Newsletter from the Grand Secretary
Hollis G. Dixon, Grand Secretary
June 2007
The 188th Annual Session of the Grand Lodge of Maine is over and I believe that it was a very successful, well-run meeting. The business meeting was limited to the most important matters that had to be addressed by the voting members and discussion of controversial matters was limited and controlled. The most disappointing aspect of this session was the fact that there were thirty lodges that were not represented.
Proposed Amendments to the Constitution were voted on with the following results:
- The proposal to allow lodges to hold one-day classes [Section 130 A] was defeated.
- A proposal to amend Section 44. Rule 5, to impose a time limit for submission of proposed amendments to the Constitution, was amended on the floor and was subsequently defeated.
- A proposal for Grand Lodge to have one Grand Chaplain and not less than four Assistant Grand Chaplains (Sec. 25) was passed.
- The proposal for Grand Lodge to hold semi-annual sessions (Sec. 3A) was defeated.
- A proposal to make written copies of the ritual (Ritualistic Instructors Manual) available to all lodges was defeated.
- A proposal to exempt all fifty-year veterans from the required payment of the Per Capita Tax, which would have lain over until next year, was defeated.
- The Finance Committee submitted a proposal to raise the initiation fee for new candidates from $ 2.00 to $ 5.00. This proposal was approved and will be laid over until next year for action.
Per Capita Tax: Now that the Annual Session of Grand Lodge has been completed, we are starting to receive inquiries from lodges that wish to send out their Dues Notices early in order to collect their lodge dues prior to their annual meeting. Knowing that the per capita tax was increased by 10% and the charge per member for the Grand Lodge Blanket Insurance Policy was increased from 50¢ to 78¢ when the insurance was upgraded, many Lodge Secretaries are asking exactly what the new per capita tax will be.
The Per Capita Tax was increased from $ 8.75 to $ 9.65; the Maine Mason Magazine assessment remains at $ 3.00; and the Insurance Cost has increased from 50¢ to 78¢ per member. The total amount due to Grand Lodge for each of your members is $13.43. If you have a plural member that affiliated with your lodge but still pays the Per Capita Tax to his home lodge, which is in this jurisdiction, you will not be required to pay a Per Capita Tax for that member. [Sec. 90.1A]
Increases in Postal Rates: As you all know, the cost of first class postage was increased from 39¢ to 41¢ this month. What you may not realize is that the cost of shipping packages was increased by a much greater rate. It appears that shipping supplies to lodges will cost Grand Lodge more money this year than it did last year. For that reason, we are requesting that, whenever possible, you plan to pick you any supplies that you need when you are in Portland rather than to have us ship them to you. When you find that you need to order a large amount of supplies, we may find it less expensive to ship them to you in two small packages rather than in one large package.
Fraternally,
Hollis G. Dixon
Grand Secretary
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