Tabled Motion
Bros.,
The Amendment to the By-Laws dealing with the Dues and Fees increase was “tabled” at the meeting on August 21st.
This gets a little wordy, but bear with me. It hard enough to explain, even without your foot in your mouth.
The reason this was done was, those of us (namely me) who were giving input to the Master about how an Amendment to the By-Laws should be handled, were giving him bad information. Basically the input was, that the Amendment to the By-Laws came to the floor, was read and no action taken. The members were then notified and then at the next regular meeting it was read again, discussion could take place and amendments considered. This was incorrect. A case of, "this is the way we have always done it", not always being right.
The Master Guide to Parliamentary Law basically says, that the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws is read at a Regular Communication. Any amendments to the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws, if any, accompany the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws, when the Membership is notified. No amendments can be made to the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws, after notification of the membership.
After the second reading of the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws and the proposed amendment(s), the Lodge would consider the proposed action. First, the amendment(s) to the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws, would be considered. If an amendment accepted, then this would now be the new wording or change, to the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws and in this new form, it would be considered by the Lodge.
Simply put, we cannot notify the membership about a By-Laws change, and then amend it to something else, after the fact.
What is going to happen? Here are two possibilities.
1. The proposed Amendment to the By-Laws will be presented again in the near future at a Regular meeting and we will follow the rules governing a By-Laws change. i.e. Hear any amendments, if any, and include them in the notification of the membership.
2. A different proposed Amendment to the By-Laws will be presented and we follow the rules as above.
I made the motion to table the proposed Amendment to the By-Laws because I felt that, if we are going to address a By-Laws change on this subject, we should follow the proper procedures laid down, by our Grand Lodge. The majority of the members present were in agreement.
I apologize for the length of this explanation, and the situation I helped to create over this issue.
Fraternally,
Fred B. Frye, Secretary
Edgewood Lodge No.82