The name of this Lodge shall
be O.S.I.A. AMICI D’ITALIA LODGE NO. 2791, Inc., hereafter referred to as the
LODGE.
The principal place of
business and mailing address of the Corporation shall be a United States Post
Office box located in Duval County, Florida.
Section 1. The Purpose of the Order
is:
A. To enroll in
its membership all persons of Italian birth or descent, their spouses, and
adopted children and their spouses.
B. To promote local education for the benefit of its members by active
participation in social and civic life of our community.
C. To encourage
the dissemination of Italian culture in America and uphold the prestige of the
people of Italian heritage.
D. To promote the
principals of good government and good citizenship.
E. To promote the
moral, intellectual and material well-being of our membership.
F.
To organize and
establish benevolent and social welfare institutions for protection,
assistance of members, their dependents, in general, the needy, with
such material aid as are able to give.
G. To initiate and
organize movements for patriotic and humanitarian purposes and to join in such
movements for such purposes which have been initiated by other organizations or
groups.
Section
1: EMBLEM: The official emblem of the Order shall be a Golden Lion in a
Field of White.
Section
2: MOTTO: The official motto of the Order shall be “Liberty,
Equality, and Fraternity.”
Section
3: COLOR: The official color of the Order shall be Purple.
Section
4: LANGUAGE: The official language of the Order shall be
both English and Italian, and both may be used in the course of the meetings.
Section
5: HOLIDAY: The official Holiday of the Order, proclaimed by the
Supreme Lodge is October 12, commemorating the
anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.
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ARTICLE V
Section 1. The laws of the lodge consist of rules and regulations which they adopt, and subsequently use to govern, administer and control affairs and institutions under their jurisdiction,
while
at the same time conforming to the laws of the Supreme Lodge and of the Grand
Lodge.
Section 2. The
lodge functions and operates within the limits of its locality.
Section 3.
The lodge was chartered by the Supreme
Council and given a name chosen by its members with the approval of the Supreme
Council which assigns a
number in numerical order. This lodge
has Number 2791.
Section 4. The Lodge is a consistent part of the
Grand Lodge of Florida wherein it is located and subordinate to such Grand
Lodge.
Section 5.
The
Lodge participates in the administration of the affairs of the Grand Lodge to
which it is subordinate through its local lodge delegates. However, the Lodge, unless restricted by the
Laws of its Grand Lodge, is autonomous and may administer its affairs under
such rules and regulations adopted by it, which do not conflict with the laws
of the Grand Lodge.
ARTICLE VI
MEMBERS
Section 1. MEMBER CLASSIFICATIONS: Members shall be divided into the following
classifications:
A. Regular Members: those members who are of Italian birth or
descent; also the spouses of those of Italian lineage, or those who have been
adopted by a person or persons of Italian lineage, and the spouses of such
adopted persons; widows, widowers and divorced spouses of current or former
members.
B. Social Members: those members who, because of their national origin, are not admitted as regular members. Social members may participate in social, athletic, and cultural activities. Social members shall not, under any circumstances, have the right to vote or hold elective office in the Lodge. Social members shall be entitled to attend and partake in regular or special meetings of the Lodge. Social members shall be allowed to serve as members and/or the chairman of a committee.
Section 2. AGE LIMITATION: Any adult 18 years of age or older, meeting the prerequisites for membership stated in the General Laws of the Supreme Lodge, shall be eligible for membership.
Section 3. DUES:The
initiation fee and annual dues shall be as assessed from time to time. Dues shall be payable quarterly in advance. The Financial Secretary shall notify members
when dues are due, and shall issue notice when dues are overdue.
C.
To assist in
the work of the Lodge.
D. To submit in writing any grievances that may arise to the proper authorities of the Order.
RIGHTS: Regular members may participate in
discussions; make proposals, vote on matters discussed; be elected to office; receive
any benefits the Lodge may adopt; and any other rights or privileges accorded
by the Lodge, Grand Lodge, or Supreme Lodge.
Section 6. LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS: The exercise of the Rights of Members is
subject to the following:
A. The official date of membership
shall be the date of initiation into any local Lodge within the jurisdiction of
the Grand Lodge of Florida.
B. Before exercising the right to vote for, or to hold elective
office (except President or Vice President), it is necessary that membership be
held in the Order for at least six (6) months.
C.
To be elected
President, Vice President, State Delegate, Alternate State Delegate,
the member must have served at least one full year as a member
of the Council of any Lodge within the Order.
