Bylaws

Included here are the Bylaws, which describe how the Advisory Council is structured, positions on the Council, our meetings, and in general how the Council operates and conducts its business. 

Included on the Guidelines page are suggestions for conference guidelines, host committee positions, and hotel negotiations. These represent the accumulated experience of all the TCYPAA conferences since it began in 1983. 

Make use of all these resources to help your host committee navigate some of the challenges associated with hosting the conference. This is an experience you must not miss!

As always, contact us with any questions, suggestions, or concerns. Shared experience, strength, and hope is what makes us strong!

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Bylaws of the TCYPAA Advisory Council

PREAMBLE

We the members of the Advisory Council of the Tennessee Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (TCYPAA), set forth this day to establish and preserve, through the following principles, the experience of our predecessors. In 1983, the Tennessee Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous was founded for the purpose of furthering the principles of AA among young people. The same year, a permanent 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 or meetings 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 request our help, for it is through our sharing that we have learned to function within the framework of the AA Traditions.

PURPOSE

The TCYPAA Advisory Council is formed for the express purpose 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 GSO on a regular basis for use throughout AA.

STRUCTURE

Each Conference Committee shall elect three (3) people to serve on the Advisory Council and three (3) Alternates.

Those being elected must have served on the Conference Committee continuously for six (6) months prior to the actual Conference on which they served.

They must be sober at least one (1) year.

Those elected shall serve as voting members on the Council for their Conference and through four (4) additional traveling Conferences.

Should the Council not have full membership, those rotating off may be requested to serve until Council again reaches full strength, provided they have not attained their fortieth (40th) birthday.

Council members shall not have reached their fortieth (40) birthday upon election, but shall serve until their term expires, regardless of age.

Failure to attend two (2) consecutive Conferences shall be considered as voluntary resignation.

Breaking sobriety shall be considered resignation.

Misappropriation of council funds shall result in automatic resignation of council position.

ALTERNATES

Anytime an Advisory Council Member will be unable to attend a conference during his or her service term, an Alternate from his or her city will be asked to serve for that particular conference. Council seats vacated due to resignation, shall be filled by previously designated Alternates and approved by the Council. The Alternate must be from the same Conference and named by the Council Member from that Conference. Alternates shall be elected as “First”, “Second”, and “Third”. Therefore, if the First Alternate is unavailable, then the Second Alternate shall be called to serve, and if the Second Alternate is unavailable, then the Third Alternate shall be called to serve.

OPERATING COMMITTEE

The Council shall elect from its membership an Operating Committee consisting of, but not limited to: Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. They shall act as and be of service by direction of the Council and shall not take actions individually or collectively without the consent of the Council.

Operating Committee members must be Council Members.

They must serve on the Council for one (1) year before being elected to the Committee.

Upon election, they shall serve for two (2) years (If elected, Council members may be asked to serve a one (1) year extension to fulfill the commitment of the position).

Committee members may not have attained their fortieth (40th) birthday at the time of election.

Council shall use the election guidelines found in the A.A. Service Manual produced by GSO.

CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson shall: (1) Arrange for and announce the agenda for all Council Meetings prior to the Meetings, (2) Open Council Meetings and maintain meetings in a reasonable order, (3) Recognize members entitled to the floor, (4) State and call to vote all motions properly made and seconded, and announce the results of said votes, (5) Affix signature to all Council actions.

CO-CHAIRPERSON
The Co-Chairperson shall: (1) In the absence of the Chairperson, assume all responsibilities of the Chairperson and shall carry out the various duties assigned by the Committee, (2) Act as liaison between the Council and General Service, and shall be in charge of the Archives, (3) Maintain a current “Trend Report” compiled from all of the information received and recorded on host committee surveys from past conferences.

TREASURER
The Treasurer shall: (1) Keep accurate financial records of Council transactions, (2) Give financial reports at Council Meetings and submit a financial statement, (3) Bring bank statements, deposit slips, and checkbook, to all Council Meetings, and be prepared to make deposits and disbursements, (4) Maintain all accounts subject to inspection at any time, (5) Be one of the signatures on all bank accounts.

SECRETARY
The Secretary shall: (1) Act as custodian of all Council materials, (2) Keep Minutes of Council Meetings, (3) Furnish information from our records to anyone who requests it, (4) Answer all correspondence promptly and to the will of the Majority of the Council Membes, (4) Furnish copies of correspondence to all Council Members on all matters affecting the Council or young people in Alcoholics Anonymous.

PROCEDURES

The Council shall maintain a Post Office Box for all correspondence. The Co-Chairperson shall furnish General Service with our current mailing address. The Chairperson shall ensure that all rents are paid on the Post Office Box and that all correspondence is forwarded to the Secretary.

The Advisory Council Chairperson should appoint an ad hoc Committee to research and present all recommendations on changing or adding requirements to the Advisory Council.

All Council financial transactions shall be made through its bank accounts. Annual disbursements of funds shall be decided upon by the Advisory Council, taking into consideration the recommendation of the annual conference host committee.

No member of the Council shall incur expenses in the Council name without first receiving a 2/3’s Majority approval of the Council. Secretary and Treasurer can spend $200.00 for operating expenses without approval yearly. The advisory council checking shall bear the name of TCYPAA Advisory Council.

The Council shall be foremost aware of the welfare of AA as a whole. The Twelve Traditions of AA will be strictly adhered to. The Council shall act as a body and no individual shall make decisions independent of the Majority opinion.

The Post Office Box, bank accounts, and Council material should not be used for anything other than Council business. These materials should not be used in group or area business. All materials of the Council shall be deemed property of the Council and passed on to our successors.

COUNCIL MEETINGS

“Council Meetings” refer to the business meetings of the Advisory Council at the Conference, and attendance at such meetings shall be limited to current members only. The first 30 minutes of the Saturday Advisory Council Business meeting (this meeting usually begins some time after the bid session) will be open to all conference attendees for the purpose of stating concerns, making suggestions, or presenting comments related to the Conference and/or Advisory Council. Such concerns and suggestions will be discussed later by the Advisory Council.

The Chairperson shall arrange times, meeting places, and agendas for all Council Meetings. A Quorum shall consist of 2/3’s of the Council Members. Motions, resolutions, and Conference site approval shall require a 2/3’s majority vote of the Quorum (see AA Service Manual for voting procedures). All Council Members have one vote and will vote on all matters. Absentee voting is NOT permitted.

A 2/3’s majority vote of the Quorum is necessary to change ByLaws and/or revise Operating Rules.

The Council shall have the sole authority in choosing the Conference sites. In the event that no city presents a bid, an emergency meeting of the Council Members shall be called without delay. All past and present Council Members will be invited to attend in order to find a suitable site for the Conference or determine if the Conference should be suspended, as well as determine the subsequent fate of the Council and its functions.

The Council shall endeavor to maintain a prudent reserve of $3500 for Conference support. Those funds are allocated as follows: At the Conference, the Council shall disburse $1000 to the chosen Bidding Committee, $2300 will be held in reserve to be used in the event of an unexpected shortfall in annual conference host committee funds, and $200 is to be held in reserve for annual Advisory Council expenditures. Conference and reserve funds are arbitrary figures based on current economic conditions and can be altered by a 2/3’s Majority vote.

Contact information for the newly elected Advisory Council members and their alternates shall be provided to the Council at the next Advisory Council meeting (Saturday of Conference).