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CENTRAL INDIANA FREEMASONS ASSOCIATION

 

ARTICLE I

Name

 

The name of the Association shall be the "Central Indiana Freemasons Association" [hereinafter referred to as "Association"]. i

 

ARTICLE II

Purpose

 

The purpose of this Association is to:

 

  • Promote the general welfare of Blue Lodge Masonry by creating a closer relationship and mutuality of interest between the members of this Association;

  • Exchange information among its' members as to improvements of our organization;

  • Foster a spirit of good will among its' members and to promote good relationships with each other, the brotherhood, all Blue Lodges, and the Grand Lodge;

  • Assist the members in all proper ways relative to matters affecting their welfare within the scope and functions set forth in these by-laws.

 

ARTICLE III

Membership

 

Section 1. The Masters, Wardens, and any other Master Mason of all regular Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons in Marion and adjoining Counties of the State of Indiana shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2. The Officers and members, at their discretion, may create an association membership with the approval of the members.

(a) An Association Membership shall be reserved for such Lodges that exist outside the boundaries of

this Association. A Lodge desiring to be admitted to this Association as an Associate Member must meet the following criteria: (1) reside outside the boundaries of Marion County; (2) be in good standing with the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Indiana; and (3) have one of the three principle officers from said Lodge present at the regular or special meeting in which the membership will vote upon admitting the Lodge to this Association. v

(b) The affirmative vote of the majority of the members at any regular or special meeting shall be necessary for election to membership as an Associate Member in this Association. vi

 

ACTICLE IV

Officers

 

Section 1. The Officers shall be a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Secretary - Treasurer.

(a) A member of this Association may hold both the office of Secretary and Treasurer at the same time. However, if the membership concludes the office of Secretary and Treasurer be separate for the benefit of the Association that year. The Association shall be able to make such decision and vote to elect a Secretary or Treasurer at the regular June meeting in which the newly elected officer as well as the original elected officer would finish out the remainder of that year. ii

Section 2. The duties of all Officers shall be those usually pertaining to their respective offices.

Section 3. President. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of this Association. He shall have general supervision over the affairs of this Association, subject to the direction and control of the membership. Standing committees shall be appointed by the President with the consent and approval of the membership. Emergency or special committees may be appointed by the President. i

Section 4. First Vice President. In the absence of the President or in the event of his inability to act, the First Vice President shall exercise all powers and perform all duties of the President.

Section 5. Second Vice President. In the absence of the President and the First Vice President, or in the event of their inability to act, the Second Vice President shall exercise all powers and perform all duties of the President.

Section 6. Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive all monies belonging to this Association, and deposit the same in a reliable bank. He shall pay out such money by check after such payments have been approved by the President, or as directed by the Association. He shall account for all funds and disbursements at such times and in such manner as the Association may specify, and shall report all receipts and disbursements at each meeting. He shall make additional reports from time to time as directed by the Association. All checks shall be signed by the President or Treasurer.

Section 7. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all of the meetings of this Association and shall do and perform all other duties incident to the office of Secretary as may be required by the Association.

Section 8. The President and Officers of this Association shall have the power to conduct and manage the affairs of this Association.

 

ARTICLE V

Meetings

 

Section 1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held on the second Saturday of each month except July, August, and December in a Temple designated at a previous meeting or by vote of this Association.

Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President or by a petition of any fifteen members in good standing who present to the President or Secretary a request for such meeting in writing, giving the necessity or specific reason for calling a special meeting. No business other than that for which the special meeting is called, may be transacted at such meeting.

Section 3. Meeting Attendees. Regular meetings of this Association are restricted to Master Masons in good standing unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws. The President of this Association my admit an Entered Apprentice and/or Fellow Craft provided that (a) the program contains nothing in which the Entered Apprentice or Fellow Craft is not entitled to hear; (b) the visiting Brother is not objected to; (c) the visiting Brother is accompanied by a Brother Master Mason in good standing; and (d) as a visiting Brother, the Entered Apprentice or Fellow Craft will be without any rights and privileges traditionally reserved for a Master Mason. vii

 

ARTICLE VI

Powers of Members

 

Section 1. Each actual Master, Warden, or any other Master Mason who is a member of this Association, when present, shall be entitled to speak and vote on all questions before the Association except in the election of Officers as is covered in these By-Laws.

Section 2. Qualifications for Office. Each actual Master or Warden shall be eligible to any office in the Association, except that the office of President must be filled by an actual Master who is a member of this Association. The office of Secretary-Treasurer shall be filled by any member of this Association.

 

ACTICLE VII

Election of Officers and Terms of Office

 

Section 1. Election of Officers shall be held on the first meeting in January and June of each year according to Masonic procedure, except the Office of Secretary-Treasurer whom shall be elected for a period of one year at the January election.

