New Year
Here in the vault we have, just like you, celebrated the coming of a new year. At the beginning of a new year is a great place to stop and look back at the progress (or lack thereof) of the year just ended. Looking back gives one a greater perspective of what has happened and hopefully insight to the year ahead. This last year has seen improvement in our monetary wellbeing.
First, we opened a PayPal account and connected it to our website. This has helped several brothers pay their dues safely. Not only can you pay your 2018 dues, but also past dues for the last two years. Now bear with me, I am still learning and have been burning up the phone lines with PayPal to learn how and be able to get you an invoice for your records. You have heard the saying “That you cannot teach an old dog new tricks” it is not that old dogs cannot learn new tricks it just takes them longer, in the meantime, I will send you an email when PayPal sends me its notice of receipt. Now PayPal does charge a small handling fee for their services, it is only 3.5%, this is only $3.50 per one hundred dollars paid. If you are of such a mind and want to include that service charge along with your dues it would be greatly appreciated.
Second, we also opened a Square account to accept payments at the lodge, be it dinner at the stated, dues or other situations that may require the need of this convenience. If this is something you would to take advantage of please see me.
And third, our checking account is now legal and running well. As you may remember that in September the Federal Government gave notice to the bank that our account was not in compliance with federal regulations and must be corrected. It took several visits and phone calls to the bank to find the proper documentation needed to satisfy the requirements. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet the time frame set out by the feds and our account was closed, but a new one was opened with all of the documentation in order.
Now for a look at the future. January is not only the start of a new year, but also the start of a new masonic year. With that being said the WM Dave Munson and I have been working on and finalizing a budget. This will be presented to the Lodge at the January stated meeting.
In February, the audit committee will look over the necessary records to complete the annual audit. In the meantime, financial statements for Grand Lodge will be completed and sent, and the dreaded IRS Form 990 with schedules needs to be prepared.
This is the outlook of the future, partly foggy interspersed with days of rain with occasional patches of filtered sun.
I wish all my Brothers and their families a great and fruitful 2018. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