D. To be elected as a member of the Lodge
Arbitration Commission as defined by Grand Lodge Bylaws, it is mandatory that
membership in
the Lodge be held for two years. In addition, the member must be able to read and
write English and must not have been subjected to disciplinary measures.
E. Whenever a vacancy
occurs in the office of the Lodge President, it shall be filled by the Lodge
Vice President for the remainder of the term.
The vacant office of the Lodge Vice President shall be filled by holding
a Special Election at the next regular or next special meeting of the assembly.
F.
When
any officer requests to be nominated for another position in a Lodge Special
Election, they do not have to resign from the office they hold. After the election, and if elected, they
shall resign from the office they held prior to the election. If they lose the election, they shall retain
the office held.
G.
No member who
is indebted to his Lodge, the Grand Lodge, or the Supreme Lodge can hold
office. Members so indebted lose the
privilege of addressing the assembly and of the right to vote.
Section 7: ARREARS, DEFAULTS, CANCELLATION
A. A member who
has not paid dues owed to the Lodge by their due date is
in arrears, becomes in default after such non
payment has continued for
three consecutive months after their due date.
B. Those in arrears lose the right to vote, speak on the floor, run for office, or hold office. Once the dues are paid, all rights of membership are restored.
D. Those in
default lose their membership, following proper notice as specified in the Laws
of the Order.
E. Financial
Secretary shall notify member in default by mail at least fifteen (15) days
prior to the meeting in which defaulting member may be declared stricken from
the roll of the Lodge.
Section 8: REINSTATEMENT
Any applicant for
reinstatement will be placed before the Lodge for approval. The Member, if reinstated, will acquire all
rights extended to other members. This
person may become a member in good standing by applying and meeting all
requirements for admission of new members, provided he pays back dues owed,
fines, and assessments, which was initial cause of member’s default and
cancellation.
Section 9: TRANSFER
A.
A member in good
standing may transfer from one lodge to another lodge by written verification
of standing by the financial secretary from the transferring lodge.
B. Request for transfer
into the Lodge shall be submitted to a vote by the assembly of the receiving
Lodge, a majority vote in favor or against constitute acceptance or
rejection of the transfer application.
ARTICLE
VII
Section 1. OFFICERS: The officers of this Lodge shall be:
A.
A President
B. A Vice President
C. An Immediate Past President
D. An Orator
E
A Recording
Secretary
F.
A Financial
Secretary
G. A Treasurer
H. Five Trustees
I.
Two
Master/Mistresses of Ceremony
J. A Guard
Section 2. DUTIES OF OFFICERS:
A.
All
officers are obligated to attend all Council, Regular Meetings, Special
Meetings. Officers who are absent from
three (3) consecutive meetings without an excuse automatically lose positions as officers.
B.
Business conducted in Council meetings is confidential; any council member
divulging information that has been advised as harmful or
sensitive to any non-council member shall be dismissed from office.
C. PRESIDENT: The President is the highest ranking
officer and the leader of the Lodge and as such:
1. Calls and
presides over all meetings of the council and of the assembly.
2. Sees that the laws of the
Lodge are observed and the deliberations of the Council and of the assembly are
carried out.
3. Sees that the laws of the
Order are respected and observed, and the Orders of the Supreme Lodge and of
the Grand Lodge are obeyed.
4. Controls the affairs of the
Lodge and supervises the performance of duties by the other officers of the
Council.
5. Signs the minutes of the
meeting of the assembly and all orders of payment, checks, correspondence and
all documents which invest the responsibility of the Lodge.
6. Appoints all committees of
the Lodge. The President is an ex-officio
member of all committees.
7. Refrains from making
proposals at the meetings of the assembly; participates in discussions only to
clarify the issues presented, and votes only in case of a tie.
8. After hearing the opinion of
the Orator, the President rules upon controversies involving the application of
the laws. The member who disagrees with
the ruling and the interpretation of the President shall appeal within ten (10)
days to the State President.
9. When disorder arises in the
meeting of the assembly or of the Council, the President may silence or censure
the member or members causing such disorder, if such member or members persist
in causing disorder, the President may fine, silence or expel the member or
members from the hall or suspend the meeting.
10. May appoint a Chaplain whose primary duties
shall be to conduct, whenever practicable, all religious exercises of the
Lodge. The Chaplain shall also perform
11. such other duties relating to the office, as
shall be assigned to the office from time to time.
D. VICE PRESIDENT: The Vice President is the second ranking officer of the
Lodge. As such, the Vice President
assists the President and takes the President’s place when the President is absent
or unable to act.
