BYLAWS OF 

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AREA INTERGROUP ASSOCIATION  OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS [pdf]

ARTICLE I 

PURPOSE AND OFFICE 

1.01 NAME. The name of the organization shall be Northeastern Pennsylvania  Area Intergroup Association (NEPAIG).  

1.02 PURPOSE. The purpose of the NEPAIG shall be the administration and  coordination of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) activities common to the  various groups comprising the NEPAIG's membership.  

1.03 MAILING ADDRESS. NEPAIG shall maintain its address of 422 North  Main Street, Pittston, PA 18640.  

ARTICLE II 

MEMBERS AND REPRESENTITIVES 

2.01 MEMBERSHIP. The membership in NEPAIG shall consist of each present  A.A. group and any future A.A. group located in the NEPAIG area, which  shall have elected or which shall elect to participate in NEPAIG. Such  election shall be evidenced by the giving of notice to NEPAIG.  

2.02 INTERGROUP REPRESENTATIVE (IGR) AND ALTERNATE IGR.  Each member group of the NEPAIG shall designate or elect one person to  serve as IGR of the member group to represent such group in the affairs of  NEPAIG. Each member group may also designate or elect an alternate. The  name and address of each IGR and alternate IGR of existing member groups  elected or designated to serve as such for any calendar year shall be  registered with NEPAIG not later than December 31 of the preceding  calendar year. In the calendar year in which a group first elects to become a  member of NEPAIG and elects or delegates an IGR and alternate IGR to  serve for such year, the name and address of the IGR and alternate shall be  registered with NEPAIG concurrently with or as soon as practicable after his  or her designation or election. No person may serve concurrently as an IGR  or alternate of more than one member group.  

ARTICLE III 

MEETING OF IGRs 

3.01 REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of IGRs shall be held at 7:00  p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month unless another time and/or date is 

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designated by the Board of Directors of the NEPAIG and notice thereof is  given to each IGR or alternate.  

3.02 SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meeting of IGRs may be called at anytime  (other than a regular meeting date) by a majority of the Board of Directors or  by written request of at least 25% of member groups received at the  NEPAIG's office.  

3.03 NOTICE OF MEETING. Notice if any change, in regular meeting dates  or each special meeting should be given in writing (normally in the minutes)  to each IGR or alternate IGR at the addresses registered with the NEPAIG,  for the current year at least two (2) weeks prior to the date or revised date of  each such meeting. In the event of a snow storm that causes the  cancellation of school in Pittston, the meeting will be held the following  Tuesday.  

3.04 PLACE OF MEETING. Regular IGR monthly meeting shall be held at the  Queen of the Apostles Parish, School Building, 715 Hawthorne St. Avoca Pennsylvania, 18640 at 7 p.m. unless another place is designated by the  Board of Directors in a notice to IGR’s and/or alternates. Board Meetings  shall be held the week prior to the IGR Meeting at the Central Office located  at 422 North Main Street, Pittston at a day and time approved by the current  standing Board of Directors.  

All Committee Meetings will be held monthly at a time and day approved by  that Committee.  

3.05 VOTING. Each member group represented at a meeting by a currently  registered IGR or alternate IGR shall be entitled to one vote on each matter  brought before the meeting, such vote to be exercised either by the IGR or  alternate IGR. Unless otherwise specified in 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. After minority opinion votes  taken and passed, they cannot be revisited by current panel.  

ARTICLE IV 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

4.01 COMPOSITION. The Board of Directors of NEPAIG shall consist of the  following officers: President which shall be known as Chairperson, Vice President which shall be known as Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and  Treasurer. Note: President and Vice-President Officers names shall be used 

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when conducting any banking and business transactions due to our  Incorporation papers filed with the State of Pennsylvania.  

4.02 PERSONAL LIABILITY. A member of the Board of Directors shall not  be personally liable for monetary damage for any action taken, or any failure  to take any action, as a member of the Board of Directors except to the  extent that by law liability for monetary damages may not be limited.  

