Hello Fellow GACE Members,

I am writing to provide a brief, professional update regarding several procedural inquiries currently before the Board of Directors. Transparency is the foundation of any healthy professional association, and I believe it is important to keep the membership informed as we work through the established bylaw processes.

The Board has officially acknowledged three outstanding items I have brought forward for resolution:

1. Committee Appeal: A formal inquiry regarding the committee decision announced during the closing session on March 6, 2026. This appeal seeks to ensure our internal decision-making processes remain consistent and fair.

2. Professional Conduct: A request for a formal review of statements made post-session on March 6, 2026. This inquiry aims to ensure our Code of Ethics is consistently upheld and that association activities remain in full compliance with Georgia law regarding professional conduct and individual liability.

3. Financial Transparency: A follow-up on a request for association financial statements initially submitted on February 23, 2026. This request is part of an ongoing effort to ensure our organization remains in alignment with Georgia Law (O.C.G.A. § 14-3-1602), which provides members the right to inspect accounting records.

I want to emphasize that these inquiries are not a personal vendetta; they are a commitment to ensuring that the systems we have in place for governance and financial accountability remain responsive and legally sound. To that end, I have expressed my full willingness to discuss these matters with the Board on the official record to ensure the resolution is documented fairly for the benefit of the entire association.

I look forward to the Board’s findings and to a productive resolution which benefits the membership in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Jerry Pitman
Code Officer, City of Thomson GA

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Thank you, Jerry,

I take all requests from GACE Members as a professional right to inquire. The Board of Directors serves the GACE Members and should do so with the best intent and professionalism.

Our board meeting minutes are posted on this website as they are finalized and made official Minutes of Record. This is one way our Membership can see the workings and decision-making of our Board.

Subject: Transparency, Member Rights, and the Path Forward for GACE

Dear Fellow GACE Members,

I am writing this as an Active Member of GACE for over twenty years, who deeply values the integrity of our profession and association. Because of this, over the last few months, I have repeatedly requested transparency regarding our financial records and the handling of Association assets. I have followed every professional channel, yet those requests have been met with silence and delays.

I am the member who stood alone on Friday, March 6th, at the Spring Conference to make a significant motion to dismiss certain board members. This move clearly shocked everyone in attendance at that meeting, except for one person, the Grievance Committee Chairman. I will explain.

The Reality of the March 6th Motions:
There has been much chatter about the motions made on March 6th. I want to be clear: these were made in good faith at the direct suggestion of a Committee Chairman charged with hearing the facts of a grievance against the board. The grievance that was filed objected to the Board’s decision to override a recommendation made by the selection committee regarding an award recipient. The Grievance Committee Chairman indicated his committee would dismiss the grievance as being “without merit” according to a procedural error. While the GRC Chairman noted the Board acted within the current GACE bylaws, he stated the bylaws were very poor, inadequate and not thorough; and the Board could override the selection committee without recourse from that committee. Then he explicitly stated that the Board was so “f’ed up” they all needed to go, with the exception of the president and new elected member.

This creates a "self-policing" environment where the Board currently has the final say on grievances filed against themselves. This lack of independent oversight is a major conflict of interest under Georgia's nonprofit standards. The grievance committee chair expressed that he wanted to act fast so they (the grievance committee) could report the truth of this dysfunction to the membership (based on what the grievance committee’s investigations uncovered) during the closing session March 6. Their final decision denying the grievances' merit is currently being reviewed as part of an appeal. Following the Chairman's advice, the motion to rewrite our bylaws and ethics rules was made first to ensure we had a solid foundation. This motion passed and received votes to move forward and start the process.  I specifically worked with a fellow member to make that motion, while I handled the more serious motion regarding the dismissal of board members. I did this intentionally so it would be clear that these were professional, coordinated steps to fix a broken system—not just the actions of one disgruntled member lashing out. Remember both motions were strongly suggested by the grievance committee chairman and specific details/instructions were given to me in a meeting (involving myself, the grievance chairman, and his spouse) the evening of Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in the Marriott dining area. This was the suggested method to resolve the problems he and his committee identified as coming from the board.

A Failure of Professional Leadership:
What is most telling is that not one board member ever approached me to ask for the details or the 'why' behind these motions, with the sole exception of Secretary Pam Nickles. Instead of a professional conversation, some of the Board immediately chose to launch into nasty public rants witnessed by many in the parking lot that day. These outbursts have been reported to the Board and are said to have included threats to 'take the money from the store' and interfere with GACE business. GACE mandates training for all of us in 'Dealing with Difficult Situations' and 'Public Service Ethics', yet our own leaders abandoned those central concepts to conduct a public character assassination. The GACE President was requested to intervene to stop the public behavior of several board members engaged in this public tirade I am told witnesses have corroborated the details of this public incident; however, the Board has not publicly acknowledged this episode took place and no public apology has ever been produced or called for by board members so far as the records reflect.

Even more concerning are reports of a more recent 'secret' executive session called for and held unannounced to membership. This session allegedly was held without the President's attendance. The board members, including those who verbally assaulted me, allegedly verbally attacked a single board member,  in a meeting lasting hours, to try and shift blame for being a part of the selection committee (which was part of the grievance and appeal). This internal witch hunt against an officer who acted professionally and in good faith, is a disastrous failure of leadership and completely inexcusable. These facts deserve exposure and an appropriate resolution.

A Lack of Financial Accountability:
Also, since February 23rd, I have requested documentation for GACE assets; specifically, the trailer(s) and store merchandise. To date, I have seen no proof of titles, registrations, insurance info, or bills of sale. Furthermore, I have also asked for receipts regarding personal benefits received by Board members (lodging, dues, etc.) and an explanation for what appear to be incorrect IRS filings. The membership is entitled to know how our dues are being spent.

Note: the “old” GACE trailer (a new one was purchased at some unknown date), was seen and photographed by several GACE members on March 21, 2026. The trailer clearly displayed GACE logos and was parked at a festival in Fitzgerald, GA. Leaving GACE decals on an asset no longer under official control creates a massive vicarious liability and insurance risk for this Association. If that trailer is involved in an accident, every member's dues are at risk for the resulting legal exposure. Does GACE own two trailers? Does someone use the old GACE trailer for personal business? These questions remain unaddressed by this Board, along with the other records requested in February. The membership deserves to know every detail about association assets; it is your dues and conference fees being used without full disclosure in a timely manner as required by state law.

Expectations for April 20th:
For the sake of our Association’s integrity, I hope the Monday meeting is conducted with full transparency. Be advised:

1. Any Executive Session must follow O.C.G.A. § 50-14-4, requiring a sworn, notarized affidavit from the presiding board member in charge of the meeting stating the specific legal exception used to enter executive session.

2. Per O.C.G.A. § 50-14-3, the Board cannot close a meeting to hear evidence or arguments regarding active grievances, evidence, or defense against such grievances.

3. Silence in the face of threats against Association assets is a breach of fiduciary duty.

 We deserve a unified Board that respects the committee process, protects our assets, and follows the law. I am currently preparing a formal demand for a full forensic audit and the immediate production of all internal records and 'secret' meeting notes to ensure full accountability to the membership.

Respectfully,

Jerry Pitman
Active Member GACE

I can assure our membership that the Board Meeting on April 20th will be conducted professionally and in accordance with parliamentary procedures. I appreciate your efforts to communicate with all members of this Association.

Angel, I want you to know how much I appreciate your dedication and commitment to this organization.

Thank you, Mac,

I cannot stress how much each Member of this Association means to me.