| Midwest Zonal Forum Guidelines |
ARTICLE ONE-STATEMENT OF PURPOSEThat the attending regions in the United States form a body to be known as the Midwest Zonal Forum. To provide participants in the Midwest United States a forum for discussion and exchange of information on problems and issues confronting the regions of the Midwest U.S. This would be a place to network and share ideas, with the focus on finding solutions. Membership of the Midwest forum is open to any member of N.A. Everyone is encouraged to be an active member in helping us to arrive at consensus, which is our primary way of decision making. The Midwest Forum always starts with a recovery meeting to remind those present of our primary purpose. ARTICLE TWO-MISSION STATEMENTThe Midwest Zonal Forum (MZF) is a consensus based service body that seeks to further NA's primary purpose by facilitating communication, cooperation, and growth among regions in the Midwestern United States and NA world services.
ARTICLE THREE-GOALS OF THE MIDWEST ZONAL FORUM:3.01 Facilitate and coordinate inter-regional activities, such as other meetings of the Midwest Zonal Forum, Learning Days, CAR workshops, etc. 3.02. Encourage and facilitate inter-regional communication to all levels of service. Sharing our common concerns and questions with the WSC. 3.03. Research and explore the feasibility / desirability of MZF services as directed by our member fellowship. 3.04. Develop and maintain a resource list of trusted servants within the MZF participants. 3.05. Get together and act more effectively in development of regional motions for inclusion in the CAR or for action at WSC.
ARTICLE FOUR-PARTICIPATION:4.01 Anyone who attends the MZF meeting is a full participant. Regional membership in the MZF is open to any Region requesting to join. All decisions are reached by consensus. Everyone is encouraged to actively participate in helping us arrive at consensus. 4.02 Trusted servants of the MZF are: Co-Facilitators, Secretary, Treasurer and Web Contact. Anyone who notifies the secretary may receive Minutes. Once every two years the secretary will verify that those receiving minutes wish to continue to receive them.
ARTICLE FIVE-MEETING OF THE MZF:5.01 The MZF will meet 4 times a year. Once per quarter 1st-Jan-March, 2nd-April-June, 3rd-July-Sept,and 4th-Oct-Dec. 5.02 The MZF will meet in the Michigan Region in conjunction with a Multi Regional Conference Agenda Report Workshop prior to each WSC. The other MZF meetings locations will rotate among our member Regions following this established schedule; Greater-Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Chicagoland, and Metro Detroit The MZF may not meet formally during the calendar quarter that the WSC occurs, and will have an informal meeting at the WSC. 5.03 MZF meeting format. Open with a recovery meeting at 9:00 a.m. Local time. The MZF always starts with a recovery meeting to remind those present of our primary purpose. The MZF business meeting begins at approximately 10:00 a.m. immediately following the recovery meeting, with the following agenda: I. Agenda A. Opening 1. Moment of silence, Serenity Prayer, 2.Read 12 concepts, 12 traditions and 12 steps of Narcotics Anonymous B. Trusted servant reports 1.Co-Facilitators 2.Secretary-Approve Minutes 3.Treasurer 4.Web Contact C. Regional reports D. Old Business E. New Business F. Set time and place of next two MZF meetings G. Announcements H. Close with group Hug
ARTICLE SIX-ELECTIONS:6.01 Election of one (1) Co Facilitator, and Web Contact will take place during the 3rd quarter meeting. The other Co Facilitator, Secretary and Treasurer will take place during the 4th quarter meeting. 6.02 Qualifications and Duties of Trusted servants. Co-Facilitators: Clean time requirement of 5 years Familiar with rules of order as used by MZF Not currently serving as Regional Delegate/Alt. Term one (1) year DUTIES: Start meeting on time Follow pre-established agenda Designated as corporate chair for filing purposes Signer of the bank account. Secretary: Clean time requirement of 2 years Past experience as a secretary desirable Ability to type desirable Can be a Regional Delegate Term one (1) year DUTIES: Responsible to take minutes of the MZF meetings and distribute them prior to the next MZF meeting. Maintains MZF archival material Maintains mailing list of MZF, Once every two years verifies mailing list and purges as necessary Signer of the bank account Treasurer: Clean time requirement 5 years Previous experience as a treasurer Can be a Regional Delegate Term two (2) years DUTIES: Keep and maintain all MZF checkbooks and accounts Reports at all MZF meetings status of all MZF accounts Is signer of the Bank account(s). Familiar with the MZF Financial Guidelines Web Contact: Clean time requirement of 2 years Can be a Regional Delegate Have Computer / Web access. Term one (1) year. DUTIES: Reports on all activity of the MZF web page at each MZF meeting. Receives all correspondence from the page Has access code to Web page. Updates Web coordinator with changes directed by the MZF. Facilitates any Web committee meetings deemed necessary.