4.03 ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. The IGRs at their  annual October meeting shall elect the officers and committee directors as  follows:  

 Elected in October of the ODD year to take office in January of EVEN year ●Chairperson ● Vice-Chairperson 

 ● Secretary ● Treasurer 

Elected in October of the EVEN year to take office in January of ODD year 

• Director of Activities Committee 

• Director of Archives Committee 

• Director of Central Office 

• Director of Corrections Committee 

• Director of Finance Committee 

• Director of Institutional Committee 

• Director of Public Information Committee 

• Director of Unity Committee 

• Director of Bridging The Gap Committee 

Those elected are to serve in stated capacities for a period of two (2) years. No  officer or director can be elected for two (2) consecutive terms in the same  office.  

4.04 QUALIFICATION/REMOVAL It is recommended that members of the  Board of Directors be continuously sober for a period of at least two (2) years. If there are three or more unexcused absences in a calendar year, the  member is disqualified from serving on the Board of Directors. Pre notification of an absence can only be made to the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, or Office Manager. Members shall be subject to removal or  recall by a majority vote at a duly constituted meeting of the IGRs, held after  notice of the proposed action has been sent to the affected member, for  violation of qualification.  

4.05 RESPONSIBILITIES. The Board of Directors shall be responsible to conduct, manage and direct the affairs of NEPAIG subject to instructions by  members adopted by a formal resolution of IGRs at a constituted meeting, 

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including Board of Directors pre-meetings and IGR meetings. It is also  recommended that they support Intergroup, District and Area functions such  as Workshops and attend at least one (1) Mini-Assembly.  

4.06 RESIGNATIONS / VACANCIES. Any member of the Board of Directors  may resign by giving written notice to the Chairperson and/or Secretary.  Any vacancy in the Board of Directors, because of death, resignation,  removal because of any other cause may be filled by the Chairperson  subject to approval of a majority of the remaining members of the Board of  Directors though less than a majority and the approval of IGRs at the next  meeting of IGRs. Any person selected to complete another's term is eligible  for re-election.  

4.07 MAJORITY VOTING. The presence in person of a majority of the  members of the Board of Directors then in office at any meeting shall  constitute a majority for the purpose of conducting all business coming  before such a meeting. Unless otherwise specified in these by laws, the  favorable vote of a majority of the members present at any meeting shall be  sufficient to approve any matter brought before the meeting.  

ARTICLE V 

OFFICERS' RESPONSIBILITIES 

5.01 DESIGNATION. The Officers of NEPAIG shall be the persons elected as  such at a meeting of the IGRs and currently serving as the Chairperson,  Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Directors of each permanent  committee of the association. It is suggested that permanent committee  members have an alternate.  

5.02 THE CHAIRPERSON. The Chairperson shall be the chief executive  officer of NEPAIG and shall have supervision over the affairs of NEPAIG  subject to the Board of Directors. Will attend workshops, mini-assemblies,  area conventions and NERASSA and any other deemed necessary, unless  funds are not available.  

5.03 THE VICE-CHAIRPERSON. The Vice-Chairperson shall perform the  duties of the Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson, shall have  general responsibilities for activities of NEPAIG and shall perform such  other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors or the  Chairperson. During the 2nd year, the Vice-Chairperson shall attend all  functions with the Chairperson as well as attending quarterly Area meetings  and prepare a report for the next IGR meeting.  

5.04 THE SECRETARY. The Secretary shall attend all meeting of the IGR's  and of the Board of Directors and shall record taped and written minutes of 

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such meetings including pre-meetings and the votes taken thereat. Tape  recorded minutes are to be kept until approved by the IGRs at the IGR  meeting. The Secretary shall additionally perform duties incident to the  office of secretary. An alternate or assistant Secretary can be elected or  appointed if deemed necessary. 

5.05 THE TREASURER. The Treasurer shall have or provided for the custody  of the funds or other properties of NEPAIG, shall collect and receive or  provide for the collection and receipt of monies earned by or in any manner  due to or received by the Association. Shall deposit all funds in his or her  custody as treasurer in such banks or other places of deposit as may from  time to time designate; shall whenever so required by, render an account  showing all transactions as Treasurer and the financial condition of the  Association and in general shall discharge such other duties as may from  time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors or Chairperson. Two  signatures are required on checks - the Treasurer's and the President/Vice Chairperson. An alternate or assistant Treasurer can be elected or appointed  if deemed necessary.  

