Resolution 48-06: After Text
Proposed by: Proposed by: Charles A. McCollum, PGIM ME, Stephen A. Balke, PGIM NM, Dustin T. Verity, PGIM HI
Proposed to Read:
To Read after amendment:
SECTION 501 FUNDS OF THE GENERAL GRAND COUNCIL
The Funds of the General Grand Council shall be:
- GENERAL FUND – The General Fund shall be maintained for the operation and maintenance of the General Grand Council under the supervision of the Board of Trustees. This Fund shall receive all moneys thereafter paid to the General Grand Council, except those specifically designated for other funds.
- GENERAL GRAND COUNCIL PROGRAM FUND– The Program Fund is established as a permanent endowment fund to assist the General Grand Council in meeting its operational expenses in perpetuity and shall also be maintained for the initialization and perpetuation of all benefit and self-funded programs of the General Grand Council.
- The Members of the Program Board shall consist of the five (5) elected officers of the General Grand Council plus up to four (4) appointed advisory members, three (3) of whom may be Past Illustrious Grand Masters.
- The Program Board shall hold Board meetings twice a year at such time and place as determined by the Program Board.
- The Program Board shall ensure that the Program funds designated for the principal corpusare invested in accordance with established policy, and establish and maintainprocedures to ensure that the proper investment and use of the Program Funds are followed.
- Promotional proceeds identified as such shall be placed in the Program Fund and are to remain there as part of the permanent fund unless designated by the Program Board for use in furtherance of promotional activities and events.
- The General Grand Treasurer will invest the Program funds in accordance with the approved Investment Policy with the approval of the ProgramBoard.
- The General Grand Treasurer shall file an annual report of finances and the actions of the Program Board as a part of the General Grand Treasurers Triennial report.
- LIFE MEMBERSHIP FUND – The Life Membership Fund shall receive all funds designated as Life Membership for investment. Income from this Fund shall be used to offset the per capita of affiliated Grand Councils and Subordinate Councils on a basis set by the Board of Trustees.
SECTION 502 FEES, DUES, ASSESSMENTS, etc.
All Fees, Per Capita, Dues, Assessments, etc. shall be calculated and paid in U.S. Currency.
- Dispensation to Form–
- Councils – The sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each Dispensation to create a subordinate Council
- Grand Councils -The sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each Dispensation to create a Grand Council
- Charter –
- Councils – A Fee of seventy fifty dollars ($75.00) for issuance of an original Charter to a Subordinate Council
- Grand Councils – A Fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for issuance of an original Charter to Grand Council
- Duplicate Charters – A fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) to reissue a Charter lost, destroyed or unusable
- Per Capita and Fees–
- The annual per capita dues assessed each Constituent Grand Council of the General Grand Council shall two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) for each Cryptic Mason or Royal and Select Master in good standing on their rolls as of the usual lawfuldate of their Annual Grand Assembly or on the last day of their fiscal year, excepting those holding General Grand Council Life Memberships as defined in subsection D (below).
- Subordinate Council per capita – Each subordinate Council shall pay into the treasury of the General Grand Council five dollars ($5.00) for each companion greeted therein, and two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) annually for each member, until such time as a Grand Council shall be regularly established in that State, District, Territory, or Country in which such Council is located, excepting those holding General Grand Council Life Memberships as defined in subsection D (below).
- Subordinate Council Degree Fees – Subordinate Councils under the immediate jurisdiction of this General Grand Council shall require the payment of fees of not be less than twenty-five ($25.00) each for the Degrees of Royal Master, Select Master, and the Super Excellent Master.
- General Grand Council Life Memberships
- Any Cryptic Mason/Royal and Select Master, in good standing of a Constituent Grand Council or Subordinate Council, may become exempt from paying General Grand Council per capita by purchasing a non-voting Life Membership in the General Grand Council for each Council to which he belongs.
- Life Membership Fee – A Companion may submit an application for GGC Life Membership to the General Grand Recorder, or to his Grand Recorder, who in turn will forward the application to the General Grand Recorder, the sum of twenty-five times (x 25) the General Grand Council Per Capita applicable for their States, Districts, Territories or Countries at the time of purchase. (Reference Subsection C1, C2 – above) GGC Life Memberships do not carry any special preferences or voting privileges at the General Grand Assembly. New Life Membership Fees will become effective October 1, 2014, October 1, 2015, or one year before the effective date of any subsequently approved per capita increase. (Modified September 30, 2014)
- Additions to Life Memberships: Voluntary additions of funds to this Life Membership may be added at any time.
