Area Committee Officers

The delegate represents the Area at the North American General Service Conference, prepares for and serves on a General Service Conference committee, effectively reports back to the area fellowship the issues and actions of the General Service Conference. The Delegate serves on the Area Committee and also attends the following area and state service meetings: Western Mass Area Spring and Fall Assemblies, Western Mass Round-up, Western Mass Young People’s Conference, Massachusetts State Convention, Northeast Regional Alcoholics Anonymous Service Assembly (NERAASA), Northeast Regional Delegates’ meeting (NERD), Northeast Regional Forum (NERF), and the International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Delegate serves as a committee member the first year and as treasurer the second year of the Massachusetts State Convention. The immediate past delegate serves as chair of the Massachusetts State Convention.

Suggested qualifications for this two-year commitment:

• Several years of active participation in local and area affairs, as a G.S.R. and as a committee member.
• Time available, not only for the week-long Conference meeting in April but for all the efforts needed before and after the Conference.
• Five or six years of continuous sobriety.
• The ability to make and take suggestions—and criticism, too.
• Experience in chairing meetings.
• Knowledge of A.A. affairs, and of where to find the correct information when they do not know the answers.
• Thorough familiarity with the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Concepts and how they apply to local problems.
• The ability to be open-minded, to sit down with A.A.s in the area and with other delegates to discuss and act on matters vital to A.A.

© A.A.W.S. 32-34

Area 31 Delegate e-mail: delegate@area31aa.org

The Alternate Delegate works closely with the Area Delegate, attending the same service events as the Delegate, except the General Service Conference, and is prepared to serve as Delegate if necessary. The Alternate Delegate also serves on the Massachusetts State Convention Planning committee as program co-chair in the first year, and as program chair in the second year. The Alternate Delegate may perform some special functions of the Area Committee.

Suggested qualifications:

• (The same as those for the Delegate.)

• Several years of active participation in local and area affairs, as a G.S.R. and as a committee member.
• Time available, not only for the week-long Conference meeting in April but for all the efforts needed before and after the Conference.
• Five or six years of continuous sobriety.
• The ability to make and take suggestions—and criticism, too.
• Experience in chairing meetings.
• Knowledge of A.A. affairs, and of where to find the correct information when they do not know the answers.
• Thorough familiarity with the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Concepts and how they apply to local problems.
• The ability to be open-minded, to sit down with A.A.s in the area and with other delegates to discuss and act on matters vital to A.A.

© A.A.W.S. 34

Area 31 Alternate Delegate e-mail: altdelegate@area31aa.org

The Area Chair prepares the agenda for and chairs the monthly Area Committee meeting and the Spring and Fall Assemblies, and appoints an Area Registrar and Area Archivist as those positions become vacant. The Area Chair also appoints co-chairpersons (and chairpersons when necessary) of the following service committees: Archives, Cooperation with the Professional Community, Grapevine, and Public Information. The Area Chair also communicates with area service committees and district meetings and is responsible for arranging meeting times and places for the Area Committee, the standing committees, and the Fall and Spring Assemblies. The Area Chair attends NERAASA.

Suggested qualifications:

• The Area Chair should have a solid period of sobriety (minimum three to five years), and experience in group, intergroup, institutional, and/or area affairs. Area chairs need a sound understanding and appreciation of the Steps, the Traditions, and the Concepts, along with a good fund of experience gained through applying these guides successfully to local problems.
• Communication skills, leadership qualities, and sensitivity to the wishes of the local area are also important.

© A.A.W.S. 26

Area 31 Chair e-mail: areachair@area31aa.org

Records and distributes minutes of monthly Area Committee meetings and the Area Spring and Fall assemblies, highlights business from previous meetings and announces any business requiring action, keeps a record of Area Committee Actions and Assembly Motions, and assists other area officers in formulating assembly agendas.

Suggested qualifications:

• The secretary should have a reasonable period of sobriety, some service in group or Intergroup work and some background in general office work. Computer knowledge is helpful, but not necessary. An effective secretary has a sense of order and the ability to capture the essentials of what is happening at a meeting. This is a time-consuming job and needs to be carried out on schedule, and any secretary needs to be sure that ample time is available.