Financial Procedures for the Midwest Zonal Forum (MZF)Article One: DefinitionF1.01 Purpose This set of guidelines shall serve as instructions for the dispersal of MZF funds. F1.02 Content These guidelines shall set forth the procedures for documentation of all expenses and revenues and to provide the framework for a complete and accurate record of MZF finances.
Article Two: General GuidelinesF2.01 Treasurer The MZF treasurer shall manage all funds. F2.02 Signers The MZF Treasurer, the Co-Facilitators and the Secretary shall be designated as the signers of the bank account. F2.03 Signatures Checks drawn on the MZF bank account shall require two signatures for any and all transactions whenever practical. F2.04 Restriction No two signers of the MZF bank account may reside in the same household. F2.05 Restriction No Trusted Servant may sign a check made out to themselves. F2.06 Audit When the treasurer's term ends, the MZF shall audit the books utilizing an ad-hoc committee comprised of at least one of the MZF Co-facilitators, the Treasurer or Vice Treasurer, a Regional Service Delegate, a member of the MZF with past treasurer experience, and if the MZF deems it necessary an outside professional auditor, before turning the books over to the new treasurer. F2.07 Bank Accounts Bank Accounts should be opened with a corporate resolution signed by the corporation secretary. The corporate chair, co-chair, secretary and treasurer should be 'designated people' authorized to inquire on the account status. F2.08 Statements All bank statements should include canceled checks. The statements with the canceled checks are mailed to the MZF secretary for archives and a copy of the statement is mailed to the treasurer for reconciliation. F2.09 Reconciliation The check register is reconciled with each bank statement.
Article Three: Fund AccountsF3.01 Overview Fund Accounts are kept on a ledger and show balances allocated for specific purposes. They do not generally indicate different bank accounts, however the reserve account may be kept in a savings account or other interest earning financial instruments. The total of all these balances equals the total cash assets of the MZF. Keeping these simple balances allows decisions to be made quickly and easily on whether money is available to expend. They also allow short and long term savings to build up balances for larger expenses. In general, money collected is first allocated to the operating fund to meet a specific required balance, remaining money is then allocated to any specific fund accounts or to the reserve fund based on agreed upon amounts, then any remaining money is allocated to the general fund to be expended at the discretion of the MZF. F3.02 General Fund The general fund shows the balance available to expend for approved general purposes. Only monies not allocated to other funds are recorded in the general fund. Looking at the general fund balance, the MZF knows how much money is available to spend without worrying about jeopardizing the ability to pay regular bills or savings for upcoming expenses. F3.03 Operating Fund All regular bills are paid from the operating fund. The operating fund is kept at a specific balance to assure that there is always enough money to pay these regular bills. If there is not enough money from collections to fill this fund, moneys must be transferred from the general fund. If this is not enough, money must be transferred from the reserve fund or specific fund accounts to pay regular bills. F3.04 Specific Funds Fund accounts can be created at any time to set aside money and to save for planned upcoming expenditures. For instance, a fund account can be opened for an upcoming learning day where space and supplies must be purchased. Money can be transferred to this account on a regular basis to save up enough to hold the event. Keeping this money set aside will insure that the MZF does not spend money needed for this specific purpose for other reasons. F3.05 Reserve Fund For longer-term savings and unforeseen expenses, a reserve fund account is created that will accumulate savings over a period of time reaching an agreed upon level. Money from this account can be transferred to other fund accounts to meet their goals.
Article Four: ProceduresF4.01 Revenues 1. All revenues received shall be recorded in the current receipt book for the MZF. 2. A copy of each receipt(s) shall be returned to the addict, group, area, subcommittee or other entity that donated or generated the money. 3. Copies of the receipt(s) shall be returned to the MZF Co-Facilitator and Secretary for all such revenues that come from the body as a whole, such as 7th Tradition or interest earned. F4.02 General Expenditures The treasurer (or other signature) can only expend money for approved expenditures. However, there are several types of expenditures that are pre-approved not requiring waiting until the next forum. If the expenditure does not fit the definitions (below) of regular, interim or budgeted, then it is a general expenditure that requires approval at the forum before the expenditure can be made. An expense voucher must be completed for all expenditures and copies of the bill to be paid or the receipts of the payment attached.
F4.03 Regular Expenditures Regular expenditures are paid by the treasurer in a timely manor and do not require additional approval. The list of regular expenditures are pre-approved by the MZF and generally include any bills such as bank charges, postage, copies, rent, etc. unless the size of the bill exceeds any caps defined by the MZF. This approved regular expenditure list should be maintained by the treasurer and archived by the secretary.
