Question UK
John W..
few of us were sitting enjoying a pint or three after L of I. We were
discussing quarterly communications from UGLE and the number of lodges
that have handed in their warrants. In these cases what happens to the
monies and furniture of the lodge? Does it go to UGLE to Provincial
Grand Lodge or can the members elect what happens to it? Our own lodge
rooms stand on freehold land that was bought approx 120 years ago for
the princely sum of £1.50 ( 30 shillings in those days) per foot
frontage and the site is now worth about £300,000 pounds, should in the
future anything happen that our lodge folded what would happen to the
money raised from the sale of the site? I stress this is a hypothetical
question our lodge is alive, thriving and well supported, just one of
those questions that comes up when tired old PMs get together over a pint.
John PM Neyland Lodge 990 West Wales. UGLE
Torence
> that have handed in their warrants. In these cases what happens to the monies and furniture of the lodge?
The disposition of the physical assets of defaulted lodges vary from
the circumstances and by jurisdiction. Most defaulting lodges in
Illinois will work out a consolidation with another lodge transfering
its wealth, records, and paraphrenalia to the new lodge. Such mergers
are subject to the approval of the Grand Master with the Grand Lodge
affirming the action in session before the change is made complete.
Most delegates to the convention do not question such work; but, as
the details cause precedents each merger should be carefully
scrutinized and detail examined before being consumated by the Grand
Lodge.
Should a lodge have its charter arrested, the charter, books and
furniture are to be sent to the Grand Secretary. Similar rules are to
be followed should the lodge elect to surrender the charter on its
own. As for the real estate and wealth accumulated in these
circumstances, various Grand Lodge Officers in the past took the
erroneous position that those monies should be collected by the
District Deputies and the property liquidated. Some have sought to
place these funds into the General Fund. Others sought to have the
assets added to the aggregate accounts of the Grand Lodge Charities.
Both moves go against clearly defined standards imposed by Masonic and
Public jurisprudence.
Our Grand Lodge congresses in 1891, 1908, 1912, 1919, 1923 etc.
took specific action that the Grand Lodge not be encumbered by local
lodge ventures such as the erection of buildings. Local Lodges pay the
mortgage, insurance, and provide for building maintanence. Should any
need help, the Grand Lodge does not involve itself. Even if the worst
happens; and a building is lost by fire or natural disaster, Local
Lodges must recover on their own. They are also prohibited from making
an appeal to their neighboring Masonic lodges for assistance.
The demarcated line that should remain stationary has moved
according to the impulses of various Grand Line Adminsitrations. For
example, local lodges have been subject to some rather flippant and
costly decisions by individual municipalities regarding property
taxes. Some GMs have sought political solutions and brokered
exemptions that the IRS subsequently proved to be unconstitutional
under the State of Illinois constitution. Currently, lodges are
enjoying a "real estate tax freeze," to get around the exemption
prohibition. Lodges that bore the brunt of the legal battles involving
these civil actions were not given any relief; and, were staunchly
prohibited from seeking relief from other lodges, even from lodges
that used the same building and rented from them. When a recent GM
formed a "Millenium Fund" to collect money for the upkeep of lodges,
that fund was also found to be unconstitutional and had to be
subsequently dissolved.
Having imposed such obstacles historically, for a Grand Line to
hypothetically take the position that they can arrest charters and
take posession of the assets of lodges is a legal and moral quagmire
that Grand Lodge delegates should clearly prevent. A good example is
the recent case in Ohio. A Cleveland area lodge formed its own 501 (c)
3, moved its money and property ownership to it. Ohio's GM demanded
the dissolution of the 501 (c) 3 and laid claim to the building. The
lodge responded by surrendering their charter and affiliating with
another Grand Orient. Should the GL of Ohio press their claim in the
courts, every vague indecision or action of previous transient
administrations will be examined and laid bare in the public record;
and, will most likely result in some addtional, messy bloodletting.
IMHO, Grand Lodges should either be "all in," if they are going to
help lodges with their buildings, or remain "all out."
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Senior Deacon - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138, Lansing, Illinois
Alex Fisher
Hash: SHA1
John W.. wrote:
The answer to the question should be in your Book of Constitutions,
actually. I know in the UGLQ BoC the disposition of lodge property and
furniture is specified - ownership reverts to Grand Lodge...
- --
Alex Fisher
Lodge Caledonian No. 14
United Grand Lodge of Queensland
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Bill M
"John W.." <Jo...@Liverpool18.5.com> wrote:
> This is a hypothetically question that came up the other evening when a
> few of us were sitting enjoying a pint or three after L of I. We were
> discussing quarterly communications from UGLE and the number of lodges
> that have handed in their warrants. In these cases what happens to the
> monies and furniture of the lodge? Does it go to UGLE to Provincial
> Grand Lodge or can the members elect what happens to it? Our own lodge
> rooms stand on freehold land that was bought approx 120 years ago for
> the princely sum of Ł1.50 ( 30 shillings in those days) per foot
> frontage and the site is now worth about Ł300,000 pounds, should in the
> future anything happen that our lodge folded what would happen to the
> money raised from the sale of the site? I stress this is a hypothetical
> question our lodge is alive, thriving and well supported, just one of
> those questions that comes up when tired old PMs get together over a pint.
>
> John PM Neyland Lodge 990 West Wales. UGLE
Under GLoS it would all go to GL. The books, furniture, furnishings,
etc. get put into GL archive. The rest gets liquidated and the proceeds
go to GL.
There are a number of Lodges that have set up charitable trusts so that
this doesn't happen so that when a Lodge dies its building and property
go on to serve the local community in some way rather than it all going
to GL. One I know of, the charitable trust's first aim is to support
Freemasonry locally, and should Freemasonry cease locally then the
second aim is the provision of educational support grants to people
from the village and surrounds.
Bill.
Chris H
<Jo...@Liverpool18.5.com> writes
This happened recently to a lodge near me. They disposed of the
furniture and fittings (they shared the rooms with several others) and
donated the cash to charities etc.
Lodges are autonomous and what the do with the rooms and assets is up to
them.
--
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\/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills Staffs England /\/\/\/\/
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Peter Wise
a) Warrant Books and papers go to UGLE
b) everything else - members decide.
BoC available for download at: http://www.ugle.org.uk/pdf/index.htm
Other Constitutions - other rules!
Peter Wise
PM 6875, UGLE
"John W.." <Jo...@Liverpool18.5.com> wrote in message
news:6eeac2F...@mid.individual.net...
> This is a hypothetically question that came up the other evening when a
> few of us were sitting enjoying a pint or three after L of I. We were
> discussing quarterly communications from UGLE and the number of lodges
> that have handed in their warrants. In these cases what happens to the
> monies and furniture of the lodge? Does it go to UGLE to Provincial Grand
> Lodge or can the members elect what happens to it? Our own lodge rooms
> stand on freehold land that was bought approx 120 years ago for the
> princely sum of Ł1.50 ( 30 shillings in those days) per foot frontage and
> the site is now worth about Ł300,000 pounds, should in the future anything