Friday and Saturday Convention Business

The Friday July 24 business session meeting began at 9 AM.

1. Time and Place Committee report was given by Chief of Staff who is also a member of the Time and Place Committee . The committee reported that at the spring GEC meeting held at Elm Springs four bids were heard for the 2012 Reunion. The Time and Place Committee recommended the bid of the Murfresboro Camp No. 33 of Murfresboro TN be accepted by the GEC. The GEC voted to accept the recommendation of the Time and Place Committee and refer the recommendation of the Time and Place Committee to the General Convention. The General Convention in Hot Springs voted to accept the bid of the Murfresboro Camp No. 33 to be the host of the of the 2012 General Convention.

2. ANV Commander Brag Bowling gave a report on the recent work of the Stephen D. Lee Institute.

3. Sesquicentennial Society Report - The GEC approved the formation of the Sesquicentennial Society at its spring meeting at Elm Springs. The dues of the Society ( one time ) will be 200 dollars. 150 dollars of this amount will be allocated to a building fund to construct a new office building and museum on the grounds of SCV headquarters at Elm Spring. The remaining 50 dollars will go into a fund to be used at the Bicentennial of the War for Southern Independence.

4. The convention held a discus sion of the licensing agreement of the Sesquicentennial logo with Dixie Outfitters.

5. ANV Commander Bowling gave his Army of Northern Virginia report.

6. AOT Commander Kelly Barrow gave his Army of Tennessee Report.

7. ATM Commander Todd Owens gave his Army of Trans-Mississippi Report. The convention took a break from 10:35 AM to 10:55 AM.

8.Virginia Division Commander Sawyer gave a report on Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond, VA. The SCV will be given the cemetery. This will resolve a long standing issue between the SCV and the city of Richmond regarding the care of the cemetery.

9. 2010 Reunion Committee Chairman Ron Wilson gave the phone number for the host hotel for the 2010 reunion in Anderson, South Carolina. The number is 864-964-0100. This number and NOT the 800 number for the Hilton H otel chain must be used to get the SCV rate at the hotel. The Hilton Garden Inn is the host hotel.

10. There was a proposal made that the SCV adopt a flag for Confederate POW / MIAs. The proposal was defeated.

11. The CIC lead a discussion of the SCV affinity credit card. After the discussion the body voted to pursue a SCV credit card with a variety of art work.

Meeting recessed at 11:50 until 10 AM Saturday.



Saturday July 25 Meeting:

The Convention assembled at 10:00 AM after the conclusion of the Army Meetings.

The Convention began the consideration of the proposed amendments to the Constitution and Standing orders.

A. Constitutional Amendments.

1. Amendment 1 passed with amendments to further clarify that A rmy C ommanders AND A rmy C ouncilmen would submit nominations to the CIC for membership on the disciplinary committee.

2. Amendment 2 was withdrawn by the author.

3. Amendment 3, which raised the number of members required to form a camp, was defeated.

4. Amendment 4 , defining discipline procedures, passed.

5. Amendment 5, which would extend the term of the CIC and Lt. CIC, failed.

B. Standing Order Amendments

1. Amendment 1, which allows the GEC to create special purpose endowment funds, passed.

2. Amendment 2,3 and 4 were considered as a group. These amendments create a Convention Planning Committee, in place of the existing Time and Place Committee, and Heritage Promotion Committee as standing committees. Amendments passed.

3. Amendment 5 creates a standing Youth Enhancement Committee. motion was proposed to postpone consideration of the amendment. Motion passed and amendment postponed.

C. Ed Butler, Chairman of the Heritage Promotion Committee, addressed the convention regarding the placement of flags and other monuments in prominent places.

D. Convention considered the following proposed resolutions:

1. Resolution No.1 thanking the Keller Camp for their work on the Convention as host was passed. Author Chief of Staff Chuck Rand.

2. Resolution No. 2 by AOT Commander Kelly Barrow, passed. - Condemning those who misuse confederate symbols.

3. Resolution condemning the town of Jonesboro,TN for refusing to accept bricks denoting Confederate service in their veterans memorial was passed. Author Kirk Lyons of North Carolina.

4. Resolution submitted by Kirk Lyons recognizing the long service of Russell Darden and naming all future undesignated scholarships to the Sam Davis Youth Camp be named as Russell Darden Scholarships. Compatriot Darden was a 57 year member of the SCV who passed away during the past year. Resolution passed.

5. Resolution proposed by North Carolina Division Commander Tom Smith stating that only Confederate or Confederate State flags be displayed at monuments and memorials erected as part of the work of the Heritage Promotion Committee. Resolution failed.

E. Motion made by Alabama Division Commander Robert Reames to have Resolution No. 2 made to be the permanent official policy of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Motion passed.

F. Chief of Staff Rand gave a brief report to the convention.

G. Business meeting concluded at 12:15 PM with remarks by CIC McMichael , prayer and the singing of Dixie!