Declaration of Principles

By-Laws

The second reading, discussion, and voting of these proposed changes will take place during the April 16th meeting.

PROPOSED BY-LAWS CHANGES

(A full copy of the CURRENT By-Laws is listed below)

Article II: In the second sentence, beginning with the word “Masonic” through the last word “code”, delete and replace with “Georgia Masonic Code”.

Article IV Section 1: In the second line delete “”Manual and” and replace with “Georgia Masonic”.

Article IV Section 2: In the fifth line delete “Manual and” and replace with “Georgia Masonic”.

Article VI: Change title from “Committees” to “Committees and Appointments”.

Article VI Section 1: In the first sentence delete “and refreshment,” and add “Building & Grounds, and By-Laws”. Between the first and second sentences, add a new sentence “The Worshipful Master shall also appoint a Director of Work and a Masonic Children’s Home Ambassador.” After the third sentence, add two new sentences “The Senior Warden shall appoint an Auditing Committee not later than the first (1st) meeting in February for the ensuing year. The Junior Warden shall appoint the Refreshment Committee upon his election.”

Article VI Section 2: After the first sentence add a new sentence “The Treasurer is an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee.” Delete the second sentence and sub-paragraph and replace with “The Finance Committee shall exercise general supervision over the finances and supervise the method and system of accounting used by the lodge. The committee may make such changes in the accounting practices from time to time as may be deemed betterment in lodge accounting procedures.”

Article VI Section 3: In the first sentence between the “comma” and the word “Wardens”, add “the”. In the second sentence, between the words “draw” and “the”, add “up to”.

Article VI Section 4: Section four shall be replaced, in its entirety, by the following “The Building & Grounds Committee shall be composed of not less than 3 members. The committee shall be responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the interior and exterior of the lodge building as well as the lodge grounds. The committee shall make recommendations on major repairs and capital improvements to the lodge and implement such repairs and improvements as directed by the lodge.

Article VI Section 5: Section five shall be replaced in it’s entirety by the following “The By-Law Committee shall meet annually after each Grand Lodge session to review any changes made during such session and any changes necessary at the local level affecting Mountain Park Lodge. The Committee shall advise the Worshipful Master, as necessary, on any proposed by-law changes.”

Article VI Section 6: A new Section six will be added as follows “The Audit Committee shall consist of not less than three (3) Master Masons who shall conduct an audit of the financial books and all records pertaining to any financial transactions of the lodge for the previous year. The audit shall be conducted during the month of January and a written report given to the lodge not later than the second (2nd) meeting in January.”

Article VI Section 7: A new Section seven will be added as follows “The Refreshment Committee shall be composed of the Junior Warden, Senior Steward, Junior Steward and any other person(s) appointed by the Junior Warden. They shall be responsible for the Kitchen, the Dining Room, the Restrooms and the contents thereof.”

Article VI Section 8: A new Section eight will be added as follows “Meetings of all committees in this article shall be open to all members of the lodge, although only committee members may vote at the committee meetings. The Worshipful Master is an ex-officio member of all committees and may cast a vote at any meeting.

Article VII Section 1: In the second sentence, after the word “include” delete the remainder of the sentence and replace with the following “any and all Grand Lodge assessments.” In the third sentence, replace the word “candidate” with “newly raised member” and between the words “and” and “code”, add the word “Masonic”.

Article VII Section 2: Delete the words “be paid to the Grand Lodge;” and replace with “cover Grand Lodge assessments,”.

Article VII Section 4: In the first sentence, replace “fifty dollars ($50.00)” with “one hundred dollars ($100.00). In the second sentence, replace “manual and” with “Georgia Masonic”. In the third sentence, replace “fifty dollars ($50.00) with “one hundred dollars ($100.00). In the fourth sentence, replace “thirty seven dollars and fifty cents ($37.50)” with “seventy five dollars (75.00). In the fifth sentence, replace “twenty five dollars ($25.00) with “fifty dollars ($50.00). In the sixth sentence, replace “twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) with “twenty five dollars ($25.00). In the seventh sentence, delete “seventy (70) years of age or older,” and “the manual and”. After the word “with”, add “Section 31-115 of the Georgia Masonic”.

