The Charleston Assembly Executive Board, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Chief Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners, Treasurer & Secretary, term of office and list of duties. 

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The Charleston Assembly is merely an extension of our Gideon 300 Men’s “Accountability Covenant” organization. (See website). The CA was organized to sustain, support, and promote local collaboration among the ecclesiastical, businesses, education, media, Christian-Nonprofit, civic, and governmental community. Although the church is the largest special interest group in the community, there are many other entities in our community where our Christian values should be of great influence. Through the CA, we will have a collective voice. Our goal is to have a united voice from the faith and business community that will speak into every facet of our society. The Greater Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties, South Carolina, Charleston Assembly will seek to provide a forum and mechanism for which the spiritual and business leaders can collectively provide input into the public sector, which expands the sphere of individual religious organization. The council will not seek to exalt itself as a political party or favor a particular party. Speaking with a single voice (oneness) in the community and assisting in providing spiritual and moral assistance in the greater community and political process is our goal.
 

All Charleston Assembly members shall have full voting privilege during Assembly’s proceedings. The CA Chairman along with the Executive Board must apprise the assembly of all matters the members are expected to vote on, support financially, with their attendance, or otherwise. The CA Executive Board exists solely to provide godly leadership and structure to the Charleston Assembly/Gideon Men’s Gatherings.  

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The following offices are to be held by the individuals that have been properly, nominated, vetted, and approved from among the Gideon Men’s Gathering.
 

Executive Board (New)

 

The Charleston Assembly Executive Board shall comprise of twelve representatives from churches/religious organizations, businesses, government/civic, education, media, and Christian-nonprofit groups who are certified members of our Gideon Men’s Gathering. Gideon 300 is a spiritual organism which builds character in men, preparing them to serve as leaders in the Charleston Assembly. (A 2/3 majority of the board may rule on all voting issues within their purview.) The Charleston Assembly chairman shall be selected from the executive board members and shall serve as Chairman of the executive board. The Charleston Assembly Chief Commissioner shall serve as a member of the Executive Board.

 

Basic board responsibilities* include:
1. Maintain oversight of the CA’s mission and purpose.
2. Providing proper financial oversight.
3. Ensuring adequate resources.
4. Ensuring legal and ethical integrity and maintaining accountability.
5. Ensuring effective organizational planning.
6. Recruiting and orienting new board members and assessing the board's own performance.
7. Enhancing the organization's public standing.
8. Determining, monitoring and strengthening the organization's programs and services.

Role of the [Chairman]
 

The chairman of the CA is expected to facilitate all meetings and ensure that business is conducted in a timely manner and in the spirit of unity and brotherhood. Meetings on a normal basis should last no longer than ninety minutes; however, the Chairman may extend the meeting with the consent of the Assembly for special purposes. The Chairman shall at no time act on the behalf of the CA without direct permission from the Executive Committee.
 

Term of office
 

All CA officers, staff members, commissioners, and executive board vacancies will be appointed by a 2/3 majority of the executive board. All executive board members will serve for four years and may be reappointed with a 2/3 majority approval of the executive board. All appointments must be from among the Gideon Men’s Accountability Covenant group who are in good standing with the organization. If an accusation is brought against any member of our Gideon/Charleston Assembly officer or staff, the case must be properly investigated (by an ad hoc committee) and a written report submitted within 15 days to the executive board for its official review. All rulings from the Executive Board of said allegations must be addressed within 30 days. Any member of the CA officers and staff may be removed by a majority vote of the council members if he is deemed to be incompetent, permanently incapacitated by illness or injury, or for malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance. This also includes anyone who may have gone rogue (uncooperative spirit, immoral behavior, sowing discord, failure to be accountable and the like ) after being elected to serve on the board. 
 

The Chairman has particular responsibility for providing effective strategic leadership on such matters as:



• Schedule and preside over all Council meetings.

• Encouraging high moral standards of propriety, and promoting efficient and effective use of the purpose of which the C.A. was established.

