BTVIG Business Meeting Minutes – JULY 2026

Date: July 12, 2026

Meeting: Better Together Virtual Intergroup Business Meeting

Chair: Russell W.

Attendance: 12 members were present at the opening of the meeting; attendance later

increased to 14 members.

Opening

The meeting was called to order by Russell W. The officers present included the Chair

Russell W., Vice Chair Jenean B., Secretary Melvin B., and Treasurer Carla C.

Members joined in the Set Aside Prayer. A motion was made by Melvin B. and

seconded by Jenean B. to waive the reading of the previous minutes and accept them

as written. The motion passed.

Officer Reports

Vice Chair: Jenean B. reported no updates at this time.

Secretary: Melvin B. reported no updates at this time.

Treasurer: Carla C. reported an available balance of approximately $8,700, with total

assets of approximately $14,000 as of the report date. The operations fund remains well

funded. The retreat fund was reported at approximately $6,200, with 23 retreat

registrations as of June 25 and seven registrations received in June. The scholarship

fund stood at $110. The Vice Chair is finally added to the account. Donations for the

month totaled approximately $300 from 42 donations, and expenses were

approximately $56. The prudent reserve was recalculated to approximately $600, and

possible future donations to World Service and the Virtual Region were discussed in

relation to retreat obligations.

Emergency Motion: Maintaining a Safe Meeting

Matthew B. presented an emergency motion: “I move that our group adopt the following

meeting guideline: If a participant, during a meeting share, expresses a desire or intent

to harm another person, the Host or Tech Host may immediately mute the participant to

protect the safety and purpose of the meeting. Following the meeting, or as soon as

reasonably possible, an officer of the group or an experienced recovered member will

privately reach out to the individual to explain why statements expressing a desire or

intent to harm others are not appropriate for the general meeting and to offer support,

guidance, and appropriate resources. If this behavior continues after such a 

conversation, the group reserves the right, through its trusted servants and in

accordance with the group conscience, to take further action to protect the meeting,

including temporarily removing the individual from the meeting or, if necessary, imposing

a temporary suspension from attendance. The purpose of this policy is not to punish

members, but to preserve a safe, welcoming, and recovery-focused environment for

everyone while treating each member with dignity, compassion, and respect.”

The motion was seconded by Lori D. Discussion was held, including support for

maintaining safety and concern regarding the scope of temporary suspension. The

Chair noted prior experience and consultation regarding meeting safety procedures.

The motion passed with 13 votes in favor out of 14 members present.

Committee and Service Reports

Data/Tech: Matthew B. reported that his WhatsApp account had been hacked and

advised members to be cautious about suspicious messages asking for money or

personal information. He noted that his account had been recovered after a temporary

suspension and that some recent messages may have been lost.

Host and Co-host Committee: Lori D. reported that host and co-host service is going

well. Members interested in hosting were encouraged to learn all co-host positions first.

Members interested in waiting room service or tech host service were invited to contact

Lori. Jenean B. reported that SignUpGenius is open through July and that the first part

of August will be opened soon.

Zoom Service Training: Jenean B. reported that no participants attended the previous

training despite three sign-ups. Members discussed promoting training more

consistently, including through host announcements, the newsletter, and the Facebook

page. The next training is Sunday, July 19 th .

Welcome Committee: Melvin B. reported that the Welcome Committee is running

smoothly and that recruitment will begin for new members and a new roster for the next

quarter.

Workshops: Lori D. reported that the recent Body Image workshop was very

successful. The next workshop, Relapse and Recovery, is scheduled for August 29. The

Summer Fling is scheduled for August 1, with the deadline for talent sign-ups on July

15.

Facebook: Lori D. reported the Facebook group was reported to be running smoothly,

with no disruptions. A prior posting approval concern appears to have been resolved.

Newcomer Meeting: Annie C. reported that the newcomer meeting is going very well,

with approximately 35 attendees at the most recent meeting and several newcomers

introducing themselves.

Virtual Region: Maryhelen reported that the Virtual Region continues to work on

Intergroup Outreach and signing up unaffiliated meetings. The committee is preparing to

restart the phone bank once updated information is available. She also noted that new

regional officers are settling into their roles and that the region has a new trustee.

Old Business

Matthew B. restated the motion from the previous month. “I move that Better Together

Intergroup establish and sponsor a new weekly OA meeting entitled OA – Big Book

Study; to be held every Wednesday from 7:45 PM to 8:45 PM. The purpose of the

meeting shall be to study and discuss the recovery program as presented in the

Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book and to share experience, strength, and hope regarding

the practical application of these principles in our recovery and daily lives. I further move

that Better Together Intergroup be designated as the sponsoring and affiliated

intergroup for this meeting and that the meeting be registered with OA World Service as

an official OA meeting.”

As it had been seconded during the previous meeting, an opportunity for discussion was

given and declined, and the motion passed unanimously with 14 members present.

New Business

Retreat: Members discussed the upcoming retreat, including current room sales, the

importance of booking through the group hotel block, and ongoing fundraising efforts.

Members were encouraged to promote ticket sales and room reservations. It was noted

that the retreat requires 60 rooms and that 18 rooms had been booked at the time of

discussion. Members also discussed retreat fundraising items, including a journal, a

wooden coin, and a refrigerator magnet. Volunteers are still needed for retreat

committees, including welcome, fundraising, and program committees.

Summer Fling: The Summer Fling was discussed as scheduled for August 1. Talent

sign-ups are due by July 15, and sound and technology checks will be coordinated

before the event.

Action Items

• Review retreat finances with the retreat steering committee and provide an

update regarding World Service and Virtual Region donations.

• Review Zeffy automated letters with the retreat steering committee.

• Consider whether to revise the prudent reserve calculation and bring guidance or

a motion as needed.

• Promote Zoom Co-Host service training through host announcements, newsletter

placement, and Facebook.

• Recruit additional members for the Welcome Committee and retreat committees.

• Coordinate Summer Fling sound and technology checks.

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn was made by Matthew B. and seconded by Maryhelen. The motion

passed with 13 votes in favor out of 14 members present. The meeting adjourned at

7:53pm EST. Members closed with a moment of silence for those still struggling,

followed by the Serenity Prayer.