Reinstating Non Dues Payers

[Torence]

Our Grand Master has forwarded a letter to any of our members who
were suspended for non-payment of dues between the years 1987 and
2007. He offers reinstatement for a $60 fee paid to the Grand Lodge,
then credited against the Lodge’s per capita charges. With the return
of the form and payment, he then orders them to be reinstated as
members of our lodges.
Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[John W]

Post by Torence
Our Grand Master has forwarded a letter to any of our members who
were suspended for non-payment of dues between the years 1987 and
2007. He offers reinstatement for a $60 fee paid to the Grand Lodge,
then credited against the Lodge’s per capita charges. With the return
of the form and payment, he then orders them to be reinstated as
members of our lodges.
Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

Speaking from UGLE if a brother is excluded for non payment of dues then
applies to rejoin he has to pay all outstanding dues. If he moves to
another Province and applies for membership of another lodge and they
accept him without having checked that he is in good standing then that
Lodge is responsible for the outstanding dues.

john UGLE 990

[Ripple Affect]

Post by John W

Post by Torence
Our Grand Master has forwarded a letter to any of our members who
were suspended for non-payment of dues between the years 1987 and
2007. He offers reinstatement for a $60 fee paid to the Grand Lodge,
then credited against the Lodge’s per capita charges. With the return
of the form and payment, he then orders them to be reinstated as
members of our lodges.
Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

Speaking from UGLE if a brother is excluded for non payment of dues
then applies to rejoin he has to pay all outstanding dues. If he moves
to another Province and applies for membership of another lodge and
they accept him without having checked that he is in good standing
then that Lodge is responsible for the outstanding dues.
john UGLE 990

G-Day
I am new to this Group.

I found this posting interesting, as I have a member facing execution
from my Lodge. As I am Secretary, I need to inform the member and give
him Opportunity to pay. If he does not pay I will not issue a
certificate of Good Standing. If that person wants to apply to another
Lodge, That Lodge will be informed by GL to contact me to obtain a
Certificate of Good Standing. Thus that person will not be admitted to
any Lodge until his dues are Payed for and a certificate is Granted.

Bro. Frank
Secretary - Lodge Canoblas Lewis 806 - Orange - NSW - Australia
http://www.rippleaffect.com.au

[Ripple Affect]

Post by Ripple Affect

Post by John W

Post by Torence
Our Grand Master has forwarded a letter to any of our members who
were suspended for non-payment of dues between the years 1987 and
2007. He offers reinstatement for a $60 fee paid to the Grand Lodge,
then credited against the Lodge’s per capita charges. With the return
of the form and payment, he then orders them to be reinstated as
members of our lodges.
Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?
Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

Speaking from UGLE if a brother is excluded for non payment of dues
then applies to rejoin he has to pay all outstanding dues. If he
moves to another Province and applies for membership of another lodge
and they accept him without having checked that he is in good
standing then that Lodge is responsible for the outstanding dues.
john UGLE 990

G-Day
I am new to this Group.
I found this posting interesting, as I have a member facing execution
from my Lodge. As I am Secretary, I need to inform the member and give
him Opportunity to pay. If he does not pay I will not issue a
certificate of Good Standing. If that person wants to apply to another
Lodge, That Lodge will be informed by GL to contact me to obtain a
Certificate of Good Standing. Thus that person will not be admitted to
any Lodge until his dues are Payed for and a certificate is Granted.
Bro. Frank
Secretary - Lodge Canoblas Lewis 806 - Orange - NSW - Australia
http://www.rippleaffect.com.au

Ooops execution should read exclusion .... lol

[g***@live.com]

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:42:50 GMT, Ripple Affect

Post by Ripple Affect
I found this posting interesting, as I have a member facing execution
from my Lodge.

The Brethren of Oz have found a novel way to prevent NPD suspension,
it seems. I wonder if we'd be allowed to try that here?

Welcome, Bro. Frank.


