REV. JOSEPH T. THORNTON MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE HALL GRAND CHAPTER HOLY ROYAL ARCH MASONS RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Re-write 27 May 1998 1. PURPOSE: To prescribe a uniform financial records maintenance and administrative procedure for the maintenance of permanent records of the Rev. Joseph T. Thornton, Most Excellent Prince Hall Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons and subordinate chapters. These records are considered mandatory for the accurate, complete and efficient maintenance of the historical administrative and financial activities of this organization. 2. APPLICABILITY: Procedures prescribed are applicable to the Rev. Joseph T. Thornton, Most Excellent Prince Hall Grand Chapter and subordinate chapters of the Holy Royal Arch Masons, Jurisdiction of Oklahoma. 3. In these procedures, income vouchers will use the prefix letter C and payment vouchers will use the prefix of D. An account may have a credit or debit balance. 4. Records indicated below are considered permanent records and will be maintained by each chapter. A. Minutes of each meeting. (In a bound book) B. Secretary s Cash Book C. Membership Ledger Book (Individual Membership File). Three types are: (1) Active Membership File (2) Inactive Membership File (3) Petition and Investigation Sheets on Candidates D. Financial Register E. Voucher Files. (There are two types) which are: (1) Income Vouchers (2) Payment Vouchers F. Reconcile and file Bank Statements (Monthly) G. Accounts Receivable File. Three types of accounts receivable are: (1) Outstanding debts owed to the Chapter. (2) Dishonored checks and related records. (3) Listing and value of property and supplies on hand for issue or for sale. H. Treasurer s Financial Report File I. Quarterly MBA Report File 1
J. Auditor s Report File 5. The maintenance of chapter records is a cooperative effort among the High Priest, Secretary, and Treasurer. However, files will be maintained by officers as indicated below: A. The Secretary will maintain the following files: (1) Minutes of Chapter meetings (2) Cash Receipt Book (Journal) (3) Membership Ledger Book (4) Accounts Receivable File (5) Quarterly MBA Report File (6) Auditors Report File (7) Accounts Payable File (Items known to become due i, e., Rent, Supplies, etc.) (8) Receipt Book Stubs B. The Treasurer will keep the following files: (1) Financial Register (2) Voucher File (Income and Payment Vouchers in the same file) (3) Reconciliation of Bank Statement (monthly) (4) Treasurer s Financial Report File (5) Checkbook 6. FORMS AND FORMAT A. Minutes of Meetings: Chapter minutes should include as a minimum the date, time and place of each meeting, how opened, who presided, the business of the evening (suggestions made, motions proposed and results etc.), funds collected to include charity, and time of adjournment. Minutes will be signed by the Secretary and High Priest. B. The Cash Receipt Book (Journal) will be used to record the receipt of funds collected from all sources. All funds paid into the chapter will be collected by the Secretary. All pages of the Secretary s Cash Book will be numbered by the High Priest. No pages will be removed or torn from this book for any reason. Individual Receipt Number will be recorded in column headed Ledger Number. Each individual source of income will be itemized in the Secretary s Cash Book. At the end of each month the Secretary will Close-out all entries recorded for the month by totaling each column, individually marked; Fees, Dues, other source and total. To insure an adequate cross reference between the Secretary and Treasurer, total payments made will be deducted from total collected for that month. (Balance should be the same as the Treasurer s book). Balance will be carried forward to next month and will be the first entry on page for the following month (I, e. Balance Brought Forward from 31 January 1995 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Total Column - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -$200.00. C. A Membership Ledger will be initiated and maintained on each individual member of the chapter who has received the 4th o. The membership ledger is a preprinted form which may be obtained from any Masonic Supply Company. The heading of the membership ledger is self explanatory, and all spaces should be filled out as they occur by typewriter or ink, 2
except address of member. The address of member should be lightly entered in pencil to facilitate changes as they occur. The first two columns on the left side of this form will indicated the period for which dues are paid, i e., Jan 1, 85 to Jun. 30, 85. The description block will indicate Dues, Payment of Dishonored Check, Fees, etc. The amount paid will be entered in the left money column. The actual date correspondence or remittance is received by the Secretary will be entered on the right side of the form. These entries should be made a the time the membership card is validated by the Secretary. Both sides of the form will be used, and when all spaces are exhausted, additional forms numbered 2, 3, etc. with only the members name permanently affixed, will be posted and filed directly behind the original form in the membership ledger book. Membership ledger pages of inactive members will be maintained