Article VII Section 5: In the first sentence, replace the words “manual and” with “Georgia Masonic”.

Article VII Section 6: A new Section six will be added as follows “Perpetual Membership and Honorary Perpetual Membership shall be handled in accordance with Section 7-201 of the Georgia Masonic Code.”

Article VIII Section 1: Delete the second sentence in its entirety.

Article VIII Section 3: Delete the Section in its entirety.

Article VIII Section 4: Renumber as Section 3

Article VIII Section 5: Renumber as Section 4. In the second sentence, delete the fifth word “these” and replace with “the Masonic”.

Article VIII Section 5: A new Section five will be added as follows “The Building Fund, supported primarily by the Cell Tower Income, shall only be used for the capital repairs and improvements to the building and grounds of Mountain Park Masonic Lodge.”

Article VIII Section 6: A new Section six will be added as follows “Floral arrangements may be sent for a brother mason, his spouse, his children and his parents upon their death.”

Article IX: Delete the words “manual and” and replace with “Georgia Masonic”.

Mountain Park Lodge

No. 729

F. & A.M.

By-Laws

Article I. Name

This Lodge shall be known as Mountain Park Lodge No 729, Free and Accepted Masons of Gwinnett County, near Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Article II. Charter

This Lodge is held under the authority of a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of the State of Georgia F. & A. M. on October 25^th 1961. These By-Laws are subject to and intended to conform to the constitution and laws of said Grand Lodge as contained in the Masonic Manual and Code of the Grand Lodge of Georgia (hereinafter referred to as the Manual and Code).

Article III. Meetings

Section 1- Regular meetings shall be held in Gwinnett County, Georgia, on the first (1^st) and third (3^rd) Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM except there shall be no meeting on the first (1^st) Thursday in July, or the third (3^rd) Thursday in December.

Section 2- The Order of Business shall follow the Uniform Work. After the Uniform items of business are disposed of, the Worshipful Master should consider business in the following order as appropriate:

1. Applications for relief

2. Reading of communications

3. Old business

4. New business

5. Business for the good of the order

6. Work and lectures

Article IV. Regular Officers

Section 1- The regular officers and their duties shall be the same as provided for subordinate lodges in the Manual and Code.

Section 2 –The Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer and Secretary, shall be elected by separate ballots at the annual communication of the first (1^st) Thursday of December in each year. Majority vote of all members present shall be required to elect. The Chaplain, Deacons, Stewards, and Tyler shall be appointed as provided in the Manual and Code.

Section 3- The term of officers shall be one (1) year provided that each officer shall continue to serve until his successor is elected and installed.

Section 4- Due respect and obedience shall be paid by the members of the Lodge to its various officers according to their respective rank and station.

Article V. Trustees

Section 1- There shall be a Board of Trustees consisting of the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Junior Past Master and Secretary, appointed and chaired by the Worshipful Master at the time other committees are appointed.

Section 2- The Worshipful Master shall call all meetings of the Trustees as needed by giving notice to each member. Four (4) of the five (5) members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum to conduct business, and a majority of the Trustees present shall be necessary to prevail on any vote. The Worshipful Master shall call at least one (1) meeting of the Trustees during his term of office. The Trustees shall make an annual report to the Lodge on the holdings of the Lodge, including the insurance thereon.

Section 3- The Trustees shall take and hold title to all Lodge properties, both real and personal, for the use and benefit of the Lodge. The Trustees shall have the authority to administer and care for said properties provided that they shall not buy, sell, transfer, assign, encumber, mortgage or otherwise change the status of Lodge properties, real or personal, except by and with the consent of the Lodge.

Section 4- When ordered by the Lodge to sell, transfer, assign, encumber, mortgage or otherwise change the status of Lodge properties, it shall be the obligation of the Trustees to expedite all duties. Accordingly, when one (1) of the Trustees is unable to perform this responsibility, the remaining four (4) Trustees may perform the necessary action without him.

