Ah'Tic Lodge #139
Order of the Arrow
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Bylaws AH'TIC LODGE Revised By‑Laws
PREAMBLE: The Purpose of the Ah'tic Lodge is to recognize those campers ‑ Scouts, explorers, and scouters ‑ who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives and by such recognition cause other campers to conduct themselves in such manner as to warrant recognition.
To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirits.
To promote scout camping, which reaches its greatest effectiveness as a part of the unit's camping program both year round and in the summer camp, as directed by the camping committee of the council.
To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.
I. Name and Affiliation of Lodge
A. The name of this lodge of the Order of the Arrow shall be the Ah'tic Lodge, 139, W.W.W. The word Ah'tic taken from the Chippewa language, meaning elk.
B. The Ah'tic Lodge shall be affiliated with the Bucktail Council, B.S.A., and shall be under the supervision of the Vice President of Program, and the administrative authority of the Scout Executive of the Bucktail Council, B.S.A.
C. The totem of the Ah'tic Lodge shall be the standing elk.
II. Membership
A. Election to Membership
1. The requirements for membership in the Ah'tic Lodge are as required in the current edition of the Order of the Arrow handbook.
2. All elections must be approved and/or conducted by the Ah'tic Lodge Unit Election Committee. The Unit Election Committee shall set up a unit election team for each of the three districts comprising the Bucktail Council.
3. Recognition of those elected shall be at a public calling out ceremony held at any council or district camping activity. The team shall tap the candidates three times upon the right shoulder.
4. The Acting Calling Out Ceremony Chief shall be responsible for insuring that all candidates who are called out, receive written notification as to the time and location of the Ordeal Ceremonies. This shall be done the night of the calling out ceremony.
5. All elections for membership shall be held during the period of 1 April through 31 August of the calendar year. Election reports must be returned to the Bucktail Council office or Acting Calling Out Ceremonies Chief at least 24 hours prior to the calling out ceremony.
B. Dues
1. The annual dues of the Ah'tic Lodge are to be set by the executive committee, and brought before a vote of the lodge at any lodge function. Dues are to be collected by the lodge treasurer and deposited with the Bucktail Council office.
2. Paid up dues entitles a member to all privileges available to him, and makes him a member in good standing of the lodge for the calendar year.
3. All Ah'tic Lodge dues shall be handled by the Bucktail Council, Inc., and shall go through normal accounting procedures used by the Bucktail Council.
4. The current induction fee shall be payable at the time of the Ordeal. For such, each new Ordeal member shall receive:
a. current years dues b. membership card c. Order of the Arrow sash d. Order of the Arrow handbook e. food for the weekend f. other items as determined by the executive committee.
5. The dues of Ah'tic Lodge are payable by November 15 of each year. If paid after December 15, a charge of 50 cents is added. If paid after January 1, the member becomes inactive and an additional charge of $1,00 is added.
C. Active Membership and Transfer
1. A member becomes inactive after December 31 of the last year in which the members dues were paid.
2. Any inactive member shall become active by paying current years dues.
3. Transfer members from another Lodge to become an active member of Ah'tic Lodge must show proof of prior membership, (old card, etc.), and shall pay a transfer fee.
D. Procedure
1. Procedure for the Ordeal and all Order of the Arrow Ceremonies shall be as stated in the O.A. Handbook and the Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Ceremony books.
2. In the event that an Annual Lodge Budget is developed, funds will be made available for mailing, lodge activities and service projects. All must first be approved by the Executive Committee. Any member wishing reimbursement for money spent for the above crust submit a bill complete with receipts, within three months of the purchase date.
3. All bills will be paid by the Bucktail Council B.S.A. Inc., after receipt of a voucher from the Executive Committee and signed by the Lodge Treasurer.
III. Administration
A. Officers
1. The officers of the Ah'tic Lodge shall be the lodge chief, lodge vice‑chiefs, (one from each of the three districts comprising the Bucktail Council), lodge secretary and lodge treasurer. These elected officers crust be under the age of twenty‑one during their entire term of office and rrust be an active member of Ah'tic Lodge.
