The President's Page

Good Afternoon, Moose Members. Let's talk about general membership meetings and why they're important. Membership meetings serve to keep our members informed about Moose International communications, communicate about members who are in sickness or distress, as well as provide a means to our members so they can have a voice about Lodge issues and then vote on items which require Lodge membership approval.

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During meetings, minutes are read from both the prior Membership meeting, as well the most recent Officers' meeting. This is done to provide members with the knowledge they need, in order to vote on items such as: paying Lodge bills and getting approval to proceed with projects and upgrades that will cost the Lodge money. (E.g. parking lot repaving, upgrades to the Social Quarters, outdoor patio remodel, new furniture, etc.) In fact, anything that we spend money on as a Moose Lodge, requires a majority vote from our Lodge membership.

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The most important business item completed during a Membership meeting is for current Lodge members, who are attendance, to vote on new applicants; who have applied to be a member of our Lodge. Once an applicant is voted in at a Membership meeting, their names are passed to Moose International who enrolls them, which generates a Moose ID number. In addition to Moose International sending out an ID card, Moose International also sends out an e-mail informing the new member of their official membership into the Moose Fraternity that will include their Moose ID Number. With that number, members can download the Moose International mobile app, which upon completion of registration, will have a copy of the member's Moose ID card. It is ONLY after members can show their card that they are allowed full access to House Games, pull tabs, Keno, and the Video gaming.

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Social Quarters rules, policies, and staffing decisions are NOT discussed at the Membership meeting. Members who have questions about SQ rules & policies, need clarification on, or are concerned about SQ rules & policies are encouraged to speak with a Board Officer, or if preferred... request to speak to the Board directly at an Officers' Meeting.

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Our Bar Stewards are volunteers, who follow the procedures set by the Board of Officers. At NO time should ANY member debate or argue with the Bar Steward on duty about what is "allowed" or how things should be handled in the Social Quarters. Incidents of this type will be investigated by the Board and disciplinary action may be handed down.

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As you can see, or read... there is a lot of business discussed at our Lodge Meetings. Per Section 42.6 of the Moose General Laws... a membership meeting requires seven (7) members in good standing. Why is this important? Because we have a Board of eight ( officers, who when they are in the general membership meeting... function as regular, voting Lodge members. Why is that important? Because when members do not come to membership meetings... the Board, functioning as REGULAR members, has to decide how money will be spent, what applicants get approved for membership, what projects will be approved, and what charities we will support.

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I can assure each and everyone of you that no sitting Board Officer wants to make these decisions on our own. It leads to disgruntled members asking why are the members of the Board doing this and then being angry at us for acting as members. The fact of the matter is this... our Board is here to serve membership based on feedback. When we have no feedback the Board still has to act, as members, on Lodge matters.

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I encourage each of you to think about what I've shared above; and hopefully we'll see you at a Membership meeting soon.

 

Respectfully,

Dave Mundschenk

Past President - Gahanna Moose Lodge 2463