Shakespeare Lodge 750

Free & Accepted Masons of the

Grand Lodge of the State of New York

W.˙. Julio Duran, Master

Shakespeare Lodge 750 By-Laws

[as amended in Summoned Communication, May, 3, 2007]

ARTICLE I - COMMUNICATIONS

SEC. 1. (a) Stated communications shall be held in the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, at 7:30 p.m., on the first Thursday in each month; during July and August and on holidays, stated communications may be omitted by order of the Master.

(b) The first stated communication after the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York in May shall be the Annual Communication of Shakespeare Lodge.  Any time the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge is held after the first Thursday, then Shakespeare Lodge's Annual Communication shall be on the third Thursday of May. [amended 3-4-04]

SEC. 2. Special Communications may be convened by the Master on not less than three days' notice. No business other than that stated in the notice of that communication shall be transacted at a special communication.

SEC. 3. The Master may open a communication at any hour specified in the notice of that communication prior to 7:30 p.m.. No business other than the conferral of Degrees shall be transacted before 6:30 p.m.

SEC. 4. The notice of each stated communication shall contain, among other things directed by the Master, the name, age, residence, business address and occupation of each petitioner for membership and the names of all candidates for all Degrees.

ARTICLE II - OFFICERS, COMMITTEES AND THEIR DUTIES

SEC. 1. (a) The officers of the Lodge shall be the Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Secretary who shall be elected for one year at each Annual Communication; a board of three Trustees, one shall be elected for a term of one year, one shall be elected for a term of two years, and one shall be elected for a term of three years immediately after the adoption of these By-Laws and, at each succeeding Annual Communication, one Trustee shall be elected for a term of three years; and a Chaplain, a Senior Deacon, a Junior Deacon, A Senior Master of Ceremony, a Junior Master of Ceremony, two Stewards, a Marshal, a Tiler, and an Organist who shall be appointed by the Master. The Tiler and Organist shall be a Master Mason but need not be members of the Lodge.

(b) At least one of the three Trustees shall be a past Master.

(c) The Master shall appoint the following standing committees and designate the Chairman of each: a Finance Committee of five; an Entertainment Committee of not less than three; a Welfare and Delinquency Committee of not less than three; and such additional officers and special committees as he may deem advisable. At least one member of each standing committee shall be a Past Master.

SEC. 2. The Treasurer shall deposit all money received by him from the Secretary in an insured financial institution in the City of New York, designated by the Trustees, in the name of the Lodge and shall make all payments by checks, signed by him and countersigned by the Master, drawn on such accounts in accordance with warrants or vouchers therefor duly authorized by the Lodge and signed by the Master or a Warden and the Secretary.

SEC. 3. The Secretary shall record and keep the minutes or all stated and special communications, shall maintain all books and records of the Lodge, shall cause to be mailed to each member a notice of each communication, shall assist the Budget Committee in the preparation of the annual budget, shall issue membership cards to each member who pays his dues and shall file and furnish all reports and returns required by any supervisory organization, shall correspond with those members and their families in need of aid or sympathy, and shall discharge any relevant assignments from the Master.

SEC. 4. The Trustees shall deposit such money as the Lodge directs, in the name of the Lodge, in such insured financial institutions in the City of New York as they may select and shall entrust such bank books, certificates or statements to the Secretary. They shall invest the funds of the Lodge in the name of the Lodge and in such assets that are legal investments for trust funds in the State of New York as the Lodge from time to time may direct on the recommendation of the Trustees. They shall place such assets in a safe deposit box in the name of the Lodge, and may take possession of and examine all books and records of the Lodge at any time they desire, shall cause an audit or review thereof to be made at least once each year, and shall report the results to the Lodge at the next Annual Communication, or sooner if they deem it necessary. All property of the Lodge shall be entrusted to their care. Access to the Lodge's safe deposit box shall be effected by at least one Trustee in the presence of the Master, the Secretary or the Treasurer.

SEC. 5. In addition to the investments described in Section 4, The Trustees at their discretion, may request that the Master and the Secretary withdraw from any checking account in the Lodge's name such sums as shall not be regarded by the Master and the Secretary as immediately necessary to carry on the Lodge's continuing operations. The Master and Secretary shall deposit the same in an insured high interest yielding account or instrument selected by the Trustees from a list approved by the Lodge for such purpose. The amount of any such deposit shall be returned to the account from which it was drawn when the need for such money to conduct the Lodge's affairs shall be certified by the Master, the Secretary or the Treasurer to the Trustees. The Trustees also shall be empowered to make similar transfers to and from Lodge accounts controlled by them in financial institutions. Any transfer pursuant to this section shall be reflected in the records of the Lodge and shall be reported to the Lodge in writing no later than the next meeting following the transaction.