Section 2. No Lodge shall be represented in the same office twice in succession, nor shall any Lodge have more than one office at a time. The office of Secretary-Treasurer shall be exempt when considering the foregoing provisions.

Section 3. A majority vote of the members present at any meeting shall be necessary to constitute election of officers.

Section 4. Only Masters, Senior Wardens, and Junior Wardens, who are members of this Association, will be entitled to vote for the election of Officers.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Dues

 

Section 1. Each individual member of this Association shall pay ten dollars ($10.00) annually in January as dues. iii

 

ARTICLE IX

Salary of Officers

 

Section 1. All officers of this Association, except Secretary-Treasurer, shall serve without salary or fees.

Section 2. The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive a fee of forty dollars ($40.00) for each month of the year. If the membership concludes that the office of Secretary-Treasurer be separate for the benefit of the Association that year, the newly elected Secretary and/or Treasurer shall split the salary of the Secretary-Treasurer as such: The Secretary shall be paid 3/4 of the full salary for the remainder of each month of the year, and the Treasurer shall be paid the remaining 1/4 of the full salary for the remainder of each month of the year. iv

 

ARTICLE X

Attendance Award

 

Section 1. Purpose. The Association will present a traveling award for attendance to the Lodge with the most members present, which must include the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, and Junior Warden

Section 2. Requirements. The following requirements must be met to obtain the Attendance Award:

(a) Any Blue Lodge that is a member of this Association is eligible;

(b) The Blue Lodge that has the most members present (from their Blue Lodge) including the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, and Junior Warden shall receive the Attendance Award;

(c) A Blue Lodge cannot receive this Award two-months consecutively;

(d) The Award will be held by said Lodge for a period of one (1) month, and is to be returned to the Association at the next general meeting of the Association.

Section 3. Absences. Excused absences for the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, and Junior Warden will be as follows:

(a) Illness or sickness;

(b) Illness of a serious nature to a close family member; herein defined as that of a spouse, child, parent, or grandchild;

(c) If Saturday evening is a regular scheduled work day, which shall not include extra hours or overtime hours, or one of the officers, that officer shall be excused;

(d) Emergencies of a serious nature, which are uncontrollable by the absent officer.

Section 4. In the absence of the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, or Junior Warden of a Lodge wishing to obtain this Award, the highest ranking officer present shall report to the Association of said absence and shall report there to an excuse subject to the following:

(a) Only those excuses mentioned in §3, Art. X shall be considered by the Association.

 

ARTICLE XI

Dissolution

 

This Association cannot be dissolved as long as nine voting members desire its' continuation. In the event of dissolution all net assets become the property of the Indiana Masonic Home.

 

ARTICLE XII

Amendments

 

Section 1. Any amendment of these By-Laws shall be presented in writing a regular meeting of this Association and shall not be acted upon before the next regular meeting of this Association. Members of this Association shall be notified in writing of any proposed amendments to these By-Laws and such written notification shall be served upon the Association Members not less than ten (10) days prior to the Regular Association meeting at which said By-Law amendments shall be voted upon. viii

Section 2. These By-Law maybe amended by a majority of all voting members present at any regular meeting of this Association.

 

APPROVAL

 

WHEREFORE, the forgoing By-Laws have been approved by those Brethren in attendance on this 8th day of June, A.D. 2019; A.L. 6019. 

 

REVISIONS

 

i 2012: November Regular Meeting – ART IV §3 – Expands the duties of the president to provide for general supervision over the affairs of the Association.

ii 2013: November Regular Meeting – ART IV §1 (a) Amended to provide for the position of Secretary-Treasurer to be separated into a Secretary and Treasurer position should the Association deem it necessary and proper.

iii 2013: November Regular Meeting – ART VIII §1 Amend to formally raise membership dues from $5.00 per year to $10.00 per year.

iv 2013: November Regular Meeting – ART IX §2 Provides for the appropriate pay differential should the position of Secretary-Treasurer be separated.  

v 2014: November Regular Meeting – ART III §2 – Addition of Section 2 (a) and (b) [consolidating §3 into §2 (b)] to better define what an Association Membership is and the process of how a Lodge becomes an Associate Member.

vi 2014: November Regular Meeting –ART III §3 consolidated information into §2 (b)

vii 2014: November Regular Meeting – ART V §3 – Creation of new Section define who may attend meetings.

viii 2014: November Regular Meeting – ART XII §1 – Revised procedure to allow for the proper amending of this Association’s By-Laws and the process in which such amendments shall be made available for the consideration of the membership.

ix 2019: June Regular Meeting - ART I - Amended the name from the Actual Masters and Wardens Association of Marion and Adjoining Counties to the Central Indiana Freemasons Assocation.

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