2. Lodge officers shall be elected at the spring business meeting. These officers shall be installed at the fall business meeting.
B. Advisors
1. The lodge lay advisor shall be appointed annually by the Scout Executive in consultation with the Council Vice‑President of program.
2. All lodge adult advisors shall be appointed by the Lodge Chief and the Lodge Lay Advisor with the approval of the Scout Executive.
C. Executive Committee
1. The Lodge Executive Committee shall be composed of the six elected officers; the immediate past chief; the lodge standing committee chairmen, and their advisors; the lodge lay advisor; one adult scouter from each district; the staff advisor and/or the Scout Executive.
2. The lodge Chief in conjunction with his advisor, shall appoint all lodge standing committee and any special committee chairmen as may be required. These special committee chairmen must meet the same qualifications as the elected officers.
3. A member of the Executive Committee may be asked to step down from his position by three‑quarters vote of at least a quorum of the Executive Committee after missing at least two lodge functions without legitimate excuse. The elected officer being dismissed must receive a letter written by the secretary warning him of his possible dismissal before the vote is taken.
a. A vacant elected office shall be filled by three‑quarters vote of at least a quorum of the Executive Committee.
b. A vacant chairmanship shall be filled by an appointment by the Lodge Chief with the consultation from the Lodge Advisors.
4. A quorum for an Executive committee meeting shall be made of at least fifty (50) percent of the total membership of the Executive Committee. The exact number comprising the quorum is based on the number of Executive Committee positions that existed thirty (30) days prior.
a. A committee represented on the Executive Committee shall have only one vote regardless of the number of members of that committee.
b. Elected Executive Committee members cannot have appointed proxy to take their place at a meeting.
c. A lodge standing committee chairman may have a voting delegate.
d. A lodge standing committee chairman may be replaced, if excused by the lodge chief, for the remainder of the calendar year.
D. Policies
1. The Executive Committee of this lodge shall convene at least four times during the lodge calendar year prior to lodge activities.
2. Special meetings of the Executive Committee or of the lodge may be called by the lodge chief with the approval of the Scout Executive.
a. A notice of at least twenty‑four hours must be given for an Executive Committee meeting.
b. A notice of at least fourteen days must be given for a lodge special meeting.
3. Each meeting of the lodge shall be opened with the obligation of the Order of the Arrow.
4. Members of the Order of the Arrow over twenty‑one years of age shall have no vote in any decision of the lodge.
5. All actions of this lodge shall be in accordance with the current edition of the O.A. handbook.
6. An Order of the Arrow function is described as any activity of Ah'tic Lodge or other lodges of O.A. which has been approved by the Executive Committee.
7. This lodge shall have a manual of administration concerning the duties of lodge officials and committee chairman and members.
8. Any out of council candidate who wishes to be tapped out by Ah'tic Lodge shall do so only with prior written permission from the Lodge Chief and the Scout Executive of his home council. The candidate will then be tapped at a regularly scheduled tapping ceremony only.
IV. Brotherhood Membership
A. Completion of brotherhood membership shall be in accordance with the latest edition of the O.A. handbook and the brotherhood ceremony handbook.
B. The candidate shall pay the current sash fee prior to the ceremony.
C. Only active, eligible brothers of this lodge shall be permitted to undergo the brotherhood ceremony.
V. Vigil Honor
A. Attainment of the Vigil Honor shall be in accordance with the latest edition of the O.A. handbook and the Vigil Ceremony handbook.
B. All elected candidates must take their Vigil within one year of their election.
C. Procedure for selection of Vigil Candidates.
1. The Lodge Chief shall appoint a Vigil Nominating committee. This committee shall be made up of one representative from each of the three districts prising the Bucktail Council.
2. The Lodge Chief with the advising consent of the Lodge Advisor and the Scout Executive shall appoint a youth Vigil member of the Ah'tic Lodge to act as chairman of the Vigil Nominating Committee. Each member shall have one vote and the chairman vote only to break a tie.
a. In the event there is no youth Vigil member, a youth brotherhood member may serve as chairman of the committee.
b. The Vigil Nominating Committee shall also consist of one adult Vigil member to act as advisor. This advisor is to be appointed by the Lodge Lay Advisor and the Scout Executive.