In the absence of the
President, the Vice President performs duties and exercises the
prerogatives of the President to the same extent and with like power which the
President would have, if present.
E. IMMEDIATE
PAST PRESIDENT: The office of
Immediate Past President shall be given to the member who has served one
complete term as President of the Lodge immediately preceding the
incumbent. If, on account of death,
disqualification, resignation or removal, the office of Immediate Past President
becomes vacant, the office shall be filled from the preceding former Presidents
in the inverted order of their tenure of office. The Immediate Past President assumes the office of President
whenever the President and Vice President are unable to act or are absent from
the meeting of the Council or of the assembly, and performs the duties and
exercises the prerogatives of the President to the same extent and with like
powers as the President, if present.
The Immediate Past President has all the rights, privileges and
responsibilities of elected officers.
F. ORATOR: The
Orator gives opinions concerning the application and interpretation of the laws
of the Order and sees that the laws of the Order are observed and properly
applied. In matters which relate to the
administration of the affairs of the Lodge, the Orator is subordinate to the
President. In matters relating to the
exercise of Judicial Power, the Orator is subordinate to the State Orator. The Orator, either on the Orator’s own
initiative or upon complaint being made to the Orator, shall have power to
prefer written charges against a member who has violated the laws of the Order.
G. RECORDING SECRETARY: The Recording Secretary is the custodian of the archives and
the keeper of the seal of the Lodge.
The Recording Secretary’s duties are:
1. To take and record the
minutes of the meetings of the Council and of the assembly, which minutes are
to be read at the successive Meeting.
2. To make up and keep up to
date the membership roll of the Lodge.
3. To maintain a file of Lodge
correspondence, read correspondence at meetings, write letters
which the Recording Secretary is directed to write by the President or other
higher Officers of the Order.
4. To be the sole officer
through whom a member may communicate with the Grand Council.
5. To notify members of
meetings.
6. To act as the clerk of the
Lodge Arbitration Commission when such Commission is in session, except in case
the Recording Secretary is an interested party.
7. Within ten (10) days after
receipt, to forward to the State Recording Secretary all appeals referred or
presented to the Recording Secretary by members because of administrative
irregularities. The appeals, when
forwarded, shall be accompanied by a report of the views expressed by the
Council.
8. To carry out all orders
which the Recording Secretary may receive, in matters pertaining to the office,
from the President or from the higher ranking officers of the Order.
H. FINANCIAL SECRETARY: The Financial Secretary is the collector
and accountant of the Lodge. The
Financial Secretary’s duties are:
1.
To collect dues
and assessments, giving proper receipt therefore.
2. To write orders of payment,
affix the Financial Secretary’s signature thereon, together with that of the
President.
3. To present orders of payment
to the Treasurer, who issues checks thereon. The Financial Secretary presents
these checks to the parties to whom they are payable, exacting at the same time
money due from such parties to the Lodge.
4. To make up and keep
up-to-date financial records, particularly those entrusted to the Financial
Secretary by the Grand Lodge or Supreme Lodge. Those financial records are:
the ledger, the journal book, the financial statements, and the orders
of payments.
5. To notify by mail those
members who are in default with the payment of dues and assessments.
6. To make a quarterly financial
report, which is to be audited and signed by no less than three trustees, a
copy of which is to be sent to the State Financial Secretary.
7. To make payment of the Per
Capita Tax, computed on the basis of the number of members listed on the
membership roll at the end of each quarter, which payment shall be made,
without the necessity of deliberation on the part of the assembly of the Lodge,
no later than January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year.
8. To carry out all orders
which the Financial Secretary may receive, in matters affecting the office,
from the President and from higher ranking officers of the Order.
I. TREASURER: The Treasurer is the custodian of the
funds of the Lodge. The Treasurer’s
duties are:
1. To receive at the end of
each meeting all money collected by the Financial Secretary and to issue proper
receipt therefore.
2. To record in and keep
up-to-date the Cash Book of the Lodge, in which record the Treasurer shall
register monthly income and disbursements of the Lodge.
3. Not later than three (3)
days after each meeting, to deposit in previously designated banks the funds
received by the Treasurer in accounts opened in the name of the Lodge.
4. To issue and sign checks
upon the receipt of proper order of payment and consign them to the Financial
Secretary for delivery to the payee thereof.
5. To withdraw funds from
checking and savings accounts opened in the name of the Lodge provided the
withdrawal slip bears the signatures of two of the following four
signatories: President, Vice President,
Financial Secretary, and the Treasurer.
