ByLaws
COBB COUNTY MASONIC CONVENTION INC.
By-Laws (04/12/2017)
SECTION 1 – NAME
1.1 This convention shall be known and hailed as “The Cobb County Masonic Convention,” working under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Georgia F. & A.M.
SECTION 2 – JURISDICTION
2.1 The jurisdiction of the Convention shall include the following Lodges: Latham 12, Kennesaw 33, Springville 153, Acworth 176, Meyerhardt 314, Nelms 323, Battle Hill 523, Mableton 171, Samuel S. Lawrence 721, James E. Sledge Daylight 742, and any other Lodge in a county adjacent to Cobb County, making a written request to, and being elected by, the Cobb County Masonic Convention.
SECTION 3 – COMMUNICATIONS
3.1 The regular communication of the Cobb County Masonic Convention shall be held annually on the second Wednesday of April and shall consist of an afternoon and evening session. The host Lodge for the Convention may be any Lodge extending an invitation; however, it is preferable that the Lodge of the current sitting Master of the Convention be the host.
3.2 The evening session of the annual communication shall be reserved for reports of committees, election of and installation of incoming officers and any other business as may be properly brought before the Convention.
3.3 The Convention officers shall meet quarterly each year at such time and as directed by the Worshipful Master.
SECTION 4 – MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership becomes effective after the election by the Convention and upon payment of per-capita tax as set forth herein.
4.2 Membership in the Convention shall not be compulsory.
SECTION 5 – OFFICERS
5.1 The officers of the Convention shall be as follows:
1) The Worshipful Master
2) Deputy Master
3) Senior Warden
4) Junior Warden
5) Treasurer
6) Secretary
7) Chaplin
8) Senior Deacon
9) Junior Deacon
10) 1st Steward
11) 2nd Steward
12) 3rd Steward
13) Tyler
5.2 A Lodge shall have no more than one representative in the normal line of progression at any time. The normal line of progression shall be by Lodge as set out in Section 5.5
5.3 The offices of Treasurer and Secretary may be occupied by one person.
5.4 The Chaplin and Tyler are appointed by the incoming Worshipful Master with the Tyler only being a part of the normal line of progression.
5.5 Beginning at the annual communication in 2017 and continuing annually thereafter, the Tyler will be appointed by the next lodge in the line of progression. In the event of the removal, death, or resignation of any officer of the Convention, the lodge of that member will be notified. The Lodge shall replace that member of the Convention no later than the next scheduled meeting (quarterly or Convention) of the Cobb County Convention. In the event that the removed officer is the Worshipful Master, Deputy Master, Senior Warden or Junior Warden, the replacement will be assigned to the Senior Deacon station and the current Senior Deacon will advance. In the event that the removed officer is not replaced by the next scheduled meeting and the lodge has been notified, the replacement will fill the lowest position in the line of progression and all other officers will advance.
5.6 The Worshipful Master, Deputy Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warder and Secretary/Treasurer shall be nominated and elected by acclamation or as the Convention directs. The remaining officers shall advance pursuant to the normal line of progression.
5.7 Only current members of lodges that are members of this Convention are eligible to hold officer in the Convention. In addition, the stations of Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Deputy Master and Worshipful Master must be either a sitting Master or a Past Master of a Lodge that is a member of this Convention.
5.8 At the first quarterly meeting, the officers shall receive the recommendation of the Projects Committee, as appointed by the newly elected Worshipful Master, and adopt a suitable program for the Convention for the ensuing year. Quarterly meetings shall be for the purpose for reviewing progress of projects, establishment of ways and means, planning for the upcoming annual communication and any other business deemed pertinent to the furtherance of the purpose of the Cobb County Convention.
5.9 Any officer elected or appointed to serve in the Cobb County Masonic Convention who misses three (3) consecutive quarterly meetings and/or the annual communication, without being excused by the Worshipful Master, shall be removed from office. The vacancy will be filled per section 5.5 of the bylaws. The Worshipful Master of the lodge of the officer so removed shall be notified in writing by certified mail within thirty (30) days of such removal.
5.10 All officers, except the Worshipful Master, shall be required to return their apron to the Secretary after the closing of the annual communication. The officers will then retrieve their correct apron prior to the start of the next annual convention and surrender it for elections and appointments during the convention.
SECTION 6 – COMMITTEES
6.1 There shall be the following standing committees appointed by the newly elected Worshipful Master: Programs Committee, Projects Committee and Benevolence Committee.
6.2 The Program Committee shall consist of the officers of the Convention, together with such other members of the Convention, as the Worshipful Master may designate. It shall be the responsibility of the Program Committee to plan the program for the annual communication, well in advance of the annual communication, and to provide a printed copy of said program to all members’ Lodges at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual convention.
6.3 The Project Committee shall consist of three (3) of more members appointed by the Worshipful Master at the annual communication. It shall be the duty of this committee to determine and recommend a suitable benevolent project or projects for Cobb County and/or the surrounding communities.
6.4 The Worshipful Master shall appoint a Finance/Auditing committee at the afternoon session of the annual communication to audit books of the Secretary/Treasurer. This committee shall make its report to the Convention during the evening session of the annual communication.
The Worshipful Master shall assign officers to visit Lodges not represented in the normal line of progression.
SECTION 7 – RULE OF ORDER
7.1 All laws, rules, regulations, and edicts of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Georgia F. & A.M. are hereby incorporated herein as they would be applicable to the Cobb County Masonic Convention.
SECTION 8 – DUES AND FEES
8.1 The per capita tax payable to the Cobb County Masonic Convention shall be twenty cents (20₵) per member for all member Lodges as per the annual Grand Lodge Statement each year for each respective lodge. Dues are due and payable on or before the annual communication.
SECTION 9 – AMENDMENTS
9.1 Amendments to the By-Laws may be made as follows:
1) Written notice of any proposed by-law changes shall be given to each Lodge that is a member of the convention at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual convention at which the amendment is to be considered, and
2) Receiving two-thirds (2/3 rds) favorable vote of the members present at the Convention.
9.2 Any member may question the legality of such amendment or amendments and have questions determined by the Grand master of the Grand Lodge.
Revised & Approved First Reading: April 12, 2017 afternoon session
Second Reading: April 12, 2017 evening session
Adopted: April 12, 2017
We the undersigned, hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct copy of the By-Laws and Rules of Order, of the Cobb County Masonic Convention, witness out hands and official signatures, this the Tenth Day of April, Two Thousand and Thirteenth.
By-Laws Committee:
1 G. Keith Bryant
2 Lee English
3 Robert “Rusty” Cordle
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Jan Giddens, Worshipful Master
Cobb County Masonic Convention
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Steve Miers, Secretary
Cobb County Masonic Convention