Pennsylvania State Conference of Young People in A.A.
Advisory Council
By-Laws
August 2024
PREAMBLE
We the members of the Pennsylvania State Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (PENNSCYPAA) Advisory Council, set forth this day to establish and preserve, by the following principles, the experience of our predecessors. In 1989, PENNSCYPAA was founded for the purpose of furthering the principles of AA amongst young people in Pennsylvania. It was at this conference that a committee was established for the preservation of the experience and material. We do think it beneficial to establish a custodian to preserve the efforts and experience, lest they be lost. Being cognizant that not all young people find our conference of meeting necessary, we do not propose to be a universal answer or governing body for young people. We believe it beneficial to share our experience with all who have requested our help, for it is through our sharing that we have learned to function within the framework of the 12 Traditions and 12 Concepts for World Service of AA.
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE
1.1 PURPOSE
The Advisory Council of PENNSCYPAA is formed for the purposes of furthering the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous through its annual conference. The Council is the custodian of the conference experience. It shall offer, to anyone who requests it, information regarding young people and young people’s groups as pertaining to recovery in the AA program. It shall make its knowledge and experience available to the General Service Office on a regular basis for use through AA.
1.2 STRUCTURE
Each conference’s host committee shall be appointed in a manner prescribed by those who presented the bid for such conference. A host committee will organize itself as it deems appropriate and in accordance with the AA Guidelines for Conferences, Conventions and Roundups from the General Service Office (https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/assets/mg-04_conferenceandconv.pdf). Each host committee shall select three members to become full, voting members of Advisory Council and two members to become alternate, non-voting Advisory Council members to serve on the Advisory Council. Council members shall be selected through Third Legacy Procedure as outlined in the AA Service Manual, and the host committee will decide who is eligible to vote. Those selected must have served on the host committee continuously for six months prior to the date of the host committee’s Advisory Council member selection meeting, which must be held each year at the conference or within sixty days after the conference, before the host committee disbands. Those selected shall serve a five-year term on the Council, beginning at the time of their election or immediately following the conference, whichever is later, and shall serve through five additional traveling conferences. Should Council not have full membership, those rotating off may request to serve until Council again reaches full strength. Vacant council seats caused either by resignation or absence from the conference may be filled by designated alternates, preferably from the area represented by the vacancy. The alternates may have been designated by such areas’ host committee or such areas’ other Council members.
ARTICLE II
MEETING OF ADVISORY COUNCIL
2.1 REGULAR MEETINGS
Regular Advisory meetings shall be called by the Chairperson and shall be held at 10:00 am on a Sunday in October, January, and May of the conference year unless another time and/or date is designated by the Advisory Council and notice is given. Immediately following all Advisory Council meetings or at the time set forth, there shall be a meeting with the host committee. The October meeting with the host committee can include three members from each bid committee (preferably including the Site/Hotel Chair) who can observe the meeting between the Advisory Council and the Host Committee. Bid committees shall submit any questions to the Advisory Council Co-Chair before or after this meeting. The May meeting shall be held at the hotel/site selected by the Host City, followed by a walkthrough of the property. Lastly, the Council's fourth meeting shall occur at the conference itself.
2.2 NOTICE OF MEETINGS
Notice of any change in regular meeting dates, time, and/or place shall be given verbally or by e-mail to each Advisory Council member and a representative of the host committee at least two weeks prior to the date or revised date of such meeting.
2.3 QUORUM
The presence in person of ½ of the Advisory Council shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business at the meeting.
2.4 VOTING
Every Advisory Council member shall be entitled to one vote on each matter brought before the meeting. Unless otherwise specified by these by-laws, the favorable vote of a majority of those present and entitled to vote shall be sufficient to approve any matter brought before a meeting.
ARTICLE III
OPERATING COMMITTEE
3.1 COMPOSITION
The Council shall elect an operating committee consisting of but not limited to, a Chairperson, CoChairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. Operating committee members must be permanent Council members. They shall not take any action individually or collectively on behalf of PENNSCYPAA Advisory Council without consent of the Council. Only the Chairperson and Treasurer must have served on the Council for at least one year before being elected to the committee. Upon election, they shall serve for one year and may be elected or reelected to one additional term. Council members shall use the election guidelines found in the AA Service Manual.