5.06 THE DIRECTOR OF A PERMANENT COMMITTEE. The Director of  each permanent committee shall be responsible to assume performance of  the purpose of the committee including the attraction and direction of  committee members. An alternate is recommended and needs to be  approved by the Board of Directors.  

ARTICLE VI 

PERMANENT COMMITTEES 

6.01 IDENTITY AND COMPOSITION. NEPAIG shall have eight (8)  permanent committees and one permanent sub-committee (News letter),  which shall be: The Institutional Committee, Corrections Committee, Public  Information Committee, the Activities Committee, the Finance Committee,  the Central Office Committee, the Director of Unity Committee, the Director  of Archives Committee and the Director of Bridging The Gap Committee.  Each committee shall consist of the Director, an Alternate, IGRs or group  members who shall join and serve on the Committee.  

6.02 THE INSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE. The function of the Institution  Committee shall be to establish and oversee the conduct of AA meetings in  various hospitals, treatment centers, and other institutions in the NEPAIG  area, in coordination and at the request of the directors or officials of such  institutions. Keep in contact with institutions on a bi-monthly basis. Keep  updated lists of days and times of meetings. Stay up to date on meeting lists  and literature in institutions. The institutional committee shall meet monthly  at an agreed upon time and place prior to the regular, monthly Intergroup 

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meeting of IGRs.  

6.03 THE PUBLIC INFORMATION COMMITTEE. The Public Information  Committee shall, on request, provide information to the public about AA and  the AA Recovery Program, through the presentations in schools, churches,  and the service groups, at health fairs and to other non-AA groups within the  NEPAIG area. Distribution of meeting lists to appropriate locations for  accessibility to the public (example. truck stops, doctor's offices, hotels,  etc.). The Public Information Committee shall meet monthly at an agreed  time and place prior to the regular, monthly intergroup meeting of the IGRs.  

6.04 THE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE. The Activities Committee shall  inform AA groups in the NEPAIG area of the programs and activities of the  association and shall encourage participation by AA members in service  through NEPAIG members and AA general service. Will be responsible for  organizing and putting on fund raising activities (example. Halloween and H2H/Sporting events) to help support NEPAIG. The Activities Committee  shall meet mond1ly at an agreed time and place prior to the regular, monthly  intergroup meeting of IGR's. 

6.05 THE CENTRAL OFFICE COMMITTEE. The Central Office  Committee shall be responsible for maintaining and overseeing answering  service facilities to ask calls for information and/or help in the NEPAIG  area. Also have committee members spend time at the office, making calls  to phone volunteers to fill shifts. Keep updated 12 Step lists and phone  volunteer lists, do mailing whenever necessary, order literature, medallions  and office supplies as needed. The Central Office Committee shall meet  monthly at an agreed time and place prior to the regular, monthly intergroup  meeting of IGRs.  

6.06 THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee shall provide  advice and recommendations from time to time to the Board of Directors  with respect to the financial affairs of NEPAIG, including of income and  other financial matters. The committee shall consist of at least 5 members,  including the Treasurer and 4 persons selected by the President, preferably  past Treasurer and past IGRs. The Finance Committee shall meet monthly  at an agreed time and place prior to the regular, monthly intergroup meetings  of IGRs.  

6.07 THE UNITY COMMITTEE. Shall inform AA groups and Districts of the  need and purpose of Intergroup when invited to their meetings. Encourage  participation in Intergroup and support activities sponsored by Intergroup.  

6.08 A NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE. Shall be responsible to compile the  NEPAIG Newsletter, collecting articles from group members, group  anniversaries and Intergroup, District and Area information. No 

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advertisements are permitted.  

6.09 THE ARCHIVES COMMITTEE. Shall be responsible for the  maintenance of local artifacts, documents, memorabilia, oral historian,  association publications, copies, minutes, and such materials that pertain to  the NEPAIG Association. The collection, maintenance, preservation and  display of archival matter shall be under the supervision of a trusted servant  known as The Intergroup Archivist.  

