POAG EXECUTIVE MINUTES - APRIL 2000: 

The Executive Committee of the Peace Officers’ Association of Georgia, Inc. held a meeting at 9 A.M. at the Ramada Inn, Macon, Georgia.  Committee members attending included President Bill Hitchens, Vice-President Carson Knight, Board Members Wayne Avery and Harry Colbert III, Secretary-Treasurer John Conley, Attorney Frank Childs, Public Relations Director Jimmy Jones and Executive Director Marion Conley.  Chaplain Jimmy Waters was unable to attend.  Visitors included: Mickey Pearce, Gary Hill, Jerry Willis, R. D. Stephens, Eloise Stephens, Mary Poole, Donna Holcomb, Bob Carter, Michael Kenefick, and Woody Hinton.

The meeting was called to order by President Hitchens with a welcome being given to all.  A special thank you was given to Mickey Pearce for his organizing and putting on the golf tournament the previous day.  The golf tournament was the highest attended golf tournament sponsored by POAG.

Vice-President Carson Knight of Laurens County Sheriff’ Department gave the invocation.

A motion was made by Bob Brown and seconded by Wayne Avery to approve the minutes and financial report from March 2000.  The motion passed.

Michael Kenefick with the Graphic Partners Group, Inc. met with the Committee with more ideas on his proposal.

President Hitchens was happy to report he and Secretary-Treasurer John Conley had signed the agreement with Travelers Insurance.  Shortly, these tremendous savings on insurance should become available to our members.

Funeral Merchandise Resource Center has presented a proposal for the Committee to examine.  Tremendous savings would be given law enforcement personnel as well as their families on caskets, vaults, markers, etc.  A motion was made by Carson Knight, seconded by Harry Colbert and passed to offer these savings to our members.

Jerry Willis and Wayne Avery had met with Internet service provider South Net Telecom Service.  Jerry Willis gave a report on this meeting.  POAG would go on-line with this provider and in-turn, could offer the online service to our membership as well as the general public with POAG making up to $4.00 a month per customer.  South Net had agreed to absorb all cost of building a POAG Web site, an approximate $5,000 value.  South Net has also agreed to absorb the cost of an 800 number since there presently is no line to Reidsville.  There would be a one-time setup cost of $9.95 for a diskette to each customer.  A discussion ensued on possibly charging non-members a greater monthly fee than members for this service.  Jerry reported that once a commitment is made South Net would not back out because of possible low participation.  A motion was made by John Conley and seconded by Wayne Avery to accept the agreement with South Net Telecom Service.  Bob Brown proposed an amendment to the motion to accept the agreement upon approval of Attorney Frank Childs.  The motion with the amendment passed.

The May meeting will be held in Columbus, May 18, 2000 at 10:00 A.M. at the Rivertown Inn.  The entire convention program will be finalized at the meeting.

Jimmy Jones is in the process of arranging the training for the convention.  It was decided to have only one training program this year.

Ladies Auxiliary President Mary Poole asked the Committee to void their vote on giving the ladies $300 to be used for door prizes and instead authorized using the $300 for a riverboat ride on the Chattahoocee River.  Carson Knight made a motion that was seconded by Bob Brown to acquiesce to Mrs. Poole’s wishes.  Mrs. Poole also asked for approximately $255 to be used for decorating and corsages.  A motion to expend these funds in accordance with Mrs. Poole’s desires was made by Bob Brown and seconded by Carson Knight.  The motion passed.

President Hitchens again expressed his appreciation and the appreciation of the entire Committee for the superb job Mrs. Poole has done in organizing scrapbooks of POAG history. 

Bob Carter, secretary-treasurer of the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund gave a brief update on the Fund and graciously agreed to write an article for possible publication in THE GEORGIA PEACE OFFICER on the Fund.

The new POAG logo for our web site was passed around for all to see.  It was pointed out that this logo would not replace our present logo, but will simply compliment the present one.

Jimmy Jones reported that May 9^th and 10^th, G. T. Distributors is willing to furnish a table for us to hold a membership drive at the Wolf Creek Shooting Range.  Many law enforcement officers will be participating in a competition on those two days.  He and Mickey Pearce agreed to try to solicit members on May 9^th.

A motion was made by Harry Colbert and seconded by Wayne Avery to adjourn.  The motion carried.