F4.04 Interim ExpendituresInterim expenditures are those that occur between forums that must be paid before the next forum and are not already approved regular or budgeted expenditures. In order to receive approval to pay these expenses (or obligating these expenses), a consensus must be reached of at lease 3 of the forum officers (co facilitators, treasurer, secretary and web contact) and a report of these expenditures must be made at the next MZF meeting (and included in the minutes). F4.05 Budgeted Expenditures A budget may be approved by the MZF for an upcoming event where each predicted expense is itemized in the budget with the selected vendor (if appropriate), the estimated amount and the maximum amount approved. Before the MZF approves a budget, it should be accompanied by any bids or estimates of expenditures by the vendors (if possible) and the treasurer should verify its feasibility. When such a budget is approved, the treasurer is authorized to make expenditures to the approved vendors up to the maximum amount without requiring additional approval. A full report must be prepared at the next scheduled MZF meeting showing actual expenditures compared to budgeted amounts.
F4.06 Advances Advances are made to forum members for anticipated expenses where it is not practical for the forum to be billed or to write a check directly. The treasurer is only authorized to advance money for approved expenditures (meeting the above defined requirements). A voucher is opened when the advance is made, stating the advanced amount, and the receiver of the advanced money must sign it. After the expense, the voucher is completed itemizing all expenses and all receipts must be attached. The payee must return any unused advanced money. F4.07 Reimbursements The treasurer can reimburse members for any authorized expenditure when the member returns copies of receipts and copies of any bank or credit card statements showing that the payment was made. An expense voucher is made for the reimbursement and signed by the recipient and all statements and receipts are attached.
Article Five: Expenditure GuidelinesF5.01 Cash Management Expenses will be paid on a cash available" basis. No expenditures will be made unless there is sufficient money available to pay for them. The fund account system will be used to minimize the chances for not having money for a needed or planned expense. This is to keep the name of MZF and NA as a whole above reproach. F5.02 Expenditure Priorities MZF expenditures shall be dispersed in accordance with the following list of priorities: 1. Donate 10% of net revenue to NAWS. 2. Outstanding bills as per previous MZF motions. 3. Reimburse operating fund expenses incurred between meetings: a. Bills b. Reimbursements 4. Reimburse expenditures of Trusted Servants. 5. Replenish double the established operating fund. 6. Disburse funds as per present MZF motions. 7. Donate all money left in the general fund to NAWS at the close of each meeting.
Article Six: Trusted Servants Operating FundsF6.01 Reserves and Allowances All funding needs over the OPERATING FUNDS will still need to be brought before the MZF for approval Individual operating funds shall be established for the purpose of costs incurred by the Trusted Servant (i.e. copies, phone calls, mileage) during each period between MZF meetings. (These figures may be adjusted if necessary) Expenses in excess of these funds, or requests for funds by other individuals directed to, or required to travel, will be reimbursed after a motion to reimburse the expense is brought by the individual, or a designated party, to the MZF for approval Operating funds as of 8/03
· The Treasurer shall be able to disburse funds up to $400 to cover the meeting room expenses at the MZF meeting without a procedural vote. · The Treasurer shall be able to disburse funds for MZF trusted servants as requested (Co Facilitators, Treasurer, Web Contact and Secretary,) for travel to Meetings of the MZF without a procedural vote for the expenses in the following amounts: 1. Travel: Restricted to the mode of transportation that is cost effective and time efficient. Trusted Servants will be reimbursed upon presentment of receipts for gas and tolls or airline tickets. 2. Lodging: Restricted to the amount necessary to provide lodging for the trusted servant in order to participate in the MZF meeting. MZF trusted servants are expected to minimize lodging expenses by a) Sharing rooms with other MZF trusted servants, Regional Delegates, or other MZF participants. b) Taking advantage of discount rates offered by the hosting region. 3. Meals: Meal allowances $30 a day maximum. Only MZF trusted servants would occupy the rooms paid for by the MZF. Any others would require unanimous consent of the aforementioned MZF Trusted Servants.