6.10 THE CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE. Shall facilitate AA meetings and  other related AA work with, and upon request of, Correction facilities. This  committee shall keep and maintain a list of meetings, facilities, guidelines,  applications, and administrative contacts of said facilities. Additionally, this  committee will coordinate information, literature, and other resources for  correctional facilities and the AA groups in the NEPAIG area. 

6.11 THE BRIDGING THE GAP COMMITTEE. The function of Bridging  the Gap in NEPA is to assist the new member who is confined and preparing  for release from a treatment or correctional facility. It is designed to help  them make the transition to A.A. Fellowship where they will be living. The  responsibility of the committee is to maintain databases of the willing  volunteers, AA’s on the inside and participating facilities. The committee  will provide training for the volunteers as well as for the facilities involved  to foster an effective communication. 

6.15 COMMITTEE REPORTS. All committees will be responsible to attend  the pre-meetings and discuss committee activities giving a brief oral report  on their committee activities at the regular, monthly meeting of the IGRs  referenced in paragraph 3.01 of Article III. Also, a written report must be  available upon request by the Secretary. The Director of subject committee  or duly appointed committee member will be responsible for making said  report.  

ARTICLE VII 

SPECIAL COMMITTEES 

7.01 IDENTITY. NEPAIG shall from time to time have special committees.  When applicable, the Chairperson may appoint other special committees to  serve specific purposes.  

7.02 DISTRICT LIAISON. Each District shall appoint or elect a person to  attend IGR meetings to act as a messenger or line of communication  between the Intergroup and the District they represent. 

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ARTICLE VIII 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES 

8.01 TWELVE TRADITIONS. The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics  Anonymous are accepted as guides regarding the NEPAIG Intergroup  Association of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.); some service offices hold  yearly banquets, conventions and similar events, using the profits for support  of the office. Also many AAs make contributions to their Central Office in  celebrations of their AA Birthday or Anniversary (Reference AA Guidelines  for Central or Intergroup Office).  

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon  AA unity. 

2. 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.  

3. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.  

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups  or AA as a whole.  

5. Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the  alcoholic who still suffers.  

6. An AA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the AA name to any  related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and  prestige divert us from our primary purpose.  

7. Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside  contributions.  

8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our  service centers may employ special workers.  

9. AA as such ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or  committees directly responsible to those they serve.  

10.Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA  name ought never be drawn into public controversy.  

11.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.  

12.Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us  to place principles before personalities. 

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8.02 THE TWELVE CONCEPTS. The Twelve Concepts of Alcoholics  Anonymous are also accepted as guides regarding the NEPAIG Intergroup  Association of AA.  

1. The financial responsibility and ultimate authority for AA World Services  should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship. 

2. When, in 1955, the AA groups confirmed the permanent charter for their  General Service Conference, they thereby delegated to the Conference  complete authority for the active maintenance of our world services and  thereby made the conference - excepting for any change in the Twelve  Traditions or in Article 12 of the Conference Charter - the active voice and  the effective conscience for our whole society.  

3. As a traditional means of creating and maintaining a clearly defined working  relation between the groups, the Conference, the AA General Service Board  and its several service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives and  of thus insuring their effective leadership, it is here suggested that we endow  each of these elements of world service with a traditional "Right of  Decision".  

4. Throughout our Conference structure, we ought to maintain at all  responsible levels a traditional "Right of Participation" taking care that each  classification or group of our world servants shall be allowed a voting  representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must  discharge.  

5. Throughout our world service structure, a traditional "Right of Appeal"  ought to prevail thus assuring us that minority opinion will be heard and that  petitions for the redress of personal grievances will be carefully considered.  

6. On behalf of AA as a whole, our General Service Conference has the  principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world services, and it  traditionally has the final decision respecting huge matters of general policy  and finance. But the Conference also recognizes that the chief initiative and  the active responsibility in most of these matters should be exercised  primarily by the Trustee members of the Conference when they act among  themselves as the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.  

