About Us - SJIG Bylaws
ARTICLE #1 - NAME
The Representatives of the Member Groups shall serve under the name of the South Jersey Intergroup Association, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "Intergroup").
ARTICLE #2 - PURPOSE
The purposes of Intergroup are to coordinate carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous (hereinafter referred to as "A.A.") to the still suffering alcoholic as well as charitable and educational. Its’ activities may include, among others:
- The maintenance of a central office to act as a clearing-house for A.A. in South Jersey;
- To assist in providing A.A. contacts;
- To be of general help in the development of the A.A. program;
- To assist in the effective cooperation between Member Groups.
ARTICLE #3: TRADITIONS
These Articles of Association are based, in spirit, upon the Twelve Traditions of A.A.; said Traditions will be strictly followed in any given situation.
ARTICLE #4: MEMBERSHIP
The membership of Intergroup shall consist of each present A.A. Group or any future A.A. Group located South of Trenton and East to Barnegat, who elects to participate in Intergroup.
ARTICLE #5: EFFECTIVE INTERGROUP ACTION
Effective Intergroup action shall be instituted by Intergroup Representatives subject in the case of each Member Group to its privileges under Article 12. Each Member Group is entitled to choose one Representative and one Alternate. The Alternate is to function only in the absence of the Representative. Each participating Group shall be entitled to one vote at Intergroup meetings and each Representative can represent only one Group. It is suggested that they shall serve until the Group has elected a successor. Committee Chairpersons and Co-Chairs shall not vote at Intergroup meetings except during elections, replacement of panel or committee heads or matters that have not passed through the Steering Committee meeting. Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs serving as Intergroup Representatives may vote for their group.
ARTICLE #6: NOMINATING COMMITTEE
In order to obtain officers as referenced in Article #7: At the September Intergroup meeting of odd-numbered years, the Intergroup Officers will ask the Trustees to serve on the nominating committee. Also, up to five (5) names will be submitted (from Intergroup representatives) to serve as additional members. At the November meeting, the Nominating Committee will present their selection of candidates in accordance with the current guidelines. Nominations will also be open from the floor. At the December meeting, elections will be conducted by the Nominating Committee by process of the Third Legacy Voting Procedures. The newly elected officers will begin their term at the first Steering Committee meeting following the elections.
The Intergroup Representatives shall elect as their trusted servants a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as they deem necessary. The functions of those officers are as follows:
- Chairperson
- Shall be available to coordinate activities of the other Officers and Committee heads. Said chairperson shall preside at Intergroup meetings, expressing no opinions either for or against any Motion on the floor while occupying the chair, voting only in the necessity of a tie-breaker. The Chairperson may preside at Steering Committee meetings in the absence of the Vice Chairperson
- Vice-Chairperson
- Shall preside as Chairperson of Steering Committee as well as preside as Chairperson at Intergroup meetings in the absence of Chairperson.
- Treasurer
- Shall keep accurate account of Intergroup financial affairs, reporting same to Intergroup.
- Secretary
- Shall take minutes at Intergroup and see that minutes are distributed to Intergroup Representatives. Also, shall perform any such duties as may be assigned.
- Assistant Secretary
- Shall be Secretary for the Steering Committee. The duties of Secretary and Assistant Secretary may be performed by one in the absence of the other.
If both Chairperson and Vice Chairperson are absent, another Officer or Committee Head shall chair that meeting. All Officers shall be ineligible to vote at an Intergroup meeting except as aforesaid in the necessity of a tie-breaker.
ARTICLE #8 - ELIGIBILITY AND TERMS OF OFFICE
To be eligible for nomination and election, it is suggested a candidate meet the following criteria:
- For the positions of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, continuous sobriety for a minimum of the past 5 years. For all other positions, continuous sobriety for a minimum of the past 3 years; and,
- A member of a participating home group; and,
- Shown commitment to South Jersey Intergroup service either through the position of Intergroup Officer, Representative, Alternative Representative, or through an Intergroup Service Committee.
The term of office for ALL elected officers shall be for two (2) years. The Chairperson shall not be eligible to serve for two (2) consecutive terms. Any interruption of sobriety is an automatic disqualification from office. In the event of a vacancy of an elected Officer, a replacement to fill out the remainder of the term shall be by appointment by the balance of the elected Panel, subject to approval by the Intergroup Representatives.
ARTICLE #9 - COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
Subject to approval by Intergroup Representatives, Intergroup Officers shall elect to establish new Committees usual to the operations of Intergroup and select Chairpersons to head Committees. Said Committee Chairpersons in turn will select a Co-Chairperson, all to serve for a 2-year term in accordance with guidelines of rotation. It is suggested that both Co-Chairperson & Chairpersons have a minimum of the past two (2) years continuous sobriety. Any interruption of sobriety would be automatic disqualification. In the event of a vacancy, a replacement to fill out the remainder of the term shall be by appointment by the elected Panel, subject to approval by the Intergroup representatives.
ARTICLE #10 - FINANCE
Intergroup shall be financed by contributions from the Member Groups. Each Group is free to determine the amount of its contribution to Intergroup as suggested by the "Self-Supporting Through Our Own Contributions" pamphlet from General Service Office. Additional financial support may be obtained by any method that meets the "A.A. Guidelines - Central or Intergroup Offices."