in a separate file. Members who are dropped from rolls for non-payment of dues, suspended, expelled, demitted, transferred, resigned, or deceased are inactive members. Petitions of candidates who fail to complete the 7 o will be filed in a separate inactive file by degree. The petitions will indicate the date fees were paid, and date previous degree was taken on the front of the petition. D. The Financial Register will be used to record all monetary income and disbursements of the chapter. Voucher numbers for income (C) and Payment (D) will be obtained from this register and posted to such vouchers as they are received, starting with number 1 - for each separate series each year, with the type, number and year, with the year entered after the dash, i.e. C-1-85 (Income) or D-1-85 (Payment). Information entered on the register will be obtained from the income or payment voucher concerned, and will include month and year, payment, source, purpose, etc., check number, amount received, or amount expended, and balance. Enter signature of Treasurer after Posted by. This register may be maintained in a legal size bound book. E. Voucher File. The voucher file will be used to file all income and payment vouchers, filed in numerical order by year, starting with number 1 each year. Income vouchers on left, payment vouchers on right (1) Income Vouchers: (a) The Secretary will prepare income vouchers in three copies (one copy for Secretary, one copy for Treasurer and one copy for the High Priest.) (b) The cover page of income vouchers must contain a combined itemized summary of all income recorded on receipts or Secretary and Treasurer s Cash Book, i.e., total initiation fees, total dues, total charity donation transactions, total supplies, total petition fees, etc. Treasurer. (c) All copies of income vouchers will be signed by the Secretary and (d) Income voucher will be numbered consecutively from the Transaction register, beginning with number C-1-85 (and the current year) by the Treasurer at the beginning of each calendar year. (e) Secretary and Treasurer. All corrections on income vouchers must be initialed by the 3
(f) Donation to charity and other combined income donations will be counted on-the-spot and verified by a person designated by the High Priest. A receipt will be written therefore, which will be legibly signed by the Secretary and the designated verifying official. (g) Receipts for each listed item of income will be attached to the Treasurer s Income Voucher (the receipts and receipt stub will be numbered by the Secretary). Both copies of a receipt for charity donations must be attached to the Treasurer s Income voucher. Both copies of the canceled receipt must be numbered by the Secretary. The Secretary must number all receipts and receipt stubs consecutively beginning with number 1 at the beginning of each calendar year. The Secretary will write a receipt in two copies, for each income transaction and the original copy will be given to the person making the payment while the duplicate will be turned over to the Treasurer along with the income, except as stated for charity donations and all other combined donations. The Secretary will retain the receipt stub book. It must not contain any removed pages or be torn apart. (h) The Treasurer will deposit all monies received into the Bank Account within a reasonable period of time normally 24 hours excluding Holidays and weekends. The Treasurer will attach deposit slip to the affected income voucher. (2) Payment Vouchers: (a) The Secretary will prepare vouchers in three copies which will be distributed the same as the income vouchers. (b) Payment Vouchers will be numbered by the Treasurer consecutively beginning with number D-1-85. (and the current year) (c) All payment vouchers must be approved by the High Priest before the check is written; except in emergency cases as directed by the High Priest. the Treasurer. (d) The check number must be recorded on all payment vouchers by (e) vouchers by the Secretary. (f) The Authority for payment must be recorded on all payment All payment transactions must be made by check. F. Reconciliation of Bank Statement. The Bank statement will be reconciled upon receipt with the Treasurer s financial register, deposit slips, and check book stubs to verify accuracy of the chapter accounts. As a minimum, the following steps will be taken. (1) When checks are written by the Treasurer, check stubs retained will show a running balance, to indicate balance brought forward, amount deposited, total amount of check written, and balance carried forward to next check stub. (2) Canceled checks received along with the bank statement will be checked off against the bank statement and check book stubs. 4