SEC. 6. (a) The Finance Committee shall review, audit, and approve all bills before payment.

(b) If a bill is approved by the Finance Committee, it shall be voted upon the same communication or at any subsequent communication.

(c) All bills not approved for payment by the Finance Committee shall be laid over until the next stated communication for action by the Lodge. A report on such disapproval shall be given to the membership in the notice of communication, at which such bills shall be submitted for a vote of the Lodge.

(d) The Finance Committee shall review the records of all committees receiving and disbursing funds.

SEC. 7. (a) The Welfare and Delinquency Committee shall investigate all applications for relief and report thereon at the succeeding communication for actin by the Lodge and shall correspond with members who have not paid their dues for one calendar year and who would be in danger of unaffiliation for nonpayment of dues pursuant to Section 3 of Article V.

(b) In the event a member is in need of immediate relief, the Master, upon recommendation of the Welfare and Delinquency Committee, may disburse a sum not exceeding $250.00. The name of the applicant for relief shall not be entered in the minutes unless so ordered by the Master.

SEC. 8. (a) The Entertainment Committee shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Lodge designated "Special Banquet Account." All funds received shall be deposited in the Special Banquet Account. Any funds disbursed shall be paid by check signed by the Chairman or Co-Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Entertainment Committee and countersigned by the Master or Treasurer of the Lodge.

(b) The Entertainment Committee shall maintain complete itemized records or receipts and disbursements and, each quarter, shall submit such records to the Finance Committee for review.

(c) All affairs to be conducted at a planned deficit shall be submitted to the Lodge for authorization and approval prior to incurring such deficit. A thorough report of each affair shall be submitted to the Lodge no later than the second regular communication following the affair.

SEC. 9. There shall be an Advisory Board. This Board shall consist of all Past Masters; all Trustees of the Lodge, the Memorial Fund, and the Masonic Education Fund; the Secretary; the Treasurer; the Master; and the Senior Warden. The Advisory Board shall consider all matters referred to it by the Master or by the Lodge, and the Board shall report thereon to the Master or to the Lodge.

ARTICLE III - HONORARIA

SEC. 1. The honorarium for the Secretary shall be $2,000 annually. The honorarium for the tiler shall be $75 per Communication. The honorarium for the organist shall be $75 per Communication. [amended 5-3-07]

SEC. 2. The honorarium for the Secretary shall be paid quarterly. The honoraria for the tiler and organist shall be paid monthly or per meeting, at the discretion of the Secretary. [amended 5-3-07]

SEC. 3. Those officers who receive honoraria shall be exempt from the payment of dues, but such dues shall be deemed paid for any applicable purpose required by these By-Laws.

ARTICLE IV - DEFINITION AND PROCEDURES

SEC. 1. In these By-Laws, the term "Grand Lodge" shall mean the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York.

SEC. 2. (a) Other than aforesaid, any funds of the Lodge may be withdrawn from any bank or financial institution only by a motion made at a stated communication and, after disclosure of such motion, in the meeting notice, passed at the next stated communication.

(b) The Trustees shall not withdraw any funds of the Lodge from any bank or financial institution except under a certificate signed by the Master and Secretary. Such certificate, together with the withdrawal request, shall be presented to the bank or financial institution, demonstrating that the procedure required under this section has been followed and that the Lodge is authorized to receive the sum to be drawn.

SEC. 3. (a) All expenditures shall be subject to the approval of the Lodge.

(b) All motions and resolutions to expend a sum in excess of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for purposes other than salaries, rent, and such payments as may be payable to the Grand Lodge pursuant to the Book of Constitutions shall be referred to the Trustees for consideration and report. Consideration and adoption of such motions and resolutions shall be at a stated communication, whose meeting notice shall contain disclosure of such action being taken. If a majority of all Trustees does not approve such motion or resolution, then such motion or resolution may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting.

(c) Unless the expenditures are for the purposes described in subsection (b) or are to cover current Lodge obligations, no motion or resolution to expend any sum in excess of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) may be made and acted upon at the meeting after 10:00 p.m., except when the meeting notice for that stated communication contains the disclosure of such contemplated action.

ARTICLE V - FEES AND DUES

SEC. 1. (a) The initiation fee shall be Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00). If the petitioner is the son, grandson, or brother of a member and is recommended by his father, grandfather, or brother, or if the petitioner is the son or grandson of a deceased member, the initiation fee for such petitioners shall be One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00).  Presentation of the petition shall be accompanied by the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00); in the event the petition is denied, the Lodge shall return the $100.00 to the petitioner.

