Page 7 - 2020 Summer

including what legislation is considered essential. I will attempt to submitted to the Attorney General and was approved along with the
answer these questions below. sale of the MRC.
First, the Grand Master has stated that all Legislation except Resolution 2020-15 changes the purpose of the Home Fund and
Resolution 2020-15 will be postponed until the 2021 Annual the Home Endowment Fund. The funds will now support the
charitable operations of Washington Masonic Charities as we agreed
Communication. This includes all carry-over resolutions from the to do in our agreement with the Attorney General. The funds will
2019 Annual Communication. This means that the carry over remain under the control of the Grand Lodge of Washington.
Resolution to increase the Grand Lodge fee to up to $40.00 will not However, if we do not change the purpose of these funds to comply
be considered at this year’s Annual Communication. Therefore, with the agreement that we have signed with the Washington State
Grand Lodge fee for next year will go back to $28.00 per member. Attorney General, then we will be in breach of our agreement and the
So, what does that mean for the Grand Lodge Budget? Well first, State of Washington could come in and seize the funds and give
the Grand Lodge Budget will need to be approved. However, we are them to another charity. So, this is legislation that must be
considered during this year’s Annual Communication.
presenting a balanced budget this year for the Brethren to approve.
Each year the budget is prepared by the Deputy Grand Master with Hopefully this answers many of the questions that you may have.
the assistance of the Finance Committee and the other elected Please feel free to email me at grandsecretary@freemason-wa.org if
Officers. This process begins in September. Last year the Brethren you have any other questions.
voted to change the way that the fee for the investments was Fraternally,
calculated to be a five-year rolling average. This is an important tool, Clint Brown, Grand Secretary
especially with the recent volatility present in the market. In working
with the Deputy Grand Master and the Finance Committee it was
determined this year that the Brokerage fees should be paid from VWB Matt Appel – DDGM District 2
each fund of the funds before the Grand Lodge fee is calculated and All this time at home has started some new traditions in the Appel
not from the Grand Lodge General Fund. This gave us greater house. For instance, we have a daily trip to pick up the school
flexibility in crafting the balanced budget that will be presented for
approval. lunches for my kids and then drive the parts of the lunch that they
don’t want over to the local food pantry and leave them there. We
Why do we have to vote on Resolution 2020-15? The Grand
Lodge of Washington no longer houses residents at the Masonic have a new way to select dinners since they are not on the run. We
Retirement Center and no longer owns the property in Des Moines. make one big grocery run a week. And, perhaps the most fun, we
As a result, the Washington Masonic Code needs to be changed with have family movie night. Last night’s movie was Frozen 2.
regards to how the monies from the Home Fund and the Home At one point in the movie the main characters are told by a wise
Endowment Fund will be used. However, the process is not as old creature to ―do the next right thing,‖ then later one of the char-
simple as just changing the Washington Masonic Code. Because of acters is stuck in a dark cave, unable to see a way to overcome the
the charitable nature of the funds, the Attorney General had to great obstacles in her path. She sings a song about doing the next
approve the change. Last year I told you that R⸫W⸫ Chris Coffman
and I had been working with our attorney and Washington Masonic right thing. She knows that the task in front of her is huge, and she
Charities to craft an agreement that would meet with the cannot see the end, but she knows that taking the next step, doing
requirements of the laws of the State of Washington and be the next right thing, is how to make sure the big task is finished.
approved of the Washington Attorney General. That agreement was

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