Article VI. Committees

Section 1 –The standing committees shall be Finance, Relief, and Refreshment, and shall be appointed by the Worshipful Master not later than the first (1^st) meeting in January. The Worshipful Master may appoint other committees as he deems necessary to carry out his program. The Worshipful Master may remove from office an entire committee or any member thereof during his administration if in his judgment a change is necessary for the good and welfare of the Lodge.

Section 2- The Committee on Finance shall be composed of three (3) members. The duties of the Finance Committee shall be as follows:

Exercise general supervision over the finances and supervise

the method and system of accounting used by the Lodge.

Make such changes in the accounting practices from time to time as may be deemed betterment in Lodge accounting procedures.

Section 3- The Relief Committee shall be composed of the Worshipful Master, Wardens and the Chaplain. They shall have the authority to draw the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) upon the Treasury in an emergency without the consent of the Lodge, being responsible to the Finance Committee. At the end of each year, a detailed report shall be made to the Lodge of all monies paid out. It need not be necessary to name the recipients of the funds unless so desired by the committee.

Section 4- The Refreshment Committee shall be composed of the Junior Warden, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, and any other person(s) appointed by the Worshipful Master. They shall be responsible for the kitchen, its contents, and serving any meals.

Section 5 – Meetings of all committees in this Article shall be open to all members of the Lodge. Only committee members may vote at the committee meetings. The Worshipful Master is an ex-officio member of all committees, and may vote at committee meetings.

Article VII. Fees and Dues

Section 1 – The fees for the degrees in this Lodge shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00) payable with petition. This shall include ten dollars ($10.00) to the Grand Lodge of Georgia for charity, and five dollars ($5.00) to the George Washington Memorial Fund. The candidate shall receive a lambskin leather apron, the latest copy of the Georgia Manual and Code, as well as a copy of these By-Laws upon completion of the degrees.

Section 2- Applications for reinstatement must be accompanied by the full past two (2) years amount of dues owed at the time the member was suspended; plus a five dollar ($5.00) fee to be paid to the Grand Lodge; plus the current year dues.

Section 3- In the case of affiliates, a fee of five dollars ($5.00) must accompany application.

Section 4- Dues shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) per annum due and payable January 1^st of each year. A member’s dues may be remitted only as prescribed in the Manual and Code. Members raised in the first quarter will pay a full year’s dues of fifty dollars ($50.00). Those members raised in the second quarter will pay three-fourths of year’s dues of thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents ($37.50). Those members raised in the third quarter will pay one-half of year’s due of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Finally, those members raised in the fourth quarter will pay one-fourth of year’s due of twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50). Emeritus members, seventy (70) years of age or older, shall be exempt from dues in accordance with the Manual and Code.

Section 5- Suspension for non-payment of dues shall be in accordance with the Manual and Code; provided that members in arrears as much as one (1) calendar year will be suspended in the second (2^nd) meeting in the month of June following the calendar year in which dues are deemed one (1) year in arrears.

Article VIII. Miscellaneous

Section 1- The Secretary shall receive as remuneration for his services the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per year as well as his dues remitted. The Custodian shall receive as remuneration for his services the amount of thirty dollars ($30.00) per year.

Section 2- The Treasurer shall have his dues remitted.

Section 3- The financial books and all records pertaining to any financial transaction of the Lodge shall be audited during the month of December; and a report given to the Lodge not later than the second (2^nd) meeting in January. A committee of not less that three (3) Master Masons shall be appointed by the Senior Warden to conduct the audit and submit a written report of their audit.

Section 4 – There shall not be any smoking in the Lodge building.

Section 5- The Lodge supports the Gwinnett County Widow’s Fund, the Mountain Park Lodge Widow’s Fund, and the Georgia Masonic Children’s Home Endowment Fund. Candidates, upon completion of these degrees, shall be given appropriate education about each of these three entities.

Article IX. Amendments

These By-Laws may be amended as provided in the Manual and Code.

Compliance with Chapter 22-1 of the Masonic Code

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