PALATINE CLUB

SECRETARY GUIDELINES

Qualifications:

Secretaries must be regularly attending members of the Palatine Club, and the group for which they are to be Secretary. They must have at least six months of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Congratulations on being chosen Secretary of your group. Your service as Secretary is important, and others will look to you for leadership. Your efforts are part of the activities of thousands worldwide who are in action for the welfare of A.A. as a whole, and dozens doing their part for The Palatine Club.

Being a Meeting Secretary requires a commitment to remain as Secretary for a minimum of six months. This includes regular, on time, attendance. In the event of illness or other emergency, notify a fellow group member in advance to fill in, preferably someone with experience as a Secretary. There is no term limit, but the position should be passed on to a group member who will benefit from the experience. The decision as to when, and to whom, to pass the position, is left to you, under the direction of your Higher Power, and the group conscience.

You have received a key to the literature cabinet from your immediate predecessor. Bring it to each meeting. Notify the Secretary of Secretaries that you are the new Secretary for your group, have received the key, and provide your phone number.

Before the meeting:

Turn on the lights. Two switches are located on the North wall between the kitchen and main room, and a third is located next to the rear door.

Check both bathrooms for toilet paper supply, and check the trash cans, and empty if full. Toilet paper is located in the cabinet under the coffee pot, and trash bags are under the sink. Notify the Director in charge of supplies if any are out, or nearly so.

During the meeting:

Follow the meeting format in the Secretaries’ Binder.  No more than one reading after HIW is suggested, or as each meeting group decides.  The topic is left to the group conscience, and may be changed from time to time. Changes should be reported to the Secretary of Secretaries, so that the Meeting List Board and website can be updated.

The beginners table at the west end of the main room is to be a 1st Step or Steps 123 meeting in support of newcomers.  Members with experience should lead and support the beginners table, and, if overcrowded, split into as many tables as necessary to keep the meeting to about an hour.

Collect the donation baskets from each table midway thru the meeting.

Maintain order during the meeting, in accordance with the Code of Conduct posted on the North wall.  If an attendee disrupts the meeting, ask another group member to address them with you.  If you sense any threat to any person or property, call 911 immediately. Our address is on the minutes posted on the North wall.

A listing of persons banned from the Palatine Club is posted in the Secretaries’ Room.  Call 911 if any of them enters.

After the meeting:

Proof of attendance documents are to be signed only at the conclusion of the meeting.

Envelopes are on the podium.  Additional supplies are in the cabinets above the safe.  Fill out the white envelope with an honest and accurate account of attendance and donations.  Make sure all bills face in the same direction. Record the information on the log book on top of the safe, and deposit the envelope in the safe.

Fill out a blue envelope to record literature and/or coin sales, and record same on the log book in the literature cabinet, and on top of the safe.  Coins and newcomer packets are free to meeting attendees, but recorded on the log book in the literature cabinet. Coins may be sold for non-attendees at $2.00 each.  Prices for all other literature are as marked.

No more than TWO books of any one title may be sold to ANYONE.

Remove all trash left behind, straighten the tables and push in the chairs.  Remove all food items left on the tables and/or in the kitchen area. Empty any full trash containers.
Turn out the lights.

The Twelve Traditions: 

The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous are applicable to the Palatine Club as a whole, and to each group.  Take the time to familiarize yourself with them, if you have not yet done so. You may find it helpful to suggest a group inventory meeting to address the Traditions, and/or each group’s primary purpose: to help alcoholics to recover thru the A.A. Twelve Step program.  Can your group do better? Also, you are in position to know whether your group is self-supporting is accordance with the 7th Tradition, or depends on other groups to keep the utilities on and rent paid.  Let your group know how they are doing.

Bi-monthly Secretaries Meeting:

A meeting of all Secretaries  is conducted by the Secretary of secretaries on the first Monday of February, April, June, August October and December at 6:30 pm.  Any changes to this schedule will be posted in advance. All Secretaries are required to attend. If you cannot attend, arrange for an alternate from your group to attend.  An exchange of information, issues relating to the Club as a whole, as well as suggestions for changes and/or improvements, are discussed. Remember, you are an important link between you group and the Board of Directors of the Fellowship of Palatine, Inc.

Annual Membership Meeting:

Generally held the third Sunday of February at noon, all Secretaries are required to attend the Annual Membership Meeting.  A Notice of the meeting inviting proposed agenda items, is posted in advance of the Meeting. Inquire whether your group has any proposals, and communicate same as directed in the Notice.

Contacting the Board of Directors:

A current list of Directors with phone numbers is posted next to the front entrance. 

Feel free to contact any Director with questions or concerns, preferably directing contact to the Director responsible for the particular issue, e.g., literature, supplies, maintenance.

When you are ready to pass it on:

At such time as you have concluded to pass on the Secretary position, recruit a member of your group who will benefit from the experience, as directed by your Higher Power and the group conscience.  Train the new Secretary in these Guidelines, and spend a week or two after the transition to help him or her become familiar with their duties. Don’t forget to pass along the literature key, and inform the Secretary of Secretaries about the change.

THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PALATINE CLUB THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE