The North Carolina Mason

Page 8 The North Carolina Mason September/October 2015 COMMUNICATION, from page 1 Ric Carter A number of official reports were received and for- mally entered on the record of the communication which will be published widely at a later date. ey were also available in the Reports booklet of the meet- ing. Past Grand Master Dalton Mayo presented his fi- nal report on his year in the East, and he was presented his past grand master's pin, and the Board of General Purposes tribute to him was read. After a lunch break, a public session was held so that several guest speakers could address the meet- ing. During that visitor period, we heard from Ma- sonic Home for Children resident Yancey Otero and WhiteStone resident Gene Lewellyn. Eastern Star Worthy Grand Matron Fran Southern, Rainbow Worthy Grand Advisor Tori Shue, DeMolay State Master Councilor Luis Roman Jr., and NC Masonic Foundation Chairman Leonard Y. Safrit (PGM) de- livered messages and greetings from their respective organizations. e public session continued through the Necrology service recognizing our Brothers who passed away in the past year. Grand Master Caudle presented Grand Treasurer Lewis Ledford a Montfort Medal for his service to the fraternity. Ledford's wife, Susan was invited to the podium to pin the medal on his lapel. Several check presentations were made to Ma- sonic charities. Business resumed after visitors were excused from the hall. e first order of business was the presen- tation of Grand Master Caudle's interim report. Certificates were presented to district officers whose terms are ending. Two lodges operating under dispensation this year applied for charters as official lodges. Both were grant- ed charters after positive reports from the Commit- tee on Charters and Dispensations. Welcome Holly Springs based Knights of Solomon 768, the newest motorcycle affinity lodge. ey will meet at various lo- cations around the state on the first Saturday of Febru- ary, May, and November, and on the second Saturday of July and September. All meetings are set for noon. Veritas 769 is based in Asheville. e traditional observance lodge will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the Ashe- ville Masonic Temple on the fourth Monday in No- vember and the fourth Wednesdays of January, March, May, July, and September. e Committee on Appeals received and approved reports on all the cases heard on charges of un-Ma- sonic behavior during the past year. e decisions of 11 of the 12 cases heard were approved. One case had its sentence of suspension changed to expulsion. Two applications for restoration after expulsion were ap- proved and one was denied. e Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence then began its presentation on the proposed amendments to e Code. Voting on most of the amendments took place on Friday afternoon. Both Group 1 and Group 2, relating to officers liv- ing outside the state failed. Group 3, the only group voted on Saturday, was de- feated on a written ballot. It would have allowed the grand master, with approval of the Board of General Purposes, to set the fees for the degrees for all lodges. Group 4, which would have allowed limited past master voting at Annual Communication, was with- drawn by the submitting lodge. Group 5 referenced permissible fundraising activi- ties. In the past year, the Internal Revenue Service au- dited the Grand Lodge. ey complained about lack of control of subordinate lodge fundraising. In keeping with IRS guidelines, e Code was amended to require prior permission for all fundraisers by lodges. Many of you have already dealt with the Commission on Spe- cial Activities and know they will swiftly help you stay within due bounds with tax regulations. Group 6 appeared to pass a ballot, but after much confusion ensued, it was withdrawn from the floor by Grand Master Caudle. It was a simple measure which would have clarified that one is allowed to use un- sealed announcements to the lodge carrying names of candidates to be passed or raised. Group 7 was an effort to forbid reconsideration of de- feated amendments for five years, It was ruled out of order and not voted on. A nearly identical amendment was also ruled out of order in 2007 for attempting to take away the prerogatives of future members of the Grand Lodge. Group 8's housekeeping measures, related to past amendments, passed. Group 9, allowing the North Carolina Masonic Foundation to add directors as they see fit, passed. At the conclusion of business late Friday afternoon, Grand Master Caudle dispensed with labor and host- ed the delegates for coffee and snacks in the courtyard adjacent to the meeting room. At 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning, labor was resumed. e first order of business was the consideration of the Grand Lodge budget presented by Finance Commit- tee Chairman Grover Dees. e budget was approved virtually without changes. Officer elections began as the budget was being discussed and voted on in sections. ere were no sur- prises in the elections. Bryant D. Webster of Nichols- West Asheville 650 was elected grand master for 2016. New Grand Steward Kevan Frazier Pilot Mountain and Wake Chapel as seen from the headquarters hotel Local volunteers begin setting Well-wishers queue up to congratulate Grand Master-elect Pledge of Allegiance salutes

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