GEC Meeting at Elm Springs Held October 27

Condensed Account of the October 27, 2012 GEC Meeting:
1. Meeting opened at 8:00 AM with Prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, Salute to the Confederate Flag and The Charge.

2. Executive Director Sewell reported the SCV, as of 10.26.12, has 30, 534 members, approximately 400 more than the same time last year. He stated the needed maintenance on Elm Springs has been minimal and reported on the status of the SCV’s endowment funds.

3. GEC voted to put the Bicentennial Fund under the review of the Investment Committee.

4. CIC addressed several issues:
A. Vision Program Progress
B. Carter House in Franklin, TN
C. Discount for SCV members at the Kissimmee, FL Ramada Inn
D. Appointments to the Disciplinary Committee

5. Lt Commander Barrow reported on the recent Leadership Conference in Colorado, the upcoming conference in Richmond, November 3, 2012, and other conferences in Alabama, Kentucky and possibly Texas and Arizona.

6. ANV Councilman Randy Burbage reported on two Battleflags that have recently been acquired by the South Carolina Division.

7. Chief of Heritage Defense Hogan presented a report on the Reidsville, North Carolina monument, the updated SCV website where heritage violations can be reported on-line and a new heritage defense fundraising program.

8. The GEC adopted additions to the Convention Guidelines to establish a minimum fee for debutants, to define requirements for the memorial service for compatriot who have passed away in the last year  and for the Heritage Defense Luncheon held at Reunions.

9. The GEC voted to affirm that the “The Charge” of Gen. S.D. Lee as recorded in the minutes of the United Confederate Veterans 1906 minutes, the minutes of the United Sons of Confederate Veterans minutes from their 1906 Reunion as currently shown on scv.org is the historically correct version of The Charge.

10. Discussion of Sam Davis Youth Camps' legal structure.

11. Budget and Finance Committee reported on five (5) requests:
A. The request for funding for a monument in Ardmore, OK was approved.
B. Funding for the Culp Brothers monument in Gettysburg, PA was approved contingent a contract governing the monument is received and reviewed at GHQ.
C. Assistance requested by the Boy Scouts in St. Mary’s Ohio to mark a confederate grave of an officer from Mississippi. AIC Steve Ritchie will assist with this project - no funding needed.
D. Request for funding for a sculpture Confederate Veteran Richard Payne for an historical park in Winston County, Alabama. Funding approved contingent on agreement with the historical park board regarding conditions of the sculpture being donated.
E. Request for funding for the Confederate Plaza in Palestine, Texas was approved. The plaza has been donated to the General Organization of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

12. Past Commander In Chief McMichael spoke about upcoming Sesquicentennial Events, the next at Beauvoir on March 16, 2013. He also addressed issues regarding The Confederate Museum.

13. CIC Givens made closing comments, including announcing the next GEC meeting will be at Beauvoir in conjunction with the Beauvoir Sesquicentennial event.

14. Meeting ended at 3:35 PM with prayer and the singing of Dixie!!