Good! It is eye opening for sure.Okay. I hope to attend GL one day to get a better understanding on how they operate.
Good! It is eye opening for sure.Okay. I hope to attend GL one day to get a better understanding on how they operate.
I've often wondered if GL officers are being paid. Since I have been a master mason, dues continue to go and so does Grand Lodge tax. What about in your jurisdiction, do you brothers know if they are being paid ?
Yes, I'm very familiar with the budget in a subordinate lodge. I have had to fill in for our treasurer before.It depends on the jurisdiction. The Grand Lodges do prepare and abide by an annual budget, which is presented and approved at the annual convocations.
Here in Arkansas, the GL has three paid employees, the Grand Secretary, and two assistants. These fellows run the GL office on a day-to-day basis and take care of business in between annual meetings. The Grand Line meets at least monthly, and the GM keeps some sort of at least semi-regular office hours, depending on his availability. The three office workers receive a salary, and the GM has a limited travel budget to enable him to get out and about and be present in the subordinate lodges. But for the most part, GL officer travel and work is unpaid.
The majority of the GL budget is taken in keeping the GL offices open. There's utility bills, phone bills, printing and publication costs, insurance, building upkeep, and all sorts of other ongoing fees. None of these are getting any cheaper. Have you ever taken part in developing and keeping a lodge budget for the year? The same sort of thing goes on at GL, on a larger scale.
I know someone has to run the GL office, but I've always wondered who all is getting paid. If more than just the few you named are being paid then I could surly see them raising the taxes....It depends on the jurisdiction. The Grand Lodges do prepare and abide by an annual budget, which is presented and approved at the annual convocations.
Here in Arkansas, the GL has three paid employees, the Grand Secretary, and two assistants. These fellows run the GL office on a day-to-day basis and take care of business in between annual meetings. The Grand Line meets at least monthly, and the GM keeps some sort of at least semi-regular office hours, depending on his availability. The three office workers receive a salary, and the GM has a limited travel budget to enable him to get out and about and be present in the subordinate lodges. But for the most part, GL officer travel and work is unpaid.
The majority of the GL budget is taken in keeping the GL offices open. There's utility bills, phone bills, printing and publication costs, insurance, building upkeep, and all sorts of other ongoing fees. None of these are getting any cheaper. Have you ever taken part in developing and keeping a lodge budget for the year? The same sort of thing goes on at GL, on a larger scale.
Totally agree. At the very least the expenses incurred while doing the business of the GL should be covered.If...
1) they are performing a service to the craft,
2) for the benefit of the organization,
3) and for a service that would receive the same amount that an individual who was not a member providing the very same service would receive...
why not?
Okay you said are not expenses going up ? Then you said, are not membership going down ? Okay if they lowered the taxes in some Grand lodges that they continue to raise them in, would not more good men be able to afford to join?
In some jurisdictions GL officers such as the DDGM coming to observe degree work will be given an assessment by the local lodge to help towards his travel expenses not very much and chances are he will still have to come out of pocketI've often wondered if GL officers are being paid. Since I have been a master mason, dues continue to go and so does Grand Lodge tax. What about in your jurisdiction, do you brothers know if they are being paid ?
From what I have seen I have to agree. Membership dues around here are very low and we still have problem attracting / retaining members.We can start the whole debate (again) on why members aren't joining, but blaming it on dues have little supporting evidence.
In California to even apply to join the grand line you used to have to deposit $50K earnest money to prove you could afford it. And only candidates who had left that money in the account for multiple years ever got considered.
Budgets are usually created and put before the General Assembly during Grand Lodge for approval and are voted upon by those empowered to do so by the Digest of Law followed by that Jurisdiction.
Interesting twists. Thanks! It's not done that way here, but who knows?... It may go to that someday here too.Not so here. We've delegated our budget to the Board of General Purposes (the working executive committee of GL).... reports of that committee and the Grand Tres are presented at Quarterly Communications and voted on for acceptance. Never seen one not accepted.
Yes we have similar structure I think. The GSec and his team are paid.Our GL is regular and in amity with UGLE.
Our Grand Sec is paid and there is a sizable office staff (perhaps around 10-15) for circa 10,000 members. Grand Lodge Capitation is $104 PA (AUD) per member and this gets split between all sorts of things. I'm in two Craft Lodges, one is about $300 and the other $330 PA with a dinning fee of $20 and $35 per meeting and we meet 11 time per year. Those lodge fees ( $300 & $330) do not include the $104 GL annual capitation fee, but you only pay it once per year in our jurisdiction - in the lowest numbered lodge you are a member of...
I don't have a problem with the Grand Sec and others getting paid - but like Coach said, we need to get value for it.
Our GM and other line officers are not paid. All visiting GL officers etc are not paid. All those guys are working as dedicated volunteers.
The only people who often get paid in our jurisdiction in respect to ceremonial work are the tyler (outer guard) and organist. The lodge sets if they will or will not get paid and how much. It is generally $30-$50 per meeting, but its hardly a great earner. They tyler sometimes get paid, but I dont think I've ever seen an organist not get paid.
The only other person likely to "profit" from ceremonial are visitors requested to do a charge; they will generally get fed for free. I traveled 1.25 hours to a lodge recently to deliver a charge they could not cover, then they charged me $20 for dinner. They've done this to me several times and it is starting to grate..... it seems petty to worry about $20 (esp as a Freemason interested in discharging me first degree obligations) but I'm not sure next time I am asked I will travel 1.25 hours then get pay $20 for a meal at the other end.. charging visitors is fair enough.. but charging visitors you have asked for help and who specially travel to your lodge to help seems a bit cheeky.
*Whinge over*
Wow, as I said before I'd think that at least expenses would be covered!All my lodging, gas, and food along the way came out of my pocket.
Yeah, I doubt that he would be happy in a lodge or Grand Lodge.I have a lifelong friend whom I would never recommend to Masonry because he is a 100 percent capitalist, and charity isn't high on list of priorities. I was talking to him once about being a grand officer:
"Do you get paid to do that?"
"No, in the end it costs you money. The reward is it's an honor to be asked to serve."
"Screw that."