3.2 QUALIFICATIONS; REMOVAL
All members of the Advisory Council must be sober continuously for one year. Drinking alcoholic beverages shall be considered a resignation. Each member of the Advisory Council is expected to be present at the Advisory Council meetings and the conference. If a member fails to attend two (2) Advisory Council meetings in any conference year, the committee votes on the person's continued membership.
3.3 MOTIONS
Motions and resolutions shall require a simple majority vote of those present. All council members have one vote and will vote on all matters.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
4.1 CHAIRPERSON
Shall announce the agenda for all Council meetings. Shall open Council meetings and maintain meetings in a reasonable order. Shall recognize members entitled to the floor. State and put to a vote all motions properly made and seconded. Announce the result of all votes. Affix his/her signature to all council actions. Be one of three signatures on all bank accounts. Shall act as the Host committee liaison to the current Host Committee for PENNSCYPAA.
4.2 CO-CHAIRPERSON
In the absence of the Chairperson, shall accept the full duties of the Chairperson. Shall arrange for all council meetings. Shall carry out the various duties assigned by the Council. Shall answer any questions posed by the bid committees or refer said questions to the appropriate Council members. Be one of three signatures on all bank accounts.
4.3 TREASURER
Keep accurate financial records of all Council transactions. Give financial reports at Council meetings. Submit a financial statement annually. Have in his/her possession at Council meetings: all bank statements, deposits, and checkbooks, to be prepared to make deposits and disbursements at Council meetings. Maintain all accounts to be subjected to inspections at any time. Be one of the three signatures on all bank accounts. Shall have 2 years of continuous sobriety before being elected to such position.
4.4 SECRETARY
Act as a custodian of all Council materials. Keep minutes of all Council meetings and furnish minutes thereof to all Council members in a prompt fashion. Furnish information from our records to anyone who requests it. Answer all correspondence promptly in accord with the will of the Council members. Furnish copies of all correspondence to all Council members on all matters affecting the Council or young people in AA. Shall manage and control the mailing list of all conferences and provide such list to the host committee members of the upcoming conference. The Secretary shall annually issue to all major area central offices and others who request it, or as he/she deem warranting, an invitation to bid for the conference site, and the requirements listed below as to how, when, and where bids are accepted, together with the current conference flier, if it is available.
4.5 ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Shall assist the Secretary in the performance of the duties of the Secretary and shall perform such duties in the absence of the Secretary.
4.6 ARCHIVIST
Act as the holder of all factual material (documents, memorabilia, traveling showcases, etc.) in such a way that there can be no substantial distortion of our history. Shall be the liaison between the AA General Service Office Archivist and the Advisory Council pertaining to all PENNSCYPAA archives issues. Shall act as liaison between the Advisory Council and the conference Host City archives committee pertaining to all archive matters and displays for the conference. The Archivist shall at times act in accordance with the 12 Traditions, being especially concerned with protecting members’ anonymity, and in accordance with the 12 Concepts for World Service, exercising the appropriate authority while always remaining accountable to the guidance of the Advisory Council.
4.7 WEBMASTER
Shall maintain the PENNSCYPAA Advisory Council website. Shall respond to all e-mails and inquiries regarding the website on behalf of the Advisory Council and/or will forward relevant emails and inquiries to other Council members.
4.8 OUTREACH CHAIR
Responsible for performing various outreach duties, working to ensure the preservation of PENNSCYPAA as a statewide conference. Such duties include but are not limited to: maintaining a list of dark counties throughout the state and organizing efforts to outreach in said areas; making contact with Pennsylvania area Intergroups, notifying them of PENNSCYPAA and providing them with conference information; and being available to the current host committee to aid in outreach wherever possible. The Outreach Chair shall extend conference invitations to both the Western and Eastern Pennsylvania Area Delegates and provide them with the necessary conference information.
4.9 CO-OUTREACH
Shall assist the Outreach Chair in carrying out all necessary Outreach functions. Shall accept full duties of the Outreach Chair in his/her absence.
4.10 BID LIAISON
The liaison is responsible to communicate with a selected bid committee and report to the council their progress for a year term. The liaison shall:
Communicate with the bid Committee at least once a month (call/message/email any of the members).
Receive the bid committee’s minutes, read them and advise the bid committee, as needed.
Help the committee with any tradition or unity concerns.
Help the bid committee with their bid book and helping them submitting it in a timely manner.
The liaison should make an honest attempt to attend at least 2 bid committee business meetings and 2 bid committee events.
