MERIDIAN LODGE

NO. 77

Grand Lodge of Connecticut

AF&AM

Meriden, CT

BY-LAWS

Adopted, 1994

ARTICLE I

COMMUNICATIONS

SECTION 1 

The Stated Communications of this lodge shall be held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month except from the first Monday of June to the 2nd Monday of September.  Special Communications may be called at the option of the Worshipful Master.

SECTION 2

The time for opening The Lodge shall be 7:30, PM.

SECTION 3

The Annual Communication shall be held the 1st Monday in December.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS

SECTION 1

The Officers of the Lodge shall be the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Chaplain, Marshall, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tyler, Organist, and 3 year trustees.

SECTION 2

The Senior Deacon, Senior and Junior Stewards, Chaplain, Marshall, and Organist shall be appointed by the Worshipful Master elect, and the Junior Deacon by the Senior Warden elect, all the other officers shall be chosen by Ballot at the Annual Communication, by a majority vote of the members present.

SECTION 3

The installation of Officers shall take place on or before the next Stated Communication after the annual election.

SECTION 4

The duties of the several Officers shall be those prescribed by the Ancient Constitutions, charges and usages of the order.

ARTICLE III

TRUSTEES, TREASURER AND SECRETARY

THEIR DUTIES

SECTION 1

The Trustees shall consist of 3 members, 1 of whom shall be elected annually and serve for 3 years.  The Trustees shall hold in their trust and deposit all monies committed to their care, in Certificates of Deposit and or in Stocks and Bonds, which they deem in the best interest of the Lodge.  It shall be the duty of the senior trustee to monitor all funds put under his care and see that the interest of each account is drawn and deposited in the Lodge's Savings account.  All interest thus accrued shall be reported to the Secretary to be entered as earned income of the Lodge.

SECTION 2

A vacancy in the office of Trustee may be filled by ballot at any Stated Communication of the Lodge, notice of said election having been given at the Communication next preceding the same.

DUTIES OF THE TREASURER

SECTION 3

The Treasurer shall receive all monies from the Secretary belonging to the Lodge.  He shall pay all orders drawn on him by the W.M. and Secretary, with approval of the auditing committee and by vote of the Lodge.  His books and accounts shall be subject to the inspection of the auditing committee.

DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY

SECTION 4

The Secretary shall keep a fair and impartial record of the proceedings of the Lodge and perform all duties devolving upon him as Secretary.  He shall keep a just and correct account between the Lodge and its members, collect all monies due the Lodge, and at least once on two weeks. pay the same over to the Treasurer, taking his receipt therefore.  He shall notify the chairman of each special committee of his appointment, the names of his associates and the business committed to their charge.  He shall notify all members who are in arrears for dues, and make the annual report to the Grand Lodge.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

SECTION 1

The Worshipful Master shall at the time of the annual election, appoint an auditing committee, consisting of 3 members, whose duties it shall be to examine the books of the Secretary, Treasurer, and Trustees, and shall audit all accounts referred to them by the Lodge, in writing, at the annual meeting in December, and no bills shall be paid without the consent of the majority of the committee. 

SECTION 2

All requests for aid shall be forwarded to the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, and Junior Warden, who shall investigate said request and make a report to the Lodge.

SECTION 3

The Worshipful Master shall appoint a committee of 3, upon the application of every candidate, whose duty it shall be to inquire diligently into their internal and external qualifications, and report thereon at the second Stated Communication following.

SECTION 4

Special Committees may be appointed upon any matter concerning the Lodge, and consist of as many members as the Lodge may direct.

SECTION 5

All committees must be appointed by the Worshipful Master, who shall be ex-officio chairman thereof.

SECTION 6

All reports shall be in writing and entered upon the records of the Lodge.

ARTICLE V

PROPOSITIONS AND BALLOTS

SECTION 1

The petition of every candidate for the Degree conferred in this Lodge must be presented in writing, accompanied by a fee of $20.00, and signed by the petitioner and two Master Masons in good standing, one as a recommender, and one as an avoucher; the recommender must be a member of Meridian Lodge #77. If the petitioner is elected, the fee is accepted, but, if rejected, the fee is returned to the petitioner. Should he fail to present himself for initiation within one year after his election, the fee shall be forfeited to the Lodge.

SECTION 2

A Brother wishing to affiliate with this Lodge shall submit a petition for that; if favorable action follows, it shall not take effect until the applicant shall have deposited with the Secretary his demit from the lodge to which he last belonged.  Dual membership with other Lodges in the State, and with other Lodges from other Jurisdictions, which permit dual membership, is permitted upon proper application.

SECTION 3

Every proposition must be reported upon by a majority of the Special Committee before the ballot is taken.

SECTION 4

A clear ballot shall entitle the candidate to the first 3 degrees of Masonry, or a Brother to dual membership or affiliation provided no subsequent ballot be demanded.