(3) If a charge is made and canceled check is included for that amount, the charge is usually a dishonored check, and represents an expense to the Chapter. In this case the Debit Memo and the check will be sent to the Secretary, who will prepare a No Check Payment Voucher to adjust the financial records. The Secretary will take necessary action to collect funds from the individual who issued the check. (4) Canceled checks will be taped to the corresponding stub in the check book and retained as a permanent record to be available for audit. G. Accounts Receivable file. The accounts receivable file maintained by the Secretary will include the following category of documents and correspondence. (1) Correspondence from the Treasurer advising the Secretary that a check was dishonored by the bank, showing the name of the individual who issued it, the amount of the check and the amount of the bank charge against the Chapter. (2) File copy of correspondence from the Secretary to the individual or organization who issued the dishonored check, requesting that the chapter be reimbursed. The dishonored check will be retained in this file until repayment has been made. After repayment, the check will be returned to the individual or organization. (3) Masonic Supplies purchased for resale to members. A list of Masonic supplies, indicating the selling price for each item, and the total amount sold. This document will be adjusted against the inventory of items on hand. H. Treasurer s Financial Report File. This file will contain the Chapters record copy of all financial reports submitted to the Chapter by the Treasurer. The Treasurer s report will cover the period beginning the date of Chapter meeting and ending date prior to next Chapter meeting. As a minimum, each Treasurer s report will contain the following: (1) Balance brought forward at beginning of period. (2) Income (deposits) during period of report. (3) Total funds for period (balance brought forward plus income deposited). (4) Expenditures during period. (detailed accounting for each check written or total amount expended for any one purpose.) (5) Total expenditures for reporting period. (6) Total funds on hand (balance) at end of period. (7) Accounts (amount) receivable (when applicable) from Secretary s record. (8) Total funds on hand plus accounts receivable. (9) Accounts Payable. (10) Charity Fund. 5
(11) Total unobligated funds. I. Quarterly MBA Report File. MBA reports will be completed in accordance with instructions received from the Grand Chapter of Oklahoma. The file copy of each report submitted will be maintained in this file. J. Inspections / Audits: (1) The High Priest along with a member appointed by him will inspect the Secretary and Treasurer s Financial Records in March, June, September of each year and at other times at their discretion. (2) Financial Records of Secretary and Treasurer will be audited by an auditing committee during the Month of November (prior to the annual election). Every effort should be exerted by each chapter to engage members of an audit committee who are qualified or has experience in administration and records keeping procedures. Members of the audit committee may be members of the chapter or professional auditors hired by the chapter. Elected chapter officers may not be members of the audit committee. The written audit report should be confined to the following: (a) Listing of discrepancies or deficiencies found. (b) Recommendation for the correction of errors found or establishment of additional controls deemed necessary to improve the records keeping system. 7. Permanent Records: The following files are Permanent files and will be retained. A. Original copy of all minutes. B. Secretary s Cash Book C. Treasurer s Transaction File (Cash Book) D. Compiled summary of correspondence files. E. Compiled listing of inactive membership ledgers over five (5) years old. F. All MBA reports. JAMES E. HUBBARD JR., 33 0 Most Excellent Grand High Priest 6
REV. JOSEPH T. THORNTON MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE HALL GRAND CHAPTER Holy Royal Arch Masons P.O. Box 102 Muskogee, Oklahoma 74402 PAYMENT VOUCHER NUMBER DATE TO: GRAND TREASURER REV. JOSEPH T. THORNTON MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE HALL GRAND CHAPTER P.O. BOX 102 MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA 74402 Request check number in the amount of $ made payable to for the following transaction Authority for payment is: Minutes of meeting dated By-Laws, dated Article Section Approved budget dated ; Other (Explain in full) Substantiating documents are attached (Invoice, bill receipt, schedule of expenses, signed and dated): Yes No Date attached Signature of Grand Secretary Approved for Payment Signature of Most Excellent Grand High Priest : POSTED TO FINANCIAL REGISTER DATE: INITIALS OF TREASURER VOUCHER NUMBER 7
REV. JOSEPH T. THORNTON MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE HALL GRAND CHAPTER Holy Royal Arch Masons P.O. Box 102 Muskogee, Oklahoma 74402 Page of Pages From 20 to 20 CASH RECEIPT BOOK (JOURNAL) DATE NAME RCPT # MBA DUES ASSESS- MENTS OTHER TOTAL GRAND TOTAL: GRAND TOTAL ABOVE WAS RECEIVED BY ME THIS DATE: SIGNATURE OF SECRETARY SIGNATURE OF TREASURER & DATE 8
REV. JOSEPH T. THORNTON MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE HALL GRAND CHAPTER Holy Royal Arch Mason P.O. Box 102 Muskogee, Oklahoma 74402 INCOME VOUCHER NUMBER C FROM: SECRETARY TO: TREASURER DATE: MONETARY INSTRUMENTS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF RECEIVED BY THIS OFFICE FOR PURPOSES INDICATED BELOW ARE HEREBY TURNED OVER TO YOUR OFFICE FOR DEPOSIT INTO THE TREASURY OF THIS CHAPTER. MBA DUES ASSESSMENTS OTHER - CHARITY OTHER - SUPPLIES OTHER GRAND TOTAL REMARKS RECEIVED BY - (SIGNATURE OF TREASURER) TURNED IN BY (SIGNATURE OF SECRETARY) DATE (POSTED TO THE FINANCIAL RGTR) INITIALS (TREASURER) INCOME VOUCHER NUMBER C 9