General Session 1 and board meeting.

Districts not reporting, we had two months that we did not hit our 90% transmitted.  This will NOT happen again. 

Loss in membership last year and not a good start this year
Send letter that I will be calling in a couple of weeks, and then follow-up.

Account receivable.  Need to get lodges to make an effort.   Start making payments. 

Endowment fund cradle project for November.  Asked the lodges and chapters to get on it now, why wait until this fall.  One chapter has started with pink and blue containers to collect funds and compete at the local level.

Founders day that we will be staying in St Charles country in and suites.  Getting bigger each year.  Thanks to Obie and all those groups who go down early and set up the haunted house and things. 

$100 tickets, get them in and get them in early. 

6 point program has changes, youth congress, quota.  Dropped the monthly reporting by the 15^th.  Will now have to have a net gain of 1 at the end of the year to receive that .20 per member. 

Dave has put the lists for finances out on the District Presidents table. 

Dave received a comment card on why a lodge isn’t receiving a fellowship app.  Fellowship applications are awarded to the regional manager and usually they don’t get enough for each lodge to get one.  Now it is his decision to give it to a lodge based on if they participate in local, district, regional events.  It is not based on other programs.  But if you violate general laws then you are not entitled to an application.    There is considerable discord from lodges that the ruling of if you don’t go to convention, then you don’t get an application.  Bill Airey has had the office send out an e-mail to waive the requirement for the attendance in Anaheim for the premier lodge award, except for platinum award.  There will be now exception for Tampa, and the lodge could very well be shut down for 3-10 day for failure to be there. 

Had a lodge that is in severe financial trouble and a board member was going to loose his house because the ldoge didn’t pay their payroll taxes.  If the lodge pays payroll but does not pay the taxes, you are PERSONALLY responsible for that.  This is why we have the training classes and become more strict.  We had to put our foot down, because we care about the lodges and the officers that volunteer to do this job.  So if we seem to be a little more strict, we are. 

General session 1

Remember we have the Natural Gas program and now have the website and posters available.  Switch your security service and some members to the new Digital Security service and we could waive the per capita tax to your lodge.  Calendar program is coming back for another year.  100 for each lodge, and if you sell all 100 we will rebate $4 per calendar back.  So if you sell more than 100 you get more than $400 back. 

Dave spoke on the lodges that were absent from the meeting.  Comment cards are available for any questions from the floor.  Daryl Hammond has his book here, if you would like a copy they are $15 donation and available here at the convention.

Wertz warriors and the Moose fund 100% of the Michigan Winter games here in Michigan.   Last year $285,000 was collect and a large share was from the Moose.  Continue to support Moose Internationals program, but don’t forget our athletes here in Michigan. 

Retention Al Lewis-Short report today, more will be given Sat night.  We ended with 82.3% retention from last year’s numbers.  Congratulation to all. 

Scholarship only had 27 submitted, so we got one to award.  Bad Axe won,  and runner up was also from Bad Axe, 2^nd runner up was from South Haven.

Govt Relations- See the Michigan Moose Website to see updates and to find links to bills and newsletters.  No change on the Millionaire Parties, revising the bill for Keno, Asian Carp bill has resurfaced.  Embridge oil spill has recovered almost all of the oil.  Special Olympics, we are halfway there to add a checkbox on tax returns for donations to the Special Olympics.  Please contact representatives and let them know you are in support of the option to donate.  School millage appeal is stalled in committee and we need to get realigned with the non-profit organizations, but they want to classify us with fraternal organizations.  To help with the goal of being waived on the property taxes, fill out your community service report.   Please detail what you do for your community and that helps us fight nationally for you. 

Gary Mueller is our new operations anylyst, he is here to HELP your lodge.  Presently he has about 23 lodges in southern Michigan.