ARTICLE VI

FEES AND DUES

SECTION 1

The fees for conferring degrees and membership by Affiliation shall be as follows:

With petition $20.00

For the Entered Apprentice $35.00

For Fellowcraft $35.00

For Master Mason $40.00

Affiliation out of State $30.00

Affiliation in State $30.00

The fee for each Degree shall be paid before the Degree is conferred. The Affiliation fee shall accompany the petition.

SECTION 2

There shall be paid as dues by each member of the Lodge the sum of $17.50 plus all the Grand Lodge Assessments and Per-Capita tax.  These shall be due and payable as of the first of December unless exempt under particular Regulations of the Grand Lodge, Chapter 28, Section 2, Paragraph 1.

These dues shall be in effect until such time as the Lodge may see fit to increase or lower them according to need, and a vote of the Lodge, prior notice given at least 1 month prior notice given at least one month before said action, and all members having been notified.

SECTION 3

All members Raised or Admitted after January 1st of each year shall pay the Lodge dues on a pro-rata basis for that year, plus all Assessments and Per-Capita tax of the Grand Lodge, for that year.

SECTION 4

Any member neglecting to pay his dues, Grand Lodge Assessments, and Per -Capita tax, before the last Stated Communication in June shall be sent a second notice by the Secretary; if not paid by October 15th, he shall be notified by Certified Mail to pay before the last Stated Communication in December, or be dropped form the rolls for non-payment of dues.  The Secretary shall keep a record of the date of mailing and the receipt of notification.  Failing to comply with the notice, he may be stricken from the rolls by a majority vote of the members present.

SECTION 5

It shall be the duty of the Worshipful Master and the Wardens to examine the list of delinquent members in the month of November and abate the dues of any member who, in their opinion, are unable to pay, and report to the Lodge at the next Stated Communication.  The Worshipful Master shall have the authority to appoint a Brother or Brothers as a retention committee, to investigate the delinquent Brothers.

SECTION 6

Continuous membership in Meridian Lodge # 77 for the period of 30 years, shall exempt any member, raised or affiliated, from $7.50 of their dues.  They will, however, be responsible for the remainder of the current dues, plus Grand Lodge Assessments and Per-Capita tax.  Any member having served this Lodge as Worshipful Master, upon reaching his 65th year, shall be exempt from all dues and Grand Lodge Assessments and Per-Capita tax.

SECTION 7

The payment of all indebtedness to the Lodge shall be a condition to the granting of a demit.

ARTICLE VII

DISCIPLINE

SECTION 1

Whenever a case of unmasonic conduct shall have been reported to the Lodge, it shall be the duty of the Worshipful Master to cause the delinquent Brother to be summoned to attend the second Stated Communication thereafter, for the purpose of answering to the charges; provided that such summons shall be served at least 14 days prior to said Communication, and shall be accompanied with a copy of the charges, attested to by the Secretary, and at said Communication, the charges shall be read, and the accused, if he were resent.  When, if the charges be sustained, the Lodge may proceed to pass a vote of censure, suspension, or expulsion, as the case may require, provided that the concurrence of 2/3'ds of the members present and voting shall be necessary to expel or suspend a Brother.

SECTION 2

If any Brother shall disclose the rejection of a candidate by this Lodge to any person, except to the candidate himself or to a Master Mason, he shall be deemed guilty of unmasonic conduct, and be liable to be dealt with accordingly, and if a visiting Brother shall make such a disclosure, he shall thereafter be excluded from the Lodge.  When a rejection occurs, it shall be the duty of the Worshipful Master to cause this section to be read.

ARTICLE VIII

ENDOWMENT FUND

SECTION 1

There shall be a fund known as "Meridian Lodge #77 AF&AM Endowment Fund".  This fund shall receive all gifts not otherwise specifically designated and each donor of the amount of $150.00 or more shall be adequately memorialized.

SECTION 2

The administration and control of said Endowment Fund shall be in accordance with Article III, Section I of the by-laws of Meridian Lodge #77 AF&AM.

SECTION 3

Subject to the provisions of the gift, only the interest on all monies in said Endowment Fund shall be used, and expended for such purposes as in the discretion of the Worshipful Master and Trustees, with the approval of the Lodge, shall deem proper.

ARTICLE IX

SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

SECTION 1

There shall be established the Meridian Lodge #77 AF∓AM Scholastic Achievement Award.  This award will be given each year to the Valedictorian of each of the 3 graduating classes in the city, Platt High, Maloney High, and Wilcox Technical. Schools.  The sum of $200.00 will be awarded to each of the said Valedictorians of that year.

ARTICLE X

SECTION 1

Amendments to these By-Laws can only be made at a Stated Communication, and must be submitted to the Lodge at least two Stated Communications previous to being acted upon, and a vote of 3/4'ths of the members present and voting, is necessary to make any amendments to these By-Laws.