Article Seven: Collection for EventsF7.01 General The handling of cash is the most risky activity that the forum can do, and controls must be in place to minimize the temptation to steal. The following procedures work to assure that all transactions are documented and there are at least two people at any given time overseeing cash transactions. F7.02 Collectors and Supervisors Collectors are authorized by the MZF to collect money at events. Two should work together as a team at each register (table) to collect all donations or payments. Both will count and sign off on the opening balance at the table and the closing balance. The supervisor(s) (typically the MZF treasurer) starts the registers (tables) with an opening balance (enough to make change), collect money periodically to keep the amount at the table to a minimum, and collect the final balance when the table/register is closed. F7.03 Collections Journals A collections journal (cash journal) will be kept by each collector team. The journal is started when the team begins (or takes over) the table or register. The opening balance is counted and signed by the team. Each amount collected should be recorded. In the case of checks, the payer and the check number should be noted. When the table is to be closed (or another team takes over), the team should count the money and sign off on the closing balance for both cash and checks. If a supervisor collects money from the table, the supervisor and collectors count the cash and checks taken, and make an entry in the journal showing the time, amount and initials of the supervisor and collectors. A master journal is kept by the supervisor(s) showing an opening balance of all cash at the start of the event. Entries are recorded for all transactions during the event and a running balance is kept of cash and checks. After each transaction, the participating supervisors initial the entry. The transactions entered into the master journal include opening balances to the various tables (registers), collections from the tables, deposits of collected money, interim counts and corrections, and the final closing balance and deposit. All supervisors (or other MZF members) count the total cash at the opening of the event and the closing of the event. Counts are made in the interim when a deposit is to be made or when one is requested. After a team is finished and the journal is closed, the team should turn over the journal to the designated holder of all documents for the event (typically the secretary). This person should not be involved in collections in any way. At the end of the event, this person participates in the final counts and collects the master journal after the final deposit is calculated and the master journal is closed. These records are held in permanent archive and will be used during an audit.
F7.04 Deposits Deposits should be made the same day as the event. If this is not possible, any cash should be immediately converted to a money order made out to the Midwest Zonal Forum. In addition, two people should travel to make this deposit or to get the money order. F7.05 Cash Payments from Collections If cash is to be taken from the event's receipts for an approved expense (such as paying a DJ), then it should be taken from the master journal, and a cash voucher should be opened explaining the expense. Any receipts should be attached.
Article Eight: ReportingF8.01 Reconciliation Report Every month, the treasurer should create a reconciliation report when the bank statement is received. Copies of all reconciliation reports should be given to the secretary for archiving and be available at the next forum meeting. F8.02 Interim Expenditures Report Any interim expenditure must be reported at the next forum meeting, and a full accounting is available (all vouchers and receipts). F8.03 Quarterly Income/Expense and Balance Report Each quarter, a treasurer's report should be created and submitted to the MZF. This report should include itemized income and expense with net increase or decrease. It should also show total cash assets beginning balance and ending balance for the quarter. A balance sheet should also be prepared showing balances of all assets including balances of all fund accounts and receivables, and liabilities such as payables. F8.04 Budgeted Events Reports Before each event, an event budget is prepared an approved by the MZF. After the event an event report is prepared showing all income, expenditures and budget item comparisons. F8.05 Year End Report At the close of the year, a final income/expense and balance sheet report is submitted to the fellowship and to any legal agency that needs this information.
ARTICLE SEVEN SUBCOMMITTEE GUIDELINES7.01 MZF INTERNET COMMITTEE GUIDELINES I. PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of the Midwest Zonal Forum (MZF) website is to II. MEMBERS The membership of the Internet Committee consists of a Web A. The committee operates using a consensus based B. Only the Web Contact and Webservant have access to edit the C. The Web Contact reports activity at each MZF meeting. D. Committee meetings are held as necessary. III. CONTENT The Webservant and/or Web Contact may change format and A. Description of the MZF's purpose and practices. B. Guidelines of the MZF. C. Participating MZF Regional names and contact information. D. MZF minutes (without the contact lists and treasurer's reports). E. Calendar of events from around the MZF 1. Minimum updated after every MZF meeting. 2. When available: MZF meetings, and member Regional meetings. 3. Changes and input will only be accepted from Regional F. Links to NAWS, Area and Regional websites within the Member G. Regional trusted servants and subcommittees may have their H. Summary of Events / Discussions of MZF." IV. Response to Email Inquiries A. Procedure 1. Emails sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it are forwarded to all elected trusted servants of the MZF. 2. MZF trusted servants will reply through the MZF webmail account in order to ensure a record of responses, preserve anonymity, and maintain a professional appearance. 3. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it will be copied on all outgoing messages so all MZF trusted servants can see that response has occurred. B. Content of responses: 1. Address your emails formally (Dear Mr. Jones, or dear This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), regardless of how informal the inquiry was. 2. Use standard business letter form and layout. No one is going to take you seriously if your letters are messy and disorganized. 3. Use definitions from our literature ("Narcotics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem"). If you use terms the reader cannot understand, he or she may misunderstand your communication. Don't use slang or other language unique to NA. 4. Include an approved reply address ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) in the leter. 5. Sign the letter as an officer of the Midwest Zonal Forum. 6. Remember our Traditions and do not make statements or take stands on issues outside of our Fellowship's purpose. 7. Keep your letters short." |
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