ARTICLE #12 - INDEPENDENCE OF MEMBER GROUPS
Intergroup shall have no control over the internal affairs, the management of, or the conduct of any member Group. The intent of these Articles is to gain the unity and strength necessary to meet problems, where Group cooperation is desired, and to preserve the complete independence of each individual Group. The Members are encouraged to support in good spirit the activities undertaken by Intergroup.
ARTICLE #13 - RESIGNATION
Any Group may withdraw from this association by tendering to the Chairperson of Intergroup a written notice of such desire to withdraw. This notice shall state that a majority of said Group has voted to withdraw from Intergroup. Withdrawal from membership shall be effective from the date of such written notice.
ARTICLE #14 - STEERING COMMITTEE
The Steering Committee as established in Article #7, shall consist of the panel of elected Intergroup Officers, Intergroup Committee Chairpersons/Co-Chairpersons, and a Representative from the Board of Trustees. The Steering Committee shall hold regular business meetings monthly prior to the regular monthly Intergroup meetings. The Steering Committee meeting is open to members of the A.A. Fellowship, with only Steering Committee members having any input. However, the Committee may request information from other parties on any specific issue.
The Steering Committee shall be chaired by the Vice-Chairperson of Intergroup who shall preside over the meeting and may express no opinion either for or against any Motion on the floor while occupying the chair, and voting only in the necessity of a tie-breaker.
The quorum necessary for the Steering Committee to conduct business shall consist of sixty (60%) percent of the Committee membership. In the event a Committee Chairperson is absent, the Co-Chairperson shall be counted as his/her representative.
It shall be the purpose and responsibility of the Steering Committee to administer the day-to-day operation of the Central Office/Intergroup Office and the Committees and entities operating there from. To this end, the Steering Committee may adopt such methods of operation and operation controls required for the efficient and responsible functioning of the Central Office. None of these regulations and procedures may be enacted if they conflict in any way with the Twelve Traditions of A.A.
If the Intergroup Office is involved in the ongoing sale of any materials or services, as permitted by the Twelve Traditions, and suggested as proper in the Central or Intergroup Office Guidelines, a strict accounting of all monies received or expended shall be made to the Treasurer each month and all documents pertinent to such items shall be retained by the Treasurer for an annual, independent audit. A physical inventory count of sales materials shall be conducted two (2) times each calendar year, the first inventory to take place between May 1 and June 30 of the year and the second inventory to take place between November 1 and December 31 of the same year, and the results shall be spread in the Minutes of Intergroup.
The Steering Committee shall be empowered to cause all bills arising from the operation of the Intergroup Office and/or the maintenance of equipment essential to the operation of the Intergroup Office to be paid by the Treasurer from Intergroup funds; and a complete record of all such disbursement, along with corroborating documents, shall be maintained by the Treasurer and retained for audit. The Steering Committee shall be authorized to spend a sum of up to One Hundred Fifty ($150.00) Dollars after approval by a simple majority vote of the Committee for the purchase of additional supplies, staples, and/or equipment deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Intergroup Office.
Regular meetings of the South Jersey Intergroup shall be held at a place where Representatives may conduct business. Such meetings shall be held at a site of sufficient size to accommodate the Membership in attendance, and not less frequently than six (6) times annually. The necessary quorum to conduct business shall consist of fifty per cent (50%) of the average number of Intergroup Representatives or their alternates attending Intergroup Meetings for the previous twelve (12) months.
ARTICLE #16 - REMOVAL OF ELECTED OFFICERS FROM OFFICE
Any elected officer may be removed from office for cause by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the attending members of the Intergroup Representatives or Alternates voting at a regular or special meeting of Intergroup.
ARTICLE #17 - TRUSTEES ELECTION
- The Board of Trustees shall consist of five (5) members.
- The Trustee candidates will be presented at the November meeting of Intergroup by the Nominating Committee as set forth in Article 6 above. Elections will be conducted by Third Legacy Voting Procedure at the December meeting of Intergroup.
- The term of office shall be four (4) years. Initially, two (2) Trustees will be selected for a two (2) year term only in order to insure constant rotation.
- Criteria
- Minimum 10 years of current continuous sobriety
- Service at Group level
- Minimum three (3) years service within the fellowship
- Resident of the area served by South Jersey Intergroup.
- To fill a vacancy of a Trustee, replacement shall be appointed by the elected officers of Intergroup with the approval of the Intergroup Representatives to fill out the remainder of the term. The above qualifying criteria shall apply.
- A Majority would constitute a quorum of the Board.
- Board would meet at least twice a year, additionally if determined by the Chairperson to be necessary.
- Board will determine who will be Steering Committee Representative.
ARTICLE #18 - AMENDMENTS
These Articles may be amended by majority vote of attending members of Intergroup at any regular meeting. A notification announcing the intention of having amendments proposed shall be included in the Minutes of Intergroup for two (2) consecutive months preceding the meeting that the proposed amendments would be voted on. In addition, a copy of the proposed amendments shall be attached to the Minutes of those two meetings.
Revised & Accepted 12/95 - Amended 12/95 - Amended 8/19/98 – Amended 1/03