Jack Hickey, PM
SW, Morning Star Lodge

[J. Bennie]

Post by John W
Speaking from UGLE if a brother is excluded for non payment of dues then
applies to rejoin he has to pay all outstanding dues. If he moves to
another Province and applies for membership of another lodge and they
accept him without having checked that he is in good standing then that
Lodge is responsible for the outstanding dues.

Such couldn't happen in B.C., John. A suspended member must apply to the
Lodge which suspended him to be reinstated. There must be an investigation
and a ballot.

Jim, Vancouver

[KIV11]

Post by J. Bennie
Such couldn't happen in B.C., John. A suspended member must apply to the
Lodge which suspended him to be reinstated. There must be an investigation
and a ballot.

Jim; Here in NY, if a member has been suspended for NPD and wishes to
come back to good standing and it has been less then 5 years since the
suspension took place all that is necessary is for the brother to go
back to his lodge, request reinstatement and make a payment of two
full years back dues. If it is longer then 5 years, a ballot for
reinstatement plus the payment of two years is necessary.

George K.

[bobthecow]

  Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?

This is a choice that should reside with the local lodge. I don't see
how the Grand Lodge should be able to get away with foisting these
members on us who could not be bothered to part on the square. In the
majority of cases, that is what happens. People just stop paying
their dues because they don't want to deal with it anymore, or have
moved away, or haven't been to lodge in years.

I agree that many lodges are not doing a good job of keeping in touch,
and just drop people for non-payment without much thought. I do think
it's worth a phone call to see what the situation is. Perhaps the
Brother is ill. Perhaps the lodge needs to do a better job of
reaching out and encouraging involvement. But, I think this is the
responsibility of the lodge and should be at the discretion of the
lodge.

I like the idea of allowing the Grand Lodge to reinstate at Large.
That would be better. I think that we'll see most of these re-
instated members drop off the rolls for non-payment of dues anyway,
eventually.

-- Kevin Sweeney
-- Elgin Lodge No. 117 A.F. & A.M. of Illinois

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by bobthecow
This is a choice that should reside with the local lodge.

I've seen plenty of votes for a brother asking to be reinstated for
having been NPD. Not one came out a negative vote. Who's going to vote
against a brother who has decided to come back, even if it's so he can
transfer to some other lodge? These aren't brothers who were kicked out
in a trial.

Post by bobthecow
I don't see
how the Grand Lodge should be able to get away with foisting these
members on us who could not be bothered to part on the square. In the
majority of cases, that is what happens. People just stop paying
their dues because they don't want to deal with it anymore, or have
moved away, or haven't been to lodge in years.

On the other hand we have an officer in our line who came in through the
program. "Nothing succeeds like success".

Post by bobthecow
I agree that many lodges are not doing a good job of keeping in touch,
and just drop people for non-payment without much thought. I do think
it's worth a phone call to see what the situation is. Perhaps the
Brother is ill. Perhaps the lodge needs to do a better job of
reaching out and encouraging involvement. But, I think this is the
responsibility of the lodge and should be at the discretion of the
lodge.

Do any lodges really drop members NPD without contact? The process
includes several registered letters and multiple attempts at phone
calls. Are there really lodges that fail to go through that process? I
remember a year where one of my lodges changed secretaries and there was
not enough time to complete the mandated process. No members were
suspended NPD that year because of it.

I've read complaints that lodges suspend members NPD with no process at
all, but that's never happened in either of the lodges I am a member of.
The registered letters go out and the phone numbers get called.

Post by bobthecow
I think that we'll see most of these re-
instated members drop off the rolls for non-payment of dues anyway,
eventually.

I get the point that if even a few go active again it was worth it. I
also get that if the GL has a cash flow crisis it is a way to generate
more per capita income indirectly from the lodges.

[bobthecow]

Do any lodges really drop members NPD without contact?  The process
includes several registered letters and multiple attempts at phone
calls.  Are there really lodges that fail to go through that process?

This requirement, instituted by the Grand Master, is fairly recent.
The program is being offered to members who were suspended before the
current prohibition on dropping for NPD without following the process.

[Torence]

Post by bobthecow
This requirement, instituted by the Grand Master, is fairly recent.
The program is being offered to members who were suspended before the
current prohibition on dropping for NPD without following the process.