7. The conference recognizes that the Charter and the By Laws of the General  Service Board are legal instruments: that the trustees are thereby fully  empowered to manage and conduct all of the world service affairs of  Alcoholics Anonymous. It is further understood that the Conference Charter  itself is not a legal document: that it relies instead upon the force of tradition  and the power of the AA purse for its final effectiveness.  

8. The Trustees of the General Service Board act in two primary capacities: 

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(a) With respect to the larger matters of over-all policy and finance, they are  the principal planners and administrators. They and their primary  committees directly manage these affairs.  

(b)But with respect to our separately incorporated and constantly active  services, the relation of the Trustees is mainly that of full stock  ownership and of custodial oversight which they exercise through their  ability to elect all directors of these entities.  

9. Good service leaders, together with sound and appropriate methods of  choosing them, are at all levels indispensable for our future functioning and  safety. The primary world service leadership once exercised by the founders  of AA must necessarily be assumed by the Trustees of the General Service  Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.  

10.Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service  authority-the scope of such authority to be always well defined whether by  tradition, by resolution, by specific job description or by appropriate charters  and bylaws.  

11.While the Trustees hold final responsibility for AA's world service  administration, they should always have the assistance of the best possible  standing committees, corporate service direction, executives, staffs, and  consultants. Therefore the composition of these underlying committees and  service boards, the personal qualification of their members, the manner of  their induction into service, the systems of their rotation, the way in which  they are related to each other, the special rights and duties of our executives,  staff and consultants, together with a proper basis for the financial  compensation of these special workers, will always be matters for serious  care and concerns.  

12.General Warranties of the Conference: in all its proceedings, the General  Service Conference shall observe the spirit of AA Tradition, taking great  care that the conference never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power;  that sufficient operating funds; plus an ample reserve, be its prudent  financial principle; that none of the Conference Members shall ever be  placed in a position of unqualified authority over any of the others; that all  important decisions be reached by discussion, vote, and whenever possible,  by substantial unanimity; that no Conference action ever be personally  punitive or an incitement to public controversy; that, though the Conference  may act for the service of Alcoholics Anonymous, it shall never perform any  acts of government; and that, like the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous  which it serves, the Conference itself will always remain democratic in  thought and action. 

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ARTICLE IX 

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS 

9.01 AMENDMENTS. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of  IGRs present at any regular meeting provided the amendment is read at three  consecutive meetings, a majority has been met and provided a copy of the  proposed amendment and which is submitted to each IGR and/or alternate  before the next regularly scheduled meeting at which time a vote is taken on  the amendment.  

9.02 AMENDEMENT FORMAL REGISTRATION. An approved  amendment will be implemented immediately after concurrence with  paragraph 9.01 but will not be formally registered until December of that  year.  

10.01 Purpose of the Board of Directors Meeting (pre-meeting) is to discuss and agree upon the agenda to be presented at regular IGR meeting.  

10.02 Bi-annual Cooperation meeting with Seven (7) Districts represented in  NEPAIG area. To be held at intergroup office. Attended by DCMs and  Alternate DCMs, all Intergroup Board of Directors, and Area Intergroup  Liaison. Chairmanship of meeting will rotate between districts and  Intergroup.  

10.03 In accordance with the 7th Tradition (self-supporting through out own  contributions) allowance will be made for travel and meal expenses. Meals - Breakfast $5.00, Lunch $10.00 and Dinner $15.00. Mileage - $0.50 per mile.  Overnight stay (if necessary) reasonable hotel accommodations. This is  necessary to allow everyone (rich or poor) to participate in service to  NEPAIG. (Reference AA Guidelines - Finance).  

10.04 Prudent Reserve - An amount of money primarily set aside to ensure that in,  time of emergency or disaster, Intergroup would be able to carry on for a  reasonable length of time. The fund is currently defined not to exceed one  year's combined operating expenses. The Board of Directors on  recommendation of the Financial Director may authorize the use of the  reserve fund. (ex. Office equipment, remodeling, etc.) Reference AA  Financial Guideline.  

Approved To Be Revised In Accordance with Section 9.01: July 14, 2015 vl

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