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CENTRAL OFFICE REPORT – GNOSB MEETING AUGUST 25, 2025

Office Keys Access. The office has not been rekeyed in several years, and in the past month, two keys have possibly gone missing with a third possibly in limbo. This presents a security issue for the office, one that many central office intergroups have faced, and solutions are available. Many office managers that allow committees to use the space outside of office hours use the digital keypad locking mechanisms with much success and ease of use for committee members, as well as heightened security in knowing when the office doors are accessed and by what keycode users. Motion to explore options and financial proposal to rekey the front office door and for a digital keypad entry for the back door, as within the guidance of our Repairs and Maintenance expense budget category.

Central Office Outreach. Attended LA State Convention and the August Area Assembly, and in between visited four Central Offices (Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, Shreveport) in an attempt to learn more about how our GNO Central Office can operate effectively and efficiently in carrying the message, as well as connecting with other fellows in various realms of service and recovery. These travels and visits were fruitful, and we look forward to continuing with the collaborations that have taken root from these experiences. 

ICOAA Proposed Travel Budget. The annual convention of ICOAA (Intergroup and Central Offices of AA) is next month in Memphis, and I have submitted a proposed travel budget to attend the convention: a proposed $710 total includes $150 registration fee, $500 hotel stay, and $60 for gas. This amount has been shared with and approved by the Board Treasurer as it is within the annual travel expense budget.

Pamphlet Inventory and Pricing Review. Completed our review of pamphlets and pamphlet pak pricing to apply new pricing structure to pamphlets category (after having done so for literature last year). In doing so, we are also reviewing our office’s pamphlet retail sales and backstock in our storage closet, alongside recent experience, strength, and hope gathered from visiting and discussing with other Central Offices. 

We propose reducing pamphlet backstock at cost or no cost to members of our district and Area service entities that could use these pamphlets to support their efforts to carry the message throughout the community. Backstocked pamphlets are becoming outdated, and they are not helping alcoholics by remaining in the office backstock.We can reduce our backstock of certain pamphlets significantly while still having enough for our monthly retail sales. We would like for members to take this proposal to their home groups, districts, and Area committees for feedback, and for discussions and a motion at an upcoming GNO Service Board meeting.

Sharing Data and Analytics. Ongoing data collection, cleaning, analysis, and visualization efforts for various aspects of operations for both Central Office and the GNO Service Board and its committees. This month included:

• GNOSB budget and bill pay data, context, and analytics to provide to Budget and Finance Committee for informed group conscience discussions; have been excluded from and dismissed during this committee’s discussions, and was not shown the proposed budget for our office and organization for the current fiscal year after requesting from the Board Treasurer before the monthly board meeting
• Deeper reviews of GNOSB event financials (DAAY in the Park and Big Deep South Convention) to support the committees in their budget processes and communications with the new Board Trustees
• Gathered payroll data to collaborate with Budget & Finance committee and Board Treasurer on proposals for office employee pay raises; Motions passed in support of office employee pay raises both in October 2024 and again in July 2025 with no changes yet made by the Board Trustees

Printed Meeting in a Pocket. Received feedback on the printed meeting booklet, including pricing and content. In response, we repriced the printed meeting booklet to $3, and created a separate smaller Meeting in a Pocket, now available for $1 at Central Office. We also experimented with non-staple production methods to hopefully meet requirements for fellows in recovery at treatment and correctional facilities. 

Sales for Printed In-House Materials for August 2025 to date:

• 91 Meeting in a Pocket sold to date (51 + 40 from a Printing Contribution before we had its own SKU in the retail platform)
• 9 combo Printed Meeting Book + Meeting in a Pocket booklets
• $122 Total Gross Sales

Reprinted from last month, as efforts are ongoing:

Sharing Data and Analytics (continued). Office manager spent the past year researching and gathering data on various aspects of our organization’s operations to provide both data and analytics to supplement more informed group conscience decisions for this new board and moving forward. One main focus was budget and finance, to provide information and context to financial reports for our newly reformed Budget & Finance committee. Another focus was Big Deep South Convention, to provide information and context on contracts, financial records, timelines, and other documentation to the ad hoc committee on Big Deep South Convention Financials, as well as to the organization’s CPA. Another focus has been on data for contributions and retail sales, to make data-backed decisions for orders and product inventory maintenance.

Website Content and Navigation/Accessibility Updates. Menu updates have transformed the experience of our aaneworleans.org website. Please do explore the new and existing content that is now more accessible as a result of the drop-down menus, and thank you for your patience while we corrected and updated that website functionality.

• Find a Meeting. Drop-down menu options include the Meeting Guide web listings, more info about Online Meetings (including info about how to get meeting attendance records from online meetings), our new Meeting Notes & News page (longer version of the page from the monthly Bulletins, plus a new section for short-term meeting updates, such as during holidays and hurricane seasons – or even as it were, snow days). 
• Events Categories. Drop-down menu options include category-specific Events page (Speak & Eats, Fellowship Events, Workshops & Panels) for a faster glance at upcoming Events.
• Resources. Drop-down menu options include our “New to A.A.?” page for Newcomers, new pages for folks looking for help for others (Is Your Loved One Drinking Too Much?), info about Home Groups and Group Service, Printable Resources for Meeting and Groups, and For Professionals Who Work With Alcoholics. Plus pages on Sponsorship, Accessibility, Other 12 Step Resources, and more updates are in the works.
• Service Resources. New menu addition, though the link to this Service Resources page (and its contents now in the drop-down menu) was previously housed on the main Resources/Printable Literature page. Contains various resources about different areas of service available through our recovery program (GSR, T&C, Grapevine, etc.).
• Bulletins. Drop-down menu options include pages for easier access to the monthly Bulletin, Bulletin Archives (past Bulletins), service material info about Service Board & Central Office, GNO Service Board Meeting Minutes, Central Office Reports, and the GNOSB By-Laws.
• Contributions. Drop-down menu options include pages for easier access to Make Contributions, learn more about GNO Service Board Financials, about Splits for home groups (including lists of group contributions to Central Office for 2022-2025 YTD), the Literature Fund, and Central Office Gift Cards.

We continue to work on this website and look forward to your feedback on how we can provide information and resources via our website to connect members, newcomers, and our wider community with our program and fellowship of recovery, service, and unity. Let us know what you would like to learn or see: office@aaneworleans.org 

Office Procedures Updates (Ongoing). We have been updating our office procedures manual to reflect new procedures and updates to previous procedures based on newer technology and recent experiences of our Fellowship and society at large. These procedures are being documented for both volunteers (current and new) and front desk workers’ tasks as well as the office manager’s tasks. Our intention with these updated procedures is so we can effectively train new volunteers and special workers on the technology and tasks involved in day-to-day, month-to-month and annual requirements to keep the office operational and our products and services available to our members and visitors.