Condensed Account of Pre-Convention GEC Meeting

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
IN CONVENTION
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
13-16 JULY 2011

CONDENSED ACCOUNT OF THE
GENERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING
13 JULY 2011
2:30 PM

The pre-convention General Executive Council (GEC) meeting was called to order by
Commander-in-Chief Michael Givens, followed by the invocation by Chaplain-in-Chief
Mark Evans. After the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag and the Salute to the Confederate Flag, Chief of Staff Spike Speicher read General Stephen Dill Lee’s
Charge.

Adjutant-in-Chief Chuck Rand conducted the officers roll call with all GEC members
being present. The following business was conducted:

o Adjutant Rand presented for approval of the minutes from the GEC meeting held
at SCV HQ at Elm Springs on 19 March 2011, the GEC teleconference call on 4
May 2011, and the GEC teleconference call on 11 May 2011. All minutes were unanimously approved.

o Executive Director Ben Sewell presented the proposed FY-2011 budget. The
GEC accepted it and will recommend approval to the confederation.

o The Special Rules of Order were recommended for presentation to the
confederation with an improvement endorsement.

o Special appointments made by Commander Givens:
Parliamentarian to be Past Commander-in-Chief Chris Sullivan
Assistants to Adjutant Rand to be Paul Bergeron and Charles Lauret

o Chief-of-Protocol Lee Millar confirmed reservations and seating for the GEC
members for the Saturday night banquet and ball.

o Adjutant Rand discussed compliance of camp articles of incorporation and the SCV
Constitution. A motion was passed appointing the JAG and other members of the GEC as appointed by the CIC to assist camps with modifying their articles of incorporation to bring them into compliance with the SCV Constitution.

o Commander Givens presented the new booklet made from the article by Dr.
Livingston, “Why The War Was Not About Slavery.” They are for sale for $2.00 each.

o Chief of Heritage Defense Thomas Hiter and AOT Department Councilman Larry
McCluney advised Commander Givens that they have accumulated the required
information for a definitive paper on the truth about Nathan Bedford Forrest.
They advised that they will attempt to locate an appropriate author for the paper.

o PCIC Sullivan provided a briefing on the proposed Confederate monument in
Jefferson, Jackson County, Georgia. The monument committee needed $4,000 to
complete the monument. With the help of PCIC Sullivan they were able to raise
the money. The dedication will be sometime around mid-September.

o Commander Givens reported that in the GEC minutes from October 2004 mandated that anyone involved with the Sam Davis Youth Camp must have law enforcement background checks. That lead to a discussion of how many other mandates from previous GEC meetings have no been followed thru on. Commander Givens appointed PCIC Denne Sweeney to chair a committee to review past minutes and establish a policy and procedure manual based on past GEC minutes going as far back as possible. PCIC Sullivan is to assist.

Respectfully Submitted,

James L. “Spike” Speicher
Chief of Staff