• Ensuring that the Council, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of every member’s vote during each meeting. The C.A. Chairman is also responsible for working in harmony with the Chief Commissioner, which is responsible for carrying out the mandates of the Charleston Assembly to the general public. The Assembly Chairman will ensure that the information from the Chief Commissioner flows freely between the Council and the general community. The Chairman will apprise the Council members of all pertinent information during each assembly meeting. It will be the sole responsibility of the Chief Commissioner to provide the Chairman with all information and correspondences in his purview that will be disseminated during our Assembly meetings.

The C.A. Vice Chairman

The Vice Chairman shall serve as the assistant to the Chairman and carry out the role of Council in the absence of the Chairman. This means more than stepping in to chair occasional meetings, but to maintain a strategic overview and be prepared to lead with authority on key issues when the Chairman is not present. The same personal qualities that make an effective Chairman make a good vice chair. The Vice Chairman may be assigned various duties by the Chairman that is germane to this office in order to facilitate the duties of the C.A. Chairman.
 

Responsibilities of individual CA members


All Charleston Assembly/Gideon 300 Men’s Accountability Members should be aware of their wider responsibilities. These include the duty to always comply with this Code of Higher Conduct (or any agreed modification to it) and with rules relating to the use of public trust and funds; and to act in good faith and in the best interests of our assembly. Members should not use information obtained by the C.A. as a means to curry favor for personal gain; nor should they seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests or those of connected persons, firms, business or other organizations. However, the Assembly would gladly write an official letter of reference or recommendation on behalf of any of its active and supportive members on a matter that is not in conflict with the core value of the CA. All Assembly Members should adopt the Nolan Principles of Public Life as a code of conduct. (append at the end of this document)

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Role of the [Chief Commissioner]
 

The Chief Commissioner’s general responsibility is to execute the wishes of the C.A. The Chief Commissioner shall at no time act on behalf of the Assembly without direct permission from the Executive Board. He shall have supervision of all sub-commissions and committees that will be established by the C.A. Sub-commissions and committees on the family, government, business, media, education finance & wealth building, racial reconciliation, education, religion etc., is established to effectively connect the council with the greater community. The Chief Commissioner has full authorization of the Assembly to select individuals to serve as Sub-commissioners; however, all selected individuals must be approved by the council.

 

Chief Commissioner List of duties and responsibilities
 

The Commissioner scope of duties defined herein is designated to provide interaction between the various commissions to:
1) Determine numerically, i.e. the number of person to serve on commissions.
2) Share the total work load more equitably.
3) Provide each sub-commission members with a better understanding and appreciation of the Council’s objectives.
 

The success of the C.A. will be in direct proportion to the interest and support invested in all of its activities by all of its commissions. Each commission member has an obligation to diligently, effectively, and continually strive to fulfill the responsibility vested in them by honoring the council’s confidence in choosing them.
 

Chief Commissioner Term of office 
 

The Chief Commissioner shall hold his offices during good behavior. He shall be nominated by the Chairman of the Executive Committee and approve by the majority vote of the committee. The Chief Commissioner is appointed to this office for four years. The Chief Commissioner may be nominated and re-appointed every four years with the approval of the majority vote of the council, although he can voluntarily resign or retire. The Chief Commissioner can also be removed by a majority vote of the council member if he is deemed to be incompetent, permanently incapacitated by illness or injury, or for malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance.
 

Specific duties include but are not limited to:

1) Supervise and promote the affairs of the all Commissions under the direction of the C.A.
2) Preside at all meetings of the Commission and be an ex-officio member of all sub-commissions and committees.
3) Appoint alternates when unable to preside or fulfill his established duties.
4) Provide a schedule of activities and functions for the C.A. Commissioners.
5) Call meetings of the sub-commissioners as frequently as essential to meet the needs of the C.A.; and give notice to the sub-commissioners regarding the time and location of meetings.
6) Appoint chairs and members to the various sub-commissions and assign specific responsibilities, subject to approval of the C.A.
7) Require periodic reports from all sub-commission and committee chairs.
8) Insure that all obligations with regard to communication and reports meet the requirements of the C.A.
9) Serve as a member of the Executive Board.
 

