Condensed Account of GEC Meeting - March 13, 2010

Condensed Account of the meeting of the General Executive Council ( GEC ) held at Elm Spring, Tennessee on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

1. Meeting began at 8:30 AM and opened with prayer, pledge and salute to the Confederate Flag. Roll Call of officers held and quorum was present.

2. Army of Tennessee Commander Barrow asked for a moment to make a point of personal privilege concerning the birth of his son William Barrow III.

3. ANV Councilman Gene Hogan presented Elm Springs with a "Robert E. Lee" camellia.

4. ANV Commander presented a rifle to Elm Springs which was produced as part of the fund raising efforts for the new Jefferson Davis Statue. The statue will be dedicated on April 24, 2010 at Beauvoir.

5. Executive Director Sewell gave his report. The Elm Spring home is in good condition of late needing only minor maintenance. Director Sewell also reported that the current membership in the SCV is 27,823 members including 32 Real Sons. There are also 409 Cadet Members. Discussion among members on ways to improve retention.

6. Adjutant in Chief Mark Simpson presented the minutes of the last meeting of the GEC. Minutes were approved as presented.

7. Chief of Staff Rand reported on a meeting he had with Compatriot George Church of Meridian, MS regarding the work that has been done to restore the Confederate cemetery at Marion, MS. Compatriot Church. CoS Rand presented, no behalf of Compatriot Church, a certificate of appreciation to the SCV for the support the cemetery received from the SCV along with photos of the restored cemetery.

8. Convention Planning Committee Chairman Joe Ringhoffer presented the committee recommendation regarding the bids for the 2013 SCV Convention. The bid from Vicksburg, MS was recommended. Chairman Ringhoffer gave a synopsis of each bid heard. The GEC voted to affirm this recommendation.

9. The Budget and Finance Committee reported on several requests for funding:

A. The request from the Road to Secession Seminar to be held in Texas was deferred to the July GEC meeting.

B. The Jackson County Volunteer's camp (Georgia) requested 4K to complete a statue project. The camp had already raised 43K. The GEC voted to approve the request. Past CIC Sullivan, who has relatives in the area, is working to held raise the 4K locally. If this occurs the GEC will not have to fund the entire 4K.

C. Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta ( Owned by the City of Atlanta ) requested 30K for repairs to the cemetery sidewalks in the confederate section. The request was not approved.

D. The camp in Alexandria, VA requested 2.5K for the annual Confederate Memorial Day service at Arlington Cemetery. Request was approved.

10.Councilman Hogan presented a proposal for the general organization to participate in the memorial / fund raising coin program developed in South Carolina. In consideration of the SCV providing advertising in the Veteran and the merchandise catalog the SCV will be a partner in the program.

11. CoS Rand gave a report on the 2010 Reunion to be held in Anderson, SC based on his and Chief of Protocol's planning meeting held with the planning committee on February 27 in Anderson. Planning is in progress but there are details yet to be worked out by the Anderson Host Committee.

12.Possibility of the SCV producing and awarding a POW medal was brought to the table. Proposal not adopted.

13. AoT Councilman Strain gave a report on a legal matter in Alabama. Case on hold at present.

14. The GEC voted to confirm the appointment of Compatriot Austin of North Carolina to the Investment Committee.

15. CoS Rand addressed the deadline for Division and Army Commanders to submit requests for awards to be give at the Anderson Reunion. Deadline is June 1, 2010 and nominations should be submitted on the forms listed in the notices section of the Veteran and on the scroll on the main page scv.org. The deadline for Army Commanders, Division Commanders, National Committee Chairmen and members of the General Staff to submit reports for distribution at Anderson was also discussed. As with award the deadline is June 1. Reports should be per the guidelines in the notice section of the Veteran and on the scroll on scv.org.

16. The GEC voted to use the sesquicentennial logo on an enlarged range of merchandise that non-members can purchase.

17. GEC discussed the status of a piece of property the SCV owns in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Property, adjacent to a residential area, is overgrown and needs to be cleaned up. SCV will explore best resources to clean up property and discuss with area real estate experts the best options for the SCV to consider concerning the property.

17. CIC McMichael stated that he had not received contact information from several divisions as to who their Sesquicentennial Events Coordinator will be. He stated in the absence of a designated person in a given division the Division Commander's name will be listed on the Sesquicentennial website. He requested that each division that has not done so to promptly forward to him the name of the division's Sesquicentennial Events Coordinator.

18. GEC voted, in order to keep the Veteran on schedule and to have newly elected officers have their columns in the Veteran immediately following the convention, that candidates for offices that have regular columns in the Veteran should have a prepared article ready for submission to the Editor immediately after the convention if they are elected.

19. CHD Earnest distributed copies of his report

20. CIC unveiled a new recruiting tool for use on the internet. It will be used on the SCV main page. Coming Soon.

Meeting Closed with Prayer and the singing of DIXIE!
Prepared by:

Chuck Rand
Chief of Staff
chuckrand3@gmail.com