Lodge By-Laws

By-Laws of George Washington 1776 Lodge # 337 F. &A.M.

ARTICLE I

NAME, WARRANT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND ORDER OF BUSINESS

SECTION 1. Name – The name of this lodge shall be George Washington 1776 No.337 F. & A.M.

SECTION 2. Warrant – The warrant of this lodge is a charter granted on the 29th day of July, A.D. 2000, A.L. 6000 by the Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, to the constitution, law and edicts whereof the most explicit respect and obedience shall ever be paid by this lodge and its members.

SECTION 3. Communications – The stated communications of this lodge shall be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 P.M. except where changed in the monthly Trestle Board, and except during the months of July and August, when the Lodge is dark and except as provided in Section 56.06 of Chapter 56 regulations for Lodges of Masonic Code.

SECTION 4. Special Communications – Special communications shall be convened at the pleasure of the Worshipful Master, but no business shall be transacted at any special communication except that named in the call for which the membership has been properly notified and conforms with 65.13 of the Masonic Code of Wisconsin.

SECTION 5. Order of Business – The order of business at all stated communications, subject to change by the Worshipful Master, shall be:

1. Reading of Minutes

2. Reading and referring petitions and reports thereon

3. Balloting on petitions

4. Reports of committees

5. Miscellaneous business

6. Conferring of degrees

SECTION 6. Fiscal Year – The fiscal year of this lodge shall be such as is now or may be hereafter prescribed by Grand Lodge.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Members – The members of this lodge shall be those named in its dispensations or charter, Master Masons who have been admitted by regular or plural affiliation, and those who have been raised as Master Masons by or for this lodge; provided, that membership and all the rights thereto shall have been retained in accordance with the by-laws of this Lodge and the Constitution, Laws and Edicts of the Grand Lodge.

SECTION 2. Honorary Membership – The Lodge may elect to honorary membership a brother who is affiliated with another Lodge, but such membership shall not entitle him to vote, to hold office or to make objection to the initiation or advancement of a candidate.

SECTION 3. Apron – Every brother upon receiving the degree of Master Mason in this Lodge shall be presented with a lambskin or white leather apron.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES AND BOND

SECTION 1. Officers – The officers of this lodge, their election, their term of office and their duties shall be such as are prescribed by the Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge.

SECTION 2. Election – The elective officers: Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer and two Trustees shall be elected at the first stated communication in November.

SECTION 3. Compensation – The Secretary and Treasurer shall receive such compensation for their services as shall from time to time be determined and fixed by resolution of the Lodge.

SECTION 4. Trustees – There shall be seven Trustees of this Lodge and their duties are such as are or shall be prescribed by the Statutes of the State of Wisconsin and the Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge. Three Trustees shall be elected every third year with two Trustees elected the other two years by ballot for a term of three years at the time of the annual election of Lodge officers.

In the event of a vacancy in the term of any Trustee, the Worshipful Master will appoint a member to fill the vacancy until the new Trustee is elected at the next stated communication of the Lodge to fill the unexpired term.

SECTION 5. Trustees – The Trustees shall meet monthly and shall hold and have care of all property, both real and personal, belonging to the Lodge, but the management and control thereof shall be subject to the laws of the State of Wisconsin, and Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge and the regulations of the Lodge. Four Trustees constitute a quorum.

SECTION 6. Trustees – No Trustee shall serve more than two full three year terms consecutively. The Trustees shall elect one of their members to serve as Chairman.

SECTION 7. Official Bond – The Worshipful Master, Treasurer of the Trustees, Secretary and each Trustee shall be covered by a surety bond in the penal sum of such amount as shall be prescribed by the Lodge. The surety company shall be approved by the Worshipful Master and the Wardens. The bond shall be conditioned for the faithful performance of their respective duties. The expense of such bond shall be paid by the Lodge and the bond when approved shall be filed with the Trustees of the Lodge.

ARTICLE IV

CANDIDATES, PETITIONS, FEES, AND DUES

SECTION 1. Candidates – Qualification of candidates for the degrees shall be in accordance with Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge. Each petition for membership shall be received and acted on without regard to the race, color or creed of the petitioner.

SECTION 2. Petitions – Petitions for the degrees or for affiliation as regular or plural members shall be in such form and content as prescribed by the Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge.

SECTION 3. Fees and Dues – The fees for degrees and dues shall be in such amount and payable at such times and in such manner as the lodge shall from time to time by resolution determine, providing, however, that no change shall be made in either fees or dues, except at a stated communication, and then only after due and proper written notice has been given to the membership of this Lodge at least two weeks prior to the date designated for action on the resolution.

