Chatper 28
Board of General Purposes
REG. 28-1 QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS.
The Board of General Purposes shall consist of twelve members, each of whom shall be a Past Master. [27-1.1.A; 27-6; 27-7.7].
The following officers of the Grand Lodge during their respective terms of office shall be members of the Board of General Purposes:
The Grand Master, who shall be chairman
The Deputy Grand Master
The Senior Grand Warden
The Junior Grand Warden
The Grand Treasurer
The Grand Secretary, who shall be secretary of the board [16-1.4]
1. In addition to the above named officers of the Grand Lodge there shall be six qualified members to be nominated by the Grand Master and confirmed by the Grand Lodge.
2. At each annual communication the Grand Master-elect shall nominate two members, each of them to serve for three years when confirmed by the Grand Lodge. [27-4].
3. In the event of a vacancy on the board by death or otherwise, the Grand Master shall fill such vacancy until the next annual communication of the Grand Lodge, when the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner hereinbefore provided.
4. No member of this Board shall succeed himself or serve as a member of this Board until twelve months shall have elapsed since his last term of service expired; provided, a member appointed or elected to fill an unexpired term of not more than twelve months shall be eligible for election to a full three-year term.
5. Not more than one member of this Board shall have as his legal place of residence the same city or county, except Grand Lodge Officers, who by virtue of their office, are members of this Board.
REG. 28-3 POWERS AND AUTHORITY.
The objects and purposes, powers and authority, and limitations of the Board of General Purposes shall be as follows:
1. It shall be a Committee on the Grand Master's address, to which the address shall be referred without motion. It shall recommend the distribution of the Grand Master's address, and of its various topics, subjects, or provisions to the appropriate boards, commissions, or committees for further reports to the Grand Lodge. The board may reserve to itself any portion of the Grand Master's address, for further consideration and report with its recommendations, and it shall consider and report on any questions or matters of policy contained in that address with its recommendations thereon. [13-5.2; 21-2; 36-7; 5-7.1].
2. It shall be an advisory committee with whom the Grand Master may consult when he desires.
3. It shall serve to coordinate and facilitate the general activities of the Grand Lodge in all of the institutions and agencies in which the Grand Lodge has a proprietary interest, or which it may promote or operate directly or indirectly, and of all officers, departments, boards, commissions, or committees of the Grand Lodge through regular or periodical review and consultation from time to time. It shall serve to coordinate, promote, continue, and more efficiently carry out such policies, objectives, plans, purposes, or duties as may be approved or authorized by the Grand Lodge or by the Grand Master.
4. Each member except the Grand Master shall represent on this board a special activity or group of related activities or objectives of the Grand Lodge. Unless set forth hereafter, each member when nominated, or when he becomes a member of the board, shall be assigned by the Grand Master to one or more activity or objective which he is to represent. He should diligently acquire such information concerning those subjects as will enable him intelligently to inform the board of their condition and need to suggest means for their improvement or promotion.
A. The Grand Treasurer shall report on matters pertaining to his office.
B. The Grand Secretary shall report on matters pertaining to his office and as to charters and dispensations of lodges.
REG. 28-4 ACTIVITIES REPRESENTED.
The following are considered as activities and groups of related activities properly to be represented by members of the Board of General Purposes:
1. Charity, relief; The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, Inc., and Whitestone (a Masonic and Eastern Star Home community), Incorporated, (this subsection amended, effective 1-1-2013)
2. Finances of the Grand Lodge,
3. The North Carolina Masonic Foundation, Incorporated,
4. Masonic Jurisprudence, trials, appeals, and grievances,
5. Ritualistic Work, Lecture Service, and Masonic education,
6. Delinquent lodges, dormant lodges, and lodge buildings,
7. Civil law, as counsel for the Grand Master and the board, and
8. Relations with other Grand Lodges.
9. To provide for expansion and growth of services or for more efficient prosecution of the activities and objectives of the Grand Lodge, the board in its discretion may change the foregoing grouping of activities, and may add to or take from any group, or may make additional groups of activities.
REG. 28-5 NO LIMITATION ON THE GRAND MASTER.
The Board of General Purposes shall not at any time, nor in any manner, nor to any extent, directly or indirectly encroach upon, affect, limit, or restrict the powers, authority, and prerogatives of the Grand Master granted to him by the law of the Grand Lodge, or recognized in this Grand Jurisdiction as being conferred by the landmarks, ancient customs, and usage of the Craft, or as being inherent in his office.
The Board of General Purposes shall act only by a majority of its members present at a proper meeting, a quorum being present, and not by correspondence. The Grand Master, or his representative duly appointed, in his sole discretion, shall have authority to postpone action on any matter or subject before the board without the necessity for concurrence by members of the board, except the Grand Master's address when being considered under the provisions of Regulation 28-3.1, and any matter referred to it under Regulations 27-4 and 36-7. [13-2.24; 27-7.7].
REG. 28-7 QUORUM AND PRESIDING OFFICER.
Seven members of the Board of General Purposes, one of whom is qualified to preside, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Grand Master shall preside if present. In his absence the presiding officer shall be a member determined by reference to Regulation 11-10.
REG. 28-8 MEMBERS NOT REPRESENTED BY PROXY.
No member of the Board of General Purposes shall be represented by proxy except the Grand Master.
Regular meetings of the Board of General Purposes shall be held at the place and hour designated by the Grand Master in each quarter. (this regulation amended, effective 1/1/2010)
Special meetings of the Board of General Purposes may be called by the Grand Master in his discretion.
At least five days notice of any meeting of the Board of General Purposes shall be given to all members.