(b) As used in this section, the term "son" and "father" shall be deemed to include the son-in-law and father-in-law. Every member of the Order of DeMolay, within two years of attaining his majority shall enjoy the same privilege or reduced initiation fee as the son or grandson of a member.

SEC. 2. The Affiliation fee shall be One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). Such fee shall accompany every petition for affiliation; such fee shall be returned in the event such petition is denied.

SEC. 3. Annual dues shall be Forty-Six Dollars ($100.00), payable together with such sums as may be payable to Grand Lodge pursuant to the Book of Constitutions.

SEC. 4. (a) All members, previously certified as Life Members under the provisions of former By-Laws, shall continue to enjoy the rights and privileges of Life Members. The annual dues off each Life Member shall be the equivalent of the Grand Lodge per capita dues.

(b) The Lodge shall not certify any further members as Life Members.

SEC. 5 (a) Any member in arrears of dues for one year or more, may, on the recommendation of the Committee on Welfare and Delinquency, be unaffiliated for nonpayment of dues.

(B) Each member who is delinquent in the payment of his dues shall be sent a Summons by first-class mail to pay said arrears of dues or show cause at a stated communication therein set forth why he should be unaffiliated.

ARTICLE VI - BUDGET

SEC. 1. The members of the Budget Committee shall be the Master, Senior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and all Trustees.

SEC. 2. (a) The Budget Committee shall meet annually in the month of April, prepare and submit to the Lodge a balanced budget of estimated revenue and expenses for the ensuing fiscal year beginning on June 1 and ending on May 31 of the succeeding year.

(b) Action on the budget shall be taken by the Lodge at the Annual Communication, summoned to elect Officers and adopt the budget. The proposed budget shall be printed in the notice of the Annual Communication together with the budget in effect for the current fiscal year, set forth to permit ready comparison.

(c) Any item of expense in the proposed budget that exceeds the sum budgeted for a similar purpose during the current fiscal year must be voted on separately.

SEC. 3. Notwithstanding the adoption of any item in the budget for the ensuing year, the expenditure of the sum included in the budget must be approved by the Lodge pursuant to Article V, Section 2.

SEC. 4. No item of expense in the budget shall be exceeded during the fiscal year, unless the Trustees make a favorable recommendation and a majority of the members present and voting at a stated communication, the meeting notice for which contains a statement of the proposed increase and the Trustees' recommendation approves such increase. If such a resolution is not approved by a majority of the Trustees, then it may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting.

ARTICLE VII - THE SHAKESPEARE LODGE MEMORIAL FUND

SEC. 1. (a) The Shakespeare Lodge Memorial Fund is hereby continued.

(b) The Shakespeare Lodge Memorial Fund is dedicated to the memories of four great Secretaries -- Abram Frank, Max Zigas, Ralph Katz, and Barry B. Balogh.

SEC. 2. (a) In this Article, the term "Fund" means the Shakespeare Lodge Memorial Fund; the Term "Board" means the Board of Trustees of the Fund; and the term "Trustees" means Trustees of the Fund.

(b) The assets of the Fund are the property of the Lodge but shall be kept separate from all other property of the Lodge.

SEC. 3. The principal and income of the Fund shall be used and may be expended by the Lodge, on the recommendation of the Board and the Welfare and Delinquency Committee, for the relief and aid of members of the Lodge and their dependents, for the relief and aid of dependents of deceased members, and for such Masonic charities or education as Lodge members approve.  Assets in the Memorial Fund, now designated to provide educational benefits, may, in the event of a shortfall in operating revenue, and, by a majority vote of the brethren present, include payment for services of the Tiler, Organist or Secretary.

SEC. 4. The assets of the Fund shall consist of the moneys now in the Fund and of all the moneys and other property that may be contributed to or raised for the Fund or that may be allocated to the Fund by the Lodge.

SEC. 5. (a) The Fund shall be administered by a Board of Trustees, consisting of the Master, Senior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman of the Welfare and Delinquency Committee and three Memorial Fund Trustees, one of whom shall be elected for a term of one year, one of whom shall be elected for a term of two year, and one of whom shall be elected for a term of three years immediately upon the adoption of these By-Laws; at each succeeding Annual Communication, one Memorial Fund Trustee shall be elected for a term of three years. At least one of the three Memorial Fund Trustees shall be a Past Master.

(b) A vacancy among the elected Trustees shall be filled for the unexpired term by election by the Lodge at the next Annual Communication after such vacancy occurs. In the interim, the Board may fill such vacancy.