- Dispatch of Funds: All funds received by the General Grand Recorder shall be deposited in the Life Membership Fund.
- Funds Ownership: All funds deposited with the General Grand Council are the property of the General Grand Council and will be used to offset the Per Capita of the constituent Grand Councils.
- Not Refundable: The total purchase amount of this Life Membership, or the revenue derived from its investment, is non-refundable to the purchaser.
- The General Grand Recorder shall keep a permanent record of Cryptic Masons/ Royal and Select Masters with General Grand Council Life Memberships.
- The General Grand Council will design and provide each life member with a one-time special membership certificate (receipt) designating his status with the General Grand Council.
- The purchase of a GGC Life Membership will take effect after the annual per capita is paid in full.
- Each constituent Grand Council may or may not adopt this Life Membership proposal.
- If a General Grand Council Life Member transfers to another Council within his Grand Council or to another Grand Council’s Jurisdiction, he may take his Life Membership with him and the Grand Recorder(s) will inform the General Grand Recorder of his change in status.
- If a General Grand Council Life Member is a Plural Member in his Jurisdiction, or Dual Member in another Grand Council Jurisdiction, his Life Membership is only effective in each Council where he was a member when it was purchased. He may purchase General Grand Council Life Memberships in all Councils where he is a member. However, Grand Councils to which he belongs will pay the per capita to the General Grand Recorder for each council where he doesn’t hold a Life Membership.
- Holders of a General Grand Council Life Membership certificate are subject to all the laws, rules and regulations as provided in the code of any Grand Council Cryptic Masons or Royal and Select Masters and loss of membership by suspension or expulsion shall automatically abrogate his life membership and any claim to any portion of any such fees paid for such life membership.
- Any Council or individual may purchase a Permanent Memorial Life membership in the name of a deceased Companion for the sum of Twenty-five times (x 25) the General Grand Council per capita at the time of purchase provided that the Companion, in whose name the certificate is to be issued, was in good standing in a legally constituted Council at the time of his demise. A special membership certificate designating the Memorial Life membership for the deceased and the purchaser may be sent to the purchaser or the family of the deceased at the request of the purchaser.
- In the event of the dissolution of the General Grand Council, all funds in the Life Membership Fund and the Permanent Memorial Fund will be returned to the various Affiliated Grand Councils or individuals of unaffiliated Grand Councils according to their contributions or to a Masonically-affiliated 501(c)3 or similar charity under the terms of the resolution of dissolution.
SECTION 503 REVENUES OF THE GENERAL GRAND COUNCIL
The revenues of the General Grand Council shall be:
- Fee, dues, and assessments as set forth in Subsection 502
- Any money or property given, devised, bequeathed or belonging to the General Grand Council and any income derived there from.
- Any and all monies or property whatsoever of which the General Grand Council has or may come into its possession.
SECTION 504 DISBURSEMENTS OF THE GENERAL GRAND COUNCIL
- Disbursement of funds of the General Grand Council greater than $1000.00 or for unbudgeted expensesshall be made only by Resolution of the General Grand Council in Session or Order of the Board of Trustees of the General Grand Council.
- Forms of Claims – Each claim against the General Grand Council shall show each item included therein, and by whose authority the indebtedness was incurred.
- Form of Disbursements – Each check drawn by the General Grand Master, General Grand Treasurer, or General Grand Recorder shall show,
- Date of issuance
- To whom issued
- For what amount issued
- By what authority issued
- Upon which fund drawn
- The General Grand Master, General Grand Treasurer and General Grand Recorder shall have administrative access to the records of all cash and investment accounts.
SECTION 505 SALARIES AND EXPENSES OF OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES
- All salaries of staff hired by the General Grand Council shall be determined by the Trustees of the General Grand Council and paid monthly.
- Officers and Committee Reimbursement – General Grand Officers, Committee members, and Regional Deputies may be reimbursed for necessary expenses in accordance with the policy and procedures as established by the General Grand Board ofTrustees, in a timely manner, subject to the budget and approval of the Trustees of General Grand Council, provided that theexpenses are not paid by any other Masonic General or Grand Body for the same Period and/or event.