While the prohibition was in effect, Illinois Lodge's had to employ
the Sportsman's Method to alleviate the distress caused by Non-Dues
Payers.
Two went out hunting "Snipes."
Only one came back.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by bobthecow

Do any lodges really drop members NPD without contact? ...

This requirement, instituted by the Grand Master, is fairly recent.
The program is being offered to members who were suspended before the
current prohibition on dropping for NPD without following the process.

Yikes. Let's see if I read that correctly. Your jurisdiction had a
process in place. There were lodges that were ignoring the process
instead dropping members NPD without contact.

That makes me appreciate the efforts of the secretaries of my two lodges
all the more. Three actually, I was just voted an honorary member of a
lodge I've been visiting regularly.

[Torence]

Post by Doug Freyburger
That makes me appreciate the efforts of the secretaries of my two lodges
all the more.  Three actually, I was just voted an honorary member of a
lodge I've been visiting regularly.

"Honorary" or "onery" ?

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois

[bobthecow]

Yikes.  Let's see if I read that correctly.  Your jurisdiction had a
process in place.  There were lodges that were ignoring the process
instead dropping members NPD without contact.
That makes me appreciate the efforts of the secretaries of my two lodges
all the more.  Three actually, I was just voted an honorary member of a
lodge I've been visiting regularly.

No, rather the process is new, the program offered by the Grand Master
which re-instates members without Lodge action applies to those
members who were dropped before the new process.

I should say that the letter from the Grand Master did indicate that
the Lodge could (in advance) object to a member being re-instated, as
I recall.

[Torence]

These aren't brothers who were kicked out in a trial.

No. We have in Illinois an exclusive club for such special Masons
whose membership roster totals 1.

Do any lodges really drop members NPD without contact?

That actually is the primary reason for the NPDs of the last two
decades. Since our lodge recovered its charter five years ago, we have
suspended no one for non-payment of dues. Our Secretary since 1986
passed away last year; and I have picked up the business that he had
to leave undone. Next week, I will be turning over to our Master the
files of 27 of our 148 members who are in arrears for NPD. Some we
have not received dues from as long as 8 years ago. He will form a
committee and try his hand at contacting them and make his notes. The
majority will probably be unreachable.
As members, we all know that dues are required and that they are
due in Illinois on December 31st. Should we be sending out successive
notices in the first place? Shouldn’t the responsibility to keep in
contact be made more plain to new members? Isn’t this a first line
signer’s responsibility?

I get the point that if even a few go active again it was worth it.

Too many of my Brother Secretaries, IMHO, seem to enjoy being bill
collectors and too many in the position handle that role
irresponsibly. I do not like being made by my employment to be so
uncharitable and wish to receive better assistance with it. If you
were Grand Master how would you want the issue managed in your time?

I also get that if the GL has a cash flow crisis it is a way to generate
more per capita income indirectly from the lodges.

Not in Illinois; and I do not know why more of our current members
do not demand accountability for our accounts and the gifts of real
property that have been bequeathed to our Grand Lodge over the last
century. Each lodge should assign a Brother, preferably a Past Master,
to ask the right questions of the committeemen responsible for our
assets, long before we attend our Grand Lodge session. We should cease
accepting the reports as written and be more responsible about the
legacies that we have inherited.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois

[Doug Freyburger]

Post by Torence

Post by Doug Freyburger
Do any lodges really drop members NPD without contact?

That actually is the primary reason for the NPDs of the last two
decades.

A registered letter with return receipt requested can be marked to
request forwarding and address correction notice. Such a letter will
follow the most recent forwarding entry on file even if it has expired.
If someone moves without filing any forwarding address then they have
actively cut contact.

I think I wrote my question wrong. If such a letter is returned a few
years in a row that's all that could have been done before the days of
the Internet. Now there are on-line search engines to locate a person.
I meant that sort of attempt at contact. I think you meant trying that
sort of contact and failing. So I'll try again -

Do any lodges really drop members NPD without at least sending a
registered letter return receipt requested plus some sort of on line
look up to try to find a current address? I don't have a problem with
dropping members who appear to have deliberately disappeared. I do have
a problem with dropping members without going through the written
process that certainly includes the registered letter step.