© A.A.W.S. 27

Area 31 Secretary e-mail: secretary@area31aa.org

Receives and records all contributions sent to the Area Committee, pays all area bills (rents, committee members’ approved expenses, mailing costs, etc.), compiles and presents a monthly treasurer’s report to the Area Committee, compiles and presents a bi-annual treasurer’s report to the Spring and Fall assemblies, develops an annualized budget (see Guidelines IX.B.), assists all other area officers as needed, and works with an accountant to file appropriate tax and corporate paperwork annually as required.

Suggested qualifications:

• The Treasurer should be a responsible person with a solid period of sobriety.
• He or she should be organized enough to keep good records, and some accounting or bookkeeping experience is useful. If not, the person elected may need help in setting up a system, and possibly some clerical assistance.
• Persuasiveness, firmness, and diplomacy will help the treasurer do the job.

© A.A.W.S. 28

Area 31 Treasurer e-mail: treasurer@area31aa.org

1. Regularly updates area groups’ information with the help of the DCMs and GSRs in a database of group information that is managed by the General Service Office called Fellowship Connection.
2. Provides current and updated information on groups to the DCMs and GSRs.
3. Collects and updates area committee officer and member (ACM) information as it changes (ACMs are officers such as Delegate, Area Chair, Secretary, as well as DCMs and chairpersons of the various committees) in Fellowship Connection.
4. Exports ACM info to a form usable by the Secretary in creating the Area Service Directory.
5. Generates mailing labels on request for the Area Secretary, Delegate, Area Chair and each district.
6. Reports at monthly Area Committee meetings and at the Spring and Fall Assemblies on the number of registered groups and members in the area.
7. Cooperates with Intergroups in Area 31 to keep group information current.

Suggested Qualifications:

• A reasonable period of sobriety, area service experience, good organizational and follow-up skills, and computer literacy.

© A.A.W.S. 27-28

Information provided to the Area 31 Registrar will be recorded with Area 31 General Service, and A.A. General Service Office New York, N.Y.

If you wish to make changes to the “When & Where” meeting list for Area 31, which is maintained by the Western Massachusetts Intergroup Office, you will need to have your group Chairperson, GSR, or Intergroup Representative complete the appropriate form at the Intergroup Office located at 300 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040

Area 31 Registrar e-mail: registrar@area31aa.org

The archivist collects, organizes and preserves material of historic interest and is responsible for both the physical and the intellectual integrity of the collection. The Archivist reports regularly to the Archives Committee and at the Fall and Spring Assemblies. The Archivist sits on the Area Committee, but does not have a vote.

Suggested qualifications:

• The Area Archivist should have a solid period of sobriety (minimum three to five years), and experience in group, intergroup, institutional, and/or area affairs, with some Archives Committee experience.
• Avid interest in Area 31’s history.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn preservation and acquisition skills as they relate to material in the Area Archives.
  
  

  Area 31 Archivist e-mail: archivist@area31aa.org

Webmaster and Assistant Webmaster Duties and Qualifications

The Webmaster: Maintains the Area 31 Website, keeping information and web pages up to date. The Webmaster assigns and maintains user IDs and passwords for e-mail and for secure access to the website. The Webmaster registers the site’s domain, shops for the best value of services provided for the website, and ensures that the information provided on the site is pertinent to Area 31 A.A. The Webmaster will adhere to the Website Submission Guidelines. (For your information, website content submission guidelines can be found here.)

Suggested Qualifications:
• The Area 31 Webmaster should be a member of A.A. with a reasonable period of sobriety (suggested minimum 3 years), Area service experience, and good organizational skills.
• The Webmaster should be familiar with set-up and maintenance of websites and should be willing to acquire skills necessary to keep up with changing website technologies.
• The Webmaster should have, or be willing to develop, an understanding of A.A.’s Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts for World Service.

Area 31 Webmaster e-mail: webmaster@area31aa.org

The Assistant Webmaster should have, or be willing to develop, skills similar to those required of the Webmaster. The Assistant Webmaster will be expected to communicate regularly with the Area Webmaster, and to participate actively in maintaining the website.

Area 31 Assistant Webmaster e-mail: asstwebmaster@area31aa.org