A. Fees

With petition: —

E. A. Degree 50.00**

**Plus Grand Lodge fees and assessments.

F. C. Degree 50.00

M. M. Degree 55.00*

*$5.00 for endowment fund George Washington National Memorial.

B. Dues

The annual dues of the Lodge shall be established annually no later than the first stated meeting in October to which shall be added the Grand Lodge Annual Per Capita Tax.

SECTION 4. Assessments – The Lodge may levy an equal assessment on its members when found necessary to meet its current expenses or demands of charity. Such proposed assessment shall be presented at a stated communication and laid over until a subsequent stated communication.

Ten days advance written notice of action on such contemplated assessment shall be given to each member of the Lodge. The maximum amount of such proposed assessment shall be shown on the written notice, and the assessment shall be determined by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present at the subsequent stated communication.

SECTION 5. Non-payment of Dues and Assessments – It shall be the duty of the secretary, on or before the first stated communication in March of each year to report to the Lodge all members who have not paid dues and/or assessments for the preceding years. If any member is reported as so in arrears, then such action shall be taken as prescribed by the Grand Lodge.

ARTICLE V

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

SECTION 1. Charity Committee- The Charity Committee of this lodge shall be a standing committee and shall consist of the Worshipful Master and Wardens. It shall be the duty of this committee to investigate all cases of charity and administer such relief as in the discretion of the committee it may be found necessary to alleviate the distress of any member of this lodge or those who by Masonic derivation have claim upon this Lodge.

Expenses for charitable purposes shall be disbursed by order of the Charity Committee upon the Treasurer for a sum not exceeding $500.00 for each individual request. All additional disbursements for such individual must be approved by the Lodge.

SECTION 2. Finance Committee - The Finance Committee of this Lodge shall be a standing committee consisting of the Worshipful Master and Wardens.

In the event a vacancy occurs, the Senior Deacon shall be the third member of the committee.

The committee shall examine all bills, claims and accounts presented to the Lodge and report thereon. No payment shall be made by the Lodge until approved by this committee.

The committee shall examine the books and vouchers of the Treasurer and Secretary annually and report to the Lodge.

The committee shall present a Budget to the Lodge annually for its consideration and approval.

Any expenditure for unbudgeted items in excess of fifty dollars shall be presented at a stated communication and laid over to a subsequent stated communication for approval.

All appropriations of money, including approval of the Budget, shall be on and determined by a majority vote of members present at a stated communication.

SECTION 3. Discipline Committee – The Discipline Committee of this Lodge shall be a standing committee consisting of the Worshipful Master and Wardens. The duties of this committee shall be such as are or may hereafter be prescribed by the Laws and Regulations of Grand Lodge.

SECTION 4. Special Committees – As the Worshipful Master is absolute in the government of his Lodge, he has the power, right and prerogative to appoint any and all special committees and designate the personnel of any and all such special committees he may appoint.

SECTION 5. Board of Investigations – There shall be a Board of Investigations consisting of fifteen Master Masons of this Lodge all of whom, including a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary shall be appointed by the Worshipful Master. Any vacancy therefrom may be filled by the Worshipful Master at any time.

All petitions for degrees and reinstatement shall be referred to said Board to make a thorough and complete investigation, keeping a record thereof, together with all evidence and facts secured, reporting its findings and conclusions to the Lodge, with its recommendations.

It is hereby provided that the records of the Board be kept on file until such time as the petitioner has been received as a Master Mason. This Board shall be in addition to the usual committee of three, who shall make their investigations as usual. The chairman, or in his absence the Vice-Chairman, shall be the directing head of said Board and shall have the right to require its members to follow given directions regarding investigations. Said board shall meet at such times as may be ordered by the Worshipful Master or deemed advisable by the Chairman. The Board of Investigations shall call each and every petitioner before one of its meetings, prior to the time their report is returned to the Lodge. They shall also require the committee of three to appear before them or make a report of its investigations. Eight members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.

ARTICLE VI

AMMENDMENTS

SECTION 1. These by-laws may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present at any stated communication.

SECTION 2. Any proposed amendment shall be presented in writing at a stated communication, recorded upon the minutes of the Lodge and shall lie over to a designated subsequent stated communication for vote thereon. At least ten days prior to the date designated for action on the proposed amendment, written notice shall be given to the membership of this Lodge.

SECTION 3. All amendments to these by-laws hereafter adopted shall be submitted to the Grand Master and shall be of no force or effect until he has approved the same.

SECTION 4. Any law hereafter enacted by the Grand Lodge, which changes any provisions of these by-laws operates as an amendment thereof without action by the Lodge.

SECTION 5. These, upon their adoption, by-laws shall go into effect and be operative upon the Lodge, and approval of the Grand Master.