Post by Torence
Since our lodge recovered its charter five years ago ...

On a completely different topic - I recently read of a lodge in Arkansas
that had its charter pulled over some topic related to that state's
Masonic car license plate program donating money to the Prince Hall GL
that sponsored the program. AS I've only read one side of that story so
far it sounds too much like the West Virginia nonsense of a couple of
years ago. Very disappointing if it really is about an issue that
should have been closed a long time ago.

[John W]

Post by bobthecow

Post by Torence
Does your jurisdiction have a similar program? Do you think it
right? Or do you think it a better practice that these reinstated non-
dues payers be made Masons in Good Standing at Large, and require a
petition to be made a member of a particular lodge?

This is a choice that should reside with the local lodge. I don't see
how the Grand Lodge should be able to get away with foisting these
members on us who could not be bothered to part on the square. In the
majority of cases, that is what happens. People just stop paying
their dues because they don't want to deal with it anymore, or have
moved away, or haven't been to lodge in years.
I agree that many lodges are not doing a good job of keeping in touch,
and just drop people for non-payment without much thought. I do think
it's worth a phone call to see what the situation is. Perhaps the
Brother is ill. Perhaps the lodge needs to do a better job of
reaching out and encouraging involvement. But, I think this is the
responsibility of the lodge and should be at the discretion of the
lodge.
I like the idea of allowing the Grand Lodge to reinstate at Large.
That would be better. I think that we'll see most of these re-
instated members drop off the rolls for non-payment of dues anyway,
eventually.
-- Kevin Sweeney
-- Elgin Lodge No. 117 A.F.& A.M. of Illinois

In my own Lodge, in the UK, if a brother is behind with his dues before
he is excluded the Lodge Almoner will visit and have a chat to see if
there is a financial or domestic problem that the Lodge may be able to
assist with.

John Watson
UGLE

[Torence]

Post by John W
In my own Lodge, in the UK, if a brother is behind with his dues before
he is excluded the Lodge Almoner will visit and have a chat to see if
there is a financial or domestic problem that the Lodge may be able to
assist with.

Illinois does not ahve an Almoner position. When I am Grand Master,
I will create one and insist that every lodge elect (rather than
appoint) an Almoner.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary - Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 - Crete, Illinois
PM - Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 - Lansing, Illinois

[David Simpson]

[Default] On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 14:37:13 CST, Torence

Post by Torence

Post by John W
In my own Lodge, in the UK, if a brother is behind with his dues before
he is excluded the Lodge Almoner will visit and have a chat to see if
there is a financial or domestic problem that the Lodge may be able to
assist with.

Illinois does not ahve an Almoner position. When I am Grand Master,
I will create one and insist that every lodge elect (rather than
appoint) an Almoner.

I do not consider it necessary to force an election for this important
position. Rather it should be the appointment of a person who is
willing to do the job. The other side of an appointed position is that
they can be removed if they are not doing the job properly.

[Torence]

Post by bobthecow
I like the idea of allowing the Grand Lodge to reinstate at Large.
That would be better.

I do too; but the Grand Line’s motivation for the reinstating these
men is to restore them to the condition of becoming regular dues
payers again. There does not seem to be much concern as to whether or
not a man ever becomes a Brother anytime in his Masonic Life as you
and I know our memberships to mean.
We did away with the abomination of a Grand Master’s Lodge No. 1177
which was to serve as a repository for their dues money and nothing
else. IMHO, for our century we should reinstate the old Illinois Code
No. 300 which stated with brevity that “It is the duty of Every Masons
to belong to some Lodge of Masons;” and make this value plain to every
petitioner.

Fraternally,
Torence Evans Ake
Secretary – Auburn Park Lodge No. 789 – Crete, Illinois
PM – Arcadia Lodge No. 1138 – Lansing, Illinois