ARTICLE V
COUNCIL DOCUMENTS AND FINANCIALS
5.1 BANK ACCOUNTS
The Council financial transactions shall be made through its bank accounts. The bank accounts should not be used for anything other than Council business.
5.2 EXPENSES
No member of Council shall incur expenses in the Council’s name without first receiving ½’s majority approval of the Council.
5.3 BY-LAWS
Any Council member proposing any change to the By-Laws must distribute copies of the proposal at least 30 calendar days prior to the scheduled Advisory Council meeting for evaluation by other Council members. Proposals will not be considered unless they meet this requirement.
5.4 MATERIALS AND DOCUMENTS
All materials of the Council shall be deemed property of the Council and passed out to our successors. Council materials should not be used for anything other than Council business. These materials should not be used in group or area business. All documents and revisions existing and produced will have a current date affixed as part of those documents.
5.5 PRUDENT RESERVE
The Council shall endeavor to maintain a prudent reserve for the conference support if necessary. It is so designated that $15,000 be maintained as a prudent reserve. The conference and reserved funds are arbitrary figures based on current economic conditions and can be altered by a simple majority vote.
ARTICLE VI
CONFERENCE SITE SELECTION
6.1 PROCEDURE OF SITE SELECTION
Conference site selection of the Host City will be carried out in a sharing session where each member of the Council is allowed up to 2 minutes to share their perspective on each bid committee’s preparedness to host PENNSCYPAA as well as any potential areas for improvement. Once each committee has been carefully considered, voting shall be conducted using the Third Legacy Procedure as outlined in the AA Service Manual. All Council members have one vote. The Council and its meeting shall have the sole authority in choosing the conference site.
6.2 IN THE EVENT OF NO BID CITIES
In the event that no city presents a suitable bid, an emergency meeting of the Council shall be called without delay. All past and present members will be invited to attend in order to find a suitable site for the conference, determine if the conference should be suspended and the subsequent fate of the Council.
6.3 SEED MONEY
The Council shall allocate at the conference $1,000.00 “seed money” to the chosen bidding committee, to be returned to the Council by that city’s host committee within sixty days after the next year’s conference.
ARTICLE VII
THE CONFERENCE
7.1 PRE-CONFERENCE
Council members are trusted servants of PENNSCYPAA and of AA as a whole, whose job it is to encourage PENNSCYPAA participation throughout the year. They should make themselves available to the current host committee, as well as the bidding committees, for any assistance which they may need. All PENNSCYPAA’S are to be designated as such, and be designated with a number (Roman numeral) so as to preserve autonomy and character. They shall not be held in conjunction with, or in conflict with, any other major function in that city or in AA. All conference committees are responsible to pay their own expenses and cannot expect the Council to assume any financial obligations to which they may incur. However, any material and financial assistance given shall be returned to the Council at the completion of the conference. Each conference host committee should be offered all prior conference material, together with whatever individual or collective information the Council and its members possess which may be of assistance. Once chosen, the conference host committee should be given complete autonomy from the Council. They are a distinct committee chosen by the Council and should function free of Council domination, but with the knowledge that the Council stands ready to assist whenever they are requested to do so. As custodians of the conference, the Advisory Council shall have the Host Committee sign Release of Liability form absolving the Council of any liability, as stated specifically in the Release, of hosting the conference. Being Advisors only, the liability of the Conference shall reside with the Host Committee. In the case of a canceled conference due to any force Majeure, the host committee will work with the Advisory Council to determine the necessary next steps. If the conference needs to be delayed to the next year due to any force Majeure, the current Host Committee will have the opportunity to continue as Host for the following year. If the current Host Committee is unable to fulfill necessary host requirements, and elects to step down, the Advisory Council will refer to Article 6 section 6.2 of its bylaws to determine the next steps.
7.2 POST-CONFERENCE
All conference host committees are encouraged to disburse all funds within sixty days of the closing of the conference in whatever way they deem appropriate, after the following requirements are met: the host committee is required to return the seed money of $1,000.00 to the Advisory Council within sixty days after the conference. The host committee is also required to donate 60% of all remaining profits after all conference expenses have been paid to the Advisory Council by or at the October meeting, to help secure the future of PENNSCYPAA. Host committees are encouraged to contribute the remaining 40% to the General Service Structure of AA (Districts/Areas/GSO), their local intergroup office, and/or Advisory Council. The conference committee shall maintain a permanent mailing address and bank account until such time after the conference when all conference business is completed.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE CONFERENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
PENNSCYPAA