SEC. 6. The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen by the Board from the elected Trustees. The Secretary of the Lodge shall serve as Secretary of the Board.

SEC. 7. The Board shall maintain the assets of the Fund deposited in insured financial institutions with offices in the City of New York and invested in legal investments for trust funds as directed by the Lodge, in the name of the Lodge and designated as " the Shakespeare Lodge Memorial Fund." Assets held by financial institutions may be withdrawn by checks signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Master on warrants authorized by the Lodge and signed by the Master and Secretary.

SEC. 8. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations necessary for the administration of the Fund and the conduct of the Fund's business, provided that such rules and regulations must be consistent with this Article and the By-Laws.

SEC. 9. The books and records of the Fund shall be subject to examination and audit in the same manner as other books and records of the Lodge.

SEC. 10. At each Annual Communication of the Lodge, the Memorial Fund Trustees shall submit a written report describing the details of its activities and the financial condition of the Fund.

ARTICLE VIII - SHAKESPEARE LODGE MASONIC EDUCATION FUND

SEC. 1. (a) The Shakespeare Lodge Masonic Education Fund is hereby established.

(b) The Shakespeare Lodge Masonic Education Fund is dedicated to the memory of Arthur Markewich.

SEC. 2. (a) In this Article, the term "Fund" means the Shakespeare Lodge Masonic Education Fund; the Term "Board" means the Board of Trustees of the Fund; and the term "Trustees" means Trustees of the Fund.

(b) The assets of the Fund are the property of the Lodge but shall be kept separate from all other property of the Lodge.

SEC. 3. The principal and income of the Fund shall be used and may be expended by the Lodge, on the recommendation of the Board, for the education of members of the Lodge and their families; for assistance in Masonic education programs developed by Grand Lodge, the Sixth Masonic District Association of Manhattan, Inc., or the Masonic Service Association; and for defraying expenses incurred in printing and disseminating the notice of any stated or special communication.

SEC. 4. The assets of the Fund shall consist of the moneys now in the Fund and of all the moneys and other property that may be contributed to or raised for the Fund or that may be allocated to the Fund by the Lodge.

SEC. 5. (a) The Fund shall be administered by a Board of Trustees, consisting of the Master, Senior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer, and three elected Trustees, one of whom shall be elected for a term of one year, one of whom shall be elected for a term of two year, and one of whom shall be elected for a term of three years immediately upon the adoption of these By-Laws; at each succeeding Annual Communication, one Memorial Fund Trustee shall be elected for a term of three years. At least one of the three Memorial Fund Trustees shall be a Past Master.

(b) A vacancy among the elected Trustees shall be filled for the unexpired term by election by the Lodge at the next Annual Communication after such vacancy occurs. In the interim, the Board may fill such vacancy.

SEC. 6. The Chairman of the Board shall be the Master. The Secretary of the Lodge shall serve as Secretary of the Board.

SEC. 7. The Board shall maintain the assets of the Fund deposited in insured financial institutions with offices in the City of New York and invested in legal investments for trust funds as directed by the Lodge, in the name of the Lodge and designated as " the Shakespeare Lodge Masonic Education Fund." Assets held by financial institutions may be withdrawn by checks signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Master on warrants authorized by the Lodge and signed by the Master and Secretary.

SEC. 8. The Board may adopt such rules and regulations necessary for the administration of the Fund and the conduct of the Fund's business, provided that such rules and regulations must be consistent with this Article and the By-Laws.

SEC. 9. The books and records of the Fund shall be subject to examination and audit in the same manner as other books and records of the Lodge.

SEC. 10. At each Annual Communication of the Lodge, the Memorial Fund Trustees shall submit a written report describing the details of its activities and the financial condition of the Fund.

ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS

SEC. 1. The procedure to amend these By-Laws shall be to submit a proposed amendment at a stated communication; at that meeting, the Lodge shall determine whether to consider such proposed amendment. If the motion to consider the proposed amendment fails to receive a majority vote, no further action need be taken. If the motion to consider the proposed amendment receives a majority vote, action on the proposed amendment shall be taken at the next Annual Communication. However, if the Lodge determines that prior action is necessary, these By-Laws may be amended at any stated communication determined upon for action; the text of the proposed amendment and a concise summary of the purpose and effect of such proposed amendment shall be included in the Summons for the stated communication, at which final action shall be taken.

SEC. 2. These By-Laws shall not be amended except by the vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, when such proposed amendment shall be submitted to the Lodge for action.

SEC. 3. It shall be required to summon the Lodge to act upon any proposed amendment to these By-Laws.