6. To carry out such orders
which the Treasurer may receive, in matters pertaining to the office, from the
President or from the higher ranking officers of the Order.
J. TRUSTEES:
The Trustees supervise the affairs of the Lodge and are members of the
council. Their duties are:
1. To examine and audit the
financial books and records kept by the Financial Secretary and the Treasurer
of the Lodge each January. A written report shall be provided to the President
at the next General Meeting and shall not be valid unless it bears the
signature of no less than three (3) trustees. Supplemental audits can be called
by the President and Financial Secretary if they deem necessary.
2. To examine and audit the
quarterly financial report of the Financial Secretary, certifying as to its
correctness by affixing their signatures thereon; provided, however, that such
report shall not be valid unless it bears the signature of no less than three
(3) trustees in addition to that of the Financial Secretary.
3. To perform such additional
duties, in matters pertaining to their office, imposed upon them by the laws of
the Order or by the deliberations of the assembly of the Lodge.
K. MASTER/MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES: The Masters and/or Mistresses of
Ceremonies are officers of the Lodge who participate in ceremonial activities
prescribed by the laws of the Order during the course of the meetings of the
Lodge.
L. GUARD: The Guard is the doorkeeper of the
Lodge. The Guard’s duty is to exclude
strangers from the meetings of the assembly; to admit those members in good standing
who have identified themselves; to announce the presence of non-members to the
President, who in turn, orders the Guard to either admit or exclude such
persons.
Section 3. LODGE
HERALD: The Herald is a Ceremonial
Officer of the Lodge, appointed for occasion by the Presiding Officer during
the meetings of the Assembly of the Lodge.
He shall assist the Presiding Officer, in conformity to the laws of the
Order, in ritualistic form, on the occasion of the Installation of the
Lodge, Installation of Officers, and Initiation of Candidates for membership in
the Lodge. Section 4. STATE
DELEGATES:
A. The State Delegates are the representatives of the Lodge who represent it at the State Convention of the Grand Lodge. The State Delegates and their alternates are to be elected by the Assembly of the Lodge once every two (2) years, and their number shall be fixed by the laws of the Grand Lodge. The local Lodge president is the chairman of the Delegation. The State Delegation will be substituted by the Alternates in the order of their election in case any state Delegate is unable to act. For a member to become a state Delegate, he must have held office previously as a member of the Lodge for one year.
B. When both the Delegate and the Alternate Delegate cannot
attend the State Convention, the local Lodge President may designate a member
of his/her Lodge to represent them.
C. The election for State Delegates shall be by plurality vote,
with the number of candidates receiving the largest number of votes being
elected even if they did not receive a majority vote; the number of elected
Delegates being as prescribed by the Grand Lodge. Alternate Delegates are those who did not receive sufficient
votes to be elected Delegates and shall be selected as replacements for State
Delegates based on the number of votes received.
ARTICLE VIII
NOMINATIONS
Section 1. NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE:
A.
At the General
Meeting held in December in odd-numbered years, a Nominating Committee composed
of three (3) members shall be appointed by the President.
B.
The Committee
shall select its own chairman and shall present a slate with one (1) candidate for
each office at the General Meeting during the month of January. After the Chairman of the Nominating
Committee has made his report, additional nominations from the floor shall be
taken at the January meeting. A member,
who is nominated from the floor at the January meeting, must be present at that
meeting to accept the nomination. All nominations are closed at the end of the
January meeting, after which the random selection for ballot position(s) shall
be held.
C.
Members of the
Nominating Committee may themselves be candidates for office without resigning
from the committee, but care must be taken not to abuse this privilege.
ARTICLE IX
Section 1: ELECTORAL BOARD
A.
In January of
even-numbered years, the President shall appoint an Electoral Board of five (5)
members who are not candidates for any office.
The Board will elect a President of the Electoral Board and make the
necessary preparations to conduct the election in February.
B.
The Electoral
Board has the following duties in general or special elections:
1. To distribute ballots to
qualified voters.
2. To count those present,
qualified to vote, and ascertain that those present and voting correspond to
the number of ballots in the ballot box.
3. To count the votes, and to detect
and declare void, those ballots that bear special marks that reveal the
identity of the voter, or are improperly marked.
4. In case of a tie vote, the
candidate with the longest continuous membership in the Order is elected.
5. To supervise the election to
the end that secrecy of the ballot be preserved and no fraud takes place in
balloting.
6. To decide controversial
questions arising during the course of the election.
