POAG EXECUTIVE MINUTES - July 2007:                 

The Executive Committee of the Peace Officers’ Association of Georgia, Inc. held a meeting at 10 A. M., July 26, 2007 at the Jekyll Oceanfront Resort, Jekyll Island, Georgia. Committee members attending included President Gary Hill, Vice President Jimmy Jones, Board Members Mike Jones and Thomas Alley, Secretary-Treasurer John Conley, and Executive Director Marion Conley. Legislative Chairman Homer Bryson, Attorney Frank Childs and Chaplain Rick Lanford were unable to attend. Visitors included Holly White, Erika Patton, Michelle Blackstone, Debbie Shaw, John Edwards and Marci Hutcheson.

President Gary Hill called the meeting to order.

Board Member Mike Jones gave the invocation.

A motion was made by Jimmy Jones, seconded by Thomas Alley and passed to approve the minutes from June, 2007. A motion was made by Jimmy Jones, seconded by Thomas Alley and passed to approve the financial report for June, 2007.

The Ladies Auxiliary President Marci Hutcheson reported that she had made arrangements for the ladies to have a Monday buffet breakfast for 30-35 ladies (the Sunrise) at a cost of $9.95 each, a Tuesday (Island Continental) for 30-35 ladies at a cost of $6.50 each. The Old Timers breakfast for 50 will be $7.95 each.

The convention program was thoroughly gone over with decisions being made to hold the smaller classes in the Dubignon room, have the larger classroom in the Pulitzer room, have the Ladies Auxiliary in the Morgan room, hold the registration in the Crane room and place the vendors upstairs and downstairs.

A motion was made by John Conley, seconded by Thomas Alley and passed to award Michelle Blackstone of Jekyll Oceanfront Resort an Honorary Life membership. She has always been so helpful in insuring the success of our conventions at Jekyll.

The selection of the Meritorious Officer of the Year was discussed. Mike Jones made a motion which was seconded by John Conley and passed to award the Meritorious Officer of the Year Membership to Officer Jeff Reed, Marietta Police Department. The extremely difficult decision of selecting a recipient for the Officer of the Year for valor came next. After much discussion and a process of elimination Jimmy Jones made by motion to award Captain Kelly McLendon of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office the 2007 Peace Officer of the Year for Valor. This motion was seconded by John Conley and passed.

Board Member Thomas Alley made a motion that Chief Dennis Bell of Arcade Police Department also be awarded the Valor award if the Sheriff could be give the award also. The motion died for lack of a second since no one had nominated the Sheriff.

Scholarships were discussed next. Secretary Conley reminded the Committee that at the present time the Frank Edwards scholarship was $500.00. Subsequently, he made a motion that as long as the Association was financially able the Frank Edwards Scholarship would also become $1,000.00. Mike Jones seconded this motion with the motion passing. President Gary Hill had a relative with a scholarship application submitted and John and Marion Conley were also in this predicament. These three agreed to leave the room and let the remaining Committee persons vote, knowing they would have to get a telephone vote from Legislative Chairman Homer Bryson, which was received. Upon the three returning, Mike Jones made a motion, seconded by Thomas Alley and passed to award each of the seven applicants $1,000 each and that would leave $2,500.00 for next year’s scholarship fund.

The Committee was reminded by Secretary Conley had contacted Attorney Frank Childs’ office and asked him to draft a resolution for the convention whereby you would not have to be a member of POA& B Fund to run for office in the POAG. The Committee felt this rule was no longer necessary since POAG has no control over who serves on the POA&B Fund Board.

President Hill called the next meeting for Saturday, August 25, 2007 at 5:15 P. M. at the Jekyll Oceanfront Resort.

A motion was made by Jimmy Jones, seconded by Mike Jones and passed to adjourn.