3. All Vigil Honor nominees shall be selected according to the procedure given in the current O.A. handbook.
4. All Vigil Members in good standing shall be notified of Vigil nominations and shall be given the opportunity to suggest Vigil nominees in writing.
VI. Lodge Recognitions
A. The Ah'tic Lodge Boy and Man of the Year awards shall be presented for outstanding service to the Lodge, for leadership, and for exemplifying the high ideals of Scouting and of the Order of the Arrow.
1. All past recipients, who are still under twentyone years of age, and the men who received awards at the same time as the boys, shall comprise the nominating committee along with the three Lodge Vice‑Chiefs, the Lay Advisor, and the Staff Advisor. Only those actually under twenty‑one years of age can make the final decision.
2. The Committee and his Advisors shall be the most recent recipients of the award.
3. The nominees crust be approved by the Scout Executive.
4. Awards shall be limited to one scout and scouter per year. The awards shall be presented at an appropriate lodge function.
5. The awards shall consist of a suitable engraved O.A. wall plague and name engraved on the Bucktail Council honor roll.
VII. Lodge Insignia
A. The lodge pocket flap patch, neckerchief, and backpatch (if available), and all other O.A. accessories shall be made available at all lodge activities.
B. Lodge neckerchiefs and O.A. sashes shall be worn only at O.A. functions and special scouting activities as stated in the O.A. handbook.
C. Neither the Lodge flap patch, Lodge backpatch, nor the Lodge neckerchief shall be given in recognition of service rendered or otherwise to anyone not holding an active membership in the order of the Arrow.
VIII. Process for the Amendments and Upkeep of By‑Laws
A. The master copy of the By‑Laws of Ah'tic Lodge 139 of the Order of the Arrow shall be kept on file at the Bucktail Council office.
1. The final draft of these By‑Laws along with the date of approval of said By‑Laws, shall be kept until such time as they are superseded by complete revision.
2. Any revision/amendment to these By‑Laws shall be dated and documented and added to the original master By‑Laws.
3. A separate history of revisions/amendments to these By‑Laws shall be attached to the master copy.
4. A copy of the master shall be given to the Lodge Chief and the Lodge Lay Advisor.
5. All ordeal members shall be given a copy of the latest revised By‑Laws at the time of their induction.
B. These By‑Laws shall be subject to amendment at any lodge meeting. Approval of an amendment shall require at least one‑fifth of the total youth membership of the lodge according to the last official membership audit. Provided such amendment has been submitted in writing to the Executive Committee of the lodge at least thirty days prior to the lodge meeting and approved by the Supreme Chief of the Fire. Notice of the proposed amendment must be sent by the lodge secretary to all lodge members at least fifteen days prior to the lodge meeting.
1. A two‑thirds vote of the members present shall be required for ratification.
C. The Lodge Chief and his Advisor shall appoint an Ad Hoc Committee to review the By‑Laws of Ah'tic Lodge and shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee when changes are necessary.
11-16-05 AMMENDMENT TO AH’TIC LODGE BY LAWS
15 NOVEMBER 2005
Under Lodge finance:
There shall be two funds that will be kept by the Bucktail Council for the Ah’Tic Lodge #139 Order of the Arrow, and audited once each year with a copy of the audit going to the lodge executive committee. Fund #1 will be the general fund where all monies generated by the lodge from dues, sales of materials, fund raisers, donations and the like are deposited. Fund #2 will consist of all income from the sale of bricks for the OA Wall at Camp Mountain Run. Both accounts are the sole property of the Ah’Tic Lodge #139 and may be used in anyway that the Officers and youth of the Lodge sees fit, with the approval of the Lodge Adviser and Staff Adviser. Monies are not to be withdrawn from these accounts without a proper motion duly moved by the Lodge Chief or his designate and voted upon by the youth present at the time of the motion. The council will provide to the lodge a monthly statement of the deposits and disbursements of monies from these two funds. This amendment supersedes any other by law rules regarding lodge finances.
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