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, September 30, 2020

IX. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, October 10, 2020

X. Meeting adjourned at 12:11 pm with the Serenity Prayer

MBAR Committee Minutes Martinez Hall, Marina CA Saturday, August 8, 2020
I. Call to Order:
Saturday, August 8, 2020
Time: 11:00 am

II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 8 was read: “Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.” Andy discussed its application to MBAR and to Alcoholics Anonymous in general, saying it was sometimes necessary to use professionals, but that money should never get in the way of carrying the message.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 16


V: Minutes: The minutes were approved, having been read by attendees prior to the meeting.
VI: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Cindy noted that the meeting was being recorded, making sure to inform all participants of this fact.
b. We are still in need of a co-chair. If you want to be one, or know someone who does, contact Cindy.

Jill volunteered to be treasurer. She said she would be happy to assist, and was looking forward to learning from Cindy. Although she had not previously been a chairperson, or come to many previous meetings, these requirements were waived. The nomination was voted on and approved (10 in favor, none opposed).

Cindy gave her last report as treasurer. There was no income or expense for the previous month, leaving the balance at $9904.


Discussions on the tax issue have been taking place with a Carmel CPA, especially regarding which papers we need to file.

It was suggested that we look into Directors and Officers Insurance (or Errors and Omissions Insurance), which protects steering committee members in case they are sued for inadequate work or negligence. One quote for this insurance was $500/year; others were lower. The issue will be brought up again in September.

May had no further report on possible venues or dates.

Volunteers are still needed; many committee positions remain unfilled. Committee members are required to have 1 year of sobriety, and to attend all future meeting. Lists with brief committee definitions and duties are available; more detailed “Passing It On” lists may be obtained from Cindy.

It was suggested that recruiting for volunteers be conducted as “Fun-Raisers” on Facebook, especially the MBAR site. Esther noted that the Knucklehead group has a virtual Bingo meeting the last Thursday of each month, which we could use to get ideas.

Roger distributed fliers for the logo contest, and also posted one on the Monterey Central Office website. Andy sent a copy to Kellie at Salinas Central Office. Pictures of past logos are on the flier. Members may post the flier on their personal Facebook walls, as long as AA is not specifically referred to, nor full names of other members included.

An Outreach Chair will be needed at some point, although this is not a high priority at the moment. We can also use a webmaster liaison, who will work with the webmaster to make the site look better.

Chuck has not yet gotten back to Cindy about T-shirts, although with no definite date, it is too early to begin designing shirts anyway.

Rent is paid at the VTC through the end of 2020. May suggested that we keep paying it indefinitely, so the facility will be available for us when we do begin using it again.

VII. Seventh Tradition:

VIII. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, September 2, 2020

IX. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, September 12, 2020

X. Meeting adjourned at 11:50 am with the Serenity Prayer

MBAR Committee Minutes Martinez Hall, Marina CA Saturday, July 11, 2020

I. Call to Order:
Saturday, July 11, 2020
Time: 11:00 am
II: Serenity Prayer

III: Tradition 7 was read: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” Cindy noted that this applies to MBAR as well, which needs to be careful about outside contributions.

IV: Introduction of all attendees: 16

V: Minutes: The minutes were approved, having been read by attendees prior to the meeting.

VI: Chairperson’s Report:

a. Cindy mentioned the challenges in this period of uncertainty, noting that patience and tolerance are required now more than ever.
b. Both a co-chair and a treasurer are still needed. As of now we only have half a steering committee.
c. Anyone in interested in being treasurer or co-chair should see Cindy as soon as possible.


Old Business: The tax issue is still under discussion. An extra $1000 was added to the budget for the purpose of addressing it.
There is not much further news on possible venues. May did find out that the Fairgrounds does not allow attendees to bring their own food. She wants the committee to vote on a date soon. Cindy said we should talk to vendors first to solidify dates. A definite date is needed before we invite any speakers.
Volunteer recruitment efforts are starting to pay off; there were more attendees today than last month. Cindy mentioned adding social events on Facebook (via Zoom) to increase participation. She also inquired how the calling of previous volunteers went. Those who reported said there were many disconnected numbers, but also some successes. It was suggested to try emails as well. Cindy thanked all those who did call.

There has so far been no feedback on the proposed logo contest. May moved that the contest end on December 1; the motion was seconded and unanimously approved. All entries are to be submitted to Roger. It was agreed that Al-Anon members may participate in the contest. The winner will receive a free registration and T-shirt.

It was clarified that attendees who have been to 2 meetings (not necessarily consecutive) can vote.

Due in part to the ongoing crisis, MBAR is aiming for 300-500 attendees (decided last month). An email blast to 2019 and earlier attendees is planned. Envelope stuffing may also be needed, as not everyone reads their emails.

Cindy discussed T-shirts with Chuck, who is still interested in working on them. Naomi pointed out that there is currently nothing in the budget for T-shirts, however. Roger suggested only ordering T-shirts for those who request them on their registration forms.

Virtual “non-fundraiser” events were suggested, including Zoom potluck, Bingo, raffle, or auction.

Rent is paid at the VTC through the end of 2020.

Mona suggested recording MBAR committee meetings, so those unable to attend can see them. It was agreed that names would need to be edited, and attendees informed about the recording.

VII. Seventh Tradition:
VIII. Next Steering Committee meeting is Wednesday, July 29, 2020


IX. Next Committee meeting is Saturday, August 8, 2020 X. Meeting adjourned at 12:03 pm with the Serenity Prayer