PROCEEDINGS GRAND LODGE - Freemasons of Wisconsin

The first reports in this new format will be available no later than August of 2006.”For over 10 years the trustees have reported on their concerns about depletion ofthe Grand Lodge investment assets in the General Operating fund in order tobalance the Grand Lodge Budget. As part of our studies this last year we haveanalyzed the sources of revenue to support the Grand Lodge budget over the last 20years. Between 1991 and 2005 the smallest percentage provided from the trusteeaccounts was 39.3% and the largest was 64%. Over the last five years with a downmarket the average support provided from the General Operating fund has been$472,874. Chart 3 shows this data. The trustees have prepared a pro forma through2011 to understand the implications of various rates of return from the investmentsin the General operating fund. This data is in chart 4 and shows the risks inforecasting future revenue for support of the Grand Lodge budget. The trustees haverecommended to the expenditures committee they plan on an average of no morethan $300,000 in revenue from the general operating fund investments over each ofthe next five years to minimize the need to use realized gains to balance the budget.This will grow the corpus of the General Operating fund from the realized gains. Thetrustees have also charted the membership trends over the last 20 years both fortotal membership and for participation in the PMP program. This data is shown incharts 5 and 6. All this data has several implications as reviewed by the trustees.To maintain the same percentage of revenue from per capita to support the budgetwith a declining membership trend, the per capita would need to be raised. Althoughthe budget has been reduced significantly in recent years, if it stays at current levelsthe revenue from other sources also needs to increase. The only other sources arerents, leases, mortgages, fees, gifts, transfers from the trustee investment accounts,or sale of Grand Lodge property, with the biggest source being transfers from theGeneral operating fund.”We as the craft have historically given generously to our benevolent activities andneed to continue to do so. Over the last decade however, bequests and or gifts to theGrand Lodge general operating fund have dropped to almost zero. We need todevelop strategies to increase the size of the general operating fund to a level whichcan be managed to produce the funds needed to balance the Grand Lodge budget. Ifthat fund held investment assets in excess of $6,500,000 it would on average produce$500,000 a year to support the Grand Lodge budget with minimum depletion of thefunds assets. The Grand Lodge Trustees recommend the Executive Committee withthe Expenditures Committee develop the financial goals and plans needed tomanage and fund the Grand Lodge activities by planning for the future withforecasts of expenditures and revenues for five years to be revised each year asevents warrant.”Although the financial benefits to the Grand Lodge was not the prime motivatorin negotiating with St Mary’s church on the sale of the land to be discussed whenresolution 8-2006 is presented, it will help in increasing the investment funds in thegeneral operating fund.”The Property Management Sub-Committee efforts during the last year consistedof the following.”The Draft Plan for development of the Dousman Campus has been completed.This 14 page document is available for those interested in the details by contactingthe Grand Lodge office. The key elements of the plan are:56