Section 2: ELECTIONS
B.
Voting in the
election of officers shall be by written or printed secret ballot. If there are only two candidates running for
an office, a majority vote shall be required.
If there are more than two candidates running for an office, a plurality
vote of those present and voting is required to win the election. The election for the office of Trustees
shall be by plurality vote, with the five (5) candidates receiving the largest
number of votes being elected even if they did not receive a majority
vote. Only Regular members in good
standing for at least six (6) months, and in attendance, shall cast
ballots. Absentee ballots, proxy
ballots, or write-in candidates will not be allowed.
Section 3. CONSECUTIVE TERMS The members of the
Council shall be elected to a two (2) year term. All officers may serve unlimited terms in the same office.
Section 4. VACANCIES
Whenever a vacancy
occurs in the office of Lodge President, it shall be filled by the Lodge Vice
President for the remainder of the term. Any other vacancies on the Council
shall be filled by holding a Special Election at the next regular or special
meeting of the assembly, with due notice to the membership.
Section 1. REGULAR MEETINGS: The regular meetings of the Lodge shall be
held
Section 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special meetings may be called by the
President or upon written request of no less than one-third of the members in
good standing. The business of a special
meeting shall be limited to the order of the day. The Recording Secretary, upon order of the President, shall give
notice of the meeting, and the order of the day by mail sent to each member of
the Lodge no less than five (5) days prior to such special meetings.
Section 3. PRESIDING OFFICER: In the absence of the President, Vice
President and Immediate Past President, the meeting of the assembly is to be
presided over by the officer called upon by a majority vote of the assembly. Such presiding officer shall have all the
powers and shall exercise all of the prerogatives of the President in the
course of the meeting over which the officer or member presides.
Section 4. QUORUM:
No regular, special meeting of the assembly shall be
declared open unless a quorum be present. 40% of the Regular Members in good
standing shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE XI THE
COUNCIL
Section 1. COUNCIL POWER:
A.
The Council is the
administrative and controlling body of the Lodge when the assembly is not in
session.
B.
The Council has
the power to administer and control the affairs of the Lodge, but not the power
to impose new assessments.
C.
The Council
shall not incur expenses other than those necessary for the administration of
the regular affairs of the Lodge. In
case of emergency, the President, by a majority vote thereof, may appropriate a
sum of money, not to exceed $300.00, with which to meet expenses incidental to
such emergency; and the appropriation so made shall be reported to the assembly
at its next meeting.
D.
The Council shall neither have the power to
change or modify the laws of the Lodge.
Section 2. COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL: The Council is composed of the President,
Vice President, the Immediate Past President, the Orator, the Recording
Secretary, the Financial Secretary, the Treasurer, the Trustees, Masters/Mistresses
of Ceremony, and the Guard.
Section 3. COUNCIL MEETINGS: The Council shall meet
monthly. Special meetings of the
Council may be called by the President and may be called upon the written
request of no less than one-third of the members of the Council.
Section 4. QUORUM: No regular or special meetings of the
Council shall be declared open unless a quorum is present. Not less than eight (8)
officers in good standing shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE XII
Section 1. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES: The business of this Lodge is to be
transacted in conformity with the laws of the Order, the Ritual, and under the
forms of Parliamentary Procedures as prescribed in “Roberts’ Rules of Order”.
Section 2. CONFLICT: In case of conflict between the Laws of the Order and “Roberts’
Rules of Order”, the laws of the Order shall prevail. Whenever the Laws of the Grand Lodge or of the Local Lodge
conflicts with the General Laws of the Supreme Lodge, the General Laws of the
Supreme Lodge shall prevail over the others.
Whenever the Laws of the Local Lodge conflict with those of the Grand
Lodge, the Laws of the Grand Lodge shall prevail.
ARTICLE XIII
LEGISLATIVE POWERS
The power to make laws
and to adopt amendments thereto shall be exercised by the Lodge while in
session, in all matters affecting the rights and obligations of its members;
providing the laws and amendments are not in conflict with the Laws of the
Supreme Lodge nor with the laws of the Grand Lodge.
Amendments to these
Bylaws may be approved by a majority vote of the members present and eligible
to vote at a regular or special meeting, the proposed amendments having been
submitted in writing and read at the previous regular meeting, and provided
that written note was sent by mail to all members at least five (5) days prior
to such meetings.
These Bylaws and any
amendments thereto shall become effective after passage by the Lodge in
assembly and approved by the Grand Council. These Bylaws will become effective as of October 12, 2004.