Assistant Commissioner (A)
 

The Assistant Commissioner is the assistant to the Chief Commissioner. The responsibility is to   support the functions of the various commissions and officers. There shall be two Assistant Commissioners with each having duties delineated below. In the absence or the disability of the Chief Commissioner, all duties will be assumed by the Assistant Commissioner directed by the Chief Commissioner.
 

Term of office
The Assistant Commissioner serves at the behest of the Chief Commissioner and may be replaced by the Chief Commissioner if duties are not performed properly. All commissioners shall have the privilege of voting in all CA sessions.
 

Specific duties include but are not limited to:
1) Assume all duties of the Chief Commissioner in his absence or disability, as directed by the Chief Commissioner. Serve as first assistant to the Chief Commissioner.
2) Serve as ex-officio member of the sub-commissions.
3) Provide for program arrangements at the regular meetings. This includes securing speakers or preparing contents of the program, coordinating space, food, and beverage requirements, meeting audio-visual requirements for presentations.
4) Prepare the monthly newsletter and coordinate mailings.
5) Arrange for speaker’s gifts.
 

Assistant Commissioner (B)
 

Specific duties include but are not limited to:
1) Assume the duties of the Chief Commissioner in the absence and disability of the Chief Commissioner as directed by the Chief Commissioner.
2) Serve as a member of the Hospitality Committee & assist in all Committee meetings as directed by the Chief Commissioner.
3) Membership Enlistment Committee: Assist in reaching out to all eligible C.A. members and local businesses, churches, Christian-Nonprofit, media, educational, and all areas of the community in order to build a strong coalition within the greater Charleston area. Appoint additional members when needed to help shoulder the responsibility of the office4) The Second Vice Commissioner shall serve and assist in connecting the interest of the Charleston Assembly with the greater community, i.e., a liaison for public relations.
 

Treasurer
 

The Treasurer is the official custodian of the C.A./Gideon 300 Men’s Gathering funds. The Treasurer receives and distributes funds only upon orders made by the proper authority. The Treasurer must be Assembly Chairman and approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Treasure is appointed to this office for four years. The Treasurer may be nominated and re-appointed every four years with the approval of the majority vote of the council although he can voluntarily resign or retire.
 

Specific duties include but are not limited to:
1) Responsibility for receipt and disbursement of funds.
2) Provide the C.E.C. with copies of monthly financial reports.
3) Obtain invoices, receipts, or statements for all disbursements.
4) Call a meeting of the Audit Committee as the C.A. deem necessary.
5) Prepare the Treasurer’s Annual Report of finances as required by Council.
6) Reconcile monthly bank statements.
 

Secretary
 

The Secretary is the official correspondent of the council. The Secretary must be appointed by the Executive Committee Chairman and approved by majority vote of the council members. The Secretary is appointed to this office for four years. The Secretary may be nominated and re-appointed every four years with the approval of the majority vote of the council although he can voluntarily resign or retire.
 

The Secretary shall provide minutes of all official business of the CA.
 

Specific duties include but are not limited to:

1) Provide the CA Chairman with all correspondence, bulletins, notifications, and matters affecting the assembly activities. 
2) Maintain a current mailing list of organizations and individuals who should receive meeting notices in addition to regular members.
3) Provide minutes of all official meetings.
4) Prepare and send correspondence to all Assembly members, Commission, sub-commissions and committees’ information that is germane to him or her.
 

This organization will be the first of its kind on record in the greater Charleston, South Carolina area. The individuals seeking to connect themselves to this organism must be committed to a level of integrity and greatness that is reflected in the life of Christ. No vision can become any greater than the individuals who are called to implement its fundamental principles. The CA/Gideon 300 Men’s Gatherings will seek to walk the road of high moral standards and live up to the greatest commandment taught by the greatest individual who ever lived, Christ. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). In other words, “Do unto others as you would prefer that they do to you.”
 

Appendix
 

The Nolan Principles of Public Life



• Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.

• Integrity Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

• Objectivity In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

• Accountability Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

• Openness Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands it.

• Honesty Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

• Leadership Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.