08/12/2020
Fellow Nobles,
Greetings! During this time of continued uncertainty, changes, and disruption to the way we have done things in the past, I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight some of the key guidelines that should be observed regarding meetings and social gatherings.
On 21 July, 2020 Imperial Sir Jim Smith published an extension of the existing General Order 2 which permits additional flexibility for temples to conduct necessary business during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These flexible approaches include:
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Temples are granted special dispensation that, with the approval of a majority of the Divan, any Officer or member Noble of the temple can participate in an annual, stated or special meeting electronically.
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No less than one-weeks’ notice must be given stating the time, date, and business to be considered at the meeting, along with all necessary details for electronic participation in the meeting.
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At the discretion of the Chair or meeting host, a procedure must be taken at the beginning of a meeting to confirm that only Officers and member Nobles of the temple are participating in the meeting electronically.
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Participants must state their name and request to be recognized before speaking at any meeting conducted under this special dispensation, and that, at the discretion of the Chair, discussion shall take place on a rotating basis, and that votes shall be taken by roll call or general consent.
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The officers of any temple conducting a meeting under this special dispensation are to take all necessary precautions to protect the rights of absentee member Nobles.
The bottom line is that we are allowed to meet and conduct business electronically without having to ask permission from Imperial. However, for official meetings, we must give at least a week’s notice and be able to ensure that everyone present is a noble of our temple. To date, we have been unable to meet this last requirement which is why our meetings will continue to be “untiled.”
Clubs and units are strongly encouraged to meet electronically and utilize the same guidelines issued by Imperial Sir Smith. In addition, the latest State of Florida Public Health Advisory issued 21 July 2020 encourages the wearing of face mask both indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not feasible. Gatherings of 10 or more individuals are strongly discouraged and individuals over the age of 65 and all individuals of any age with high-risk health conditions should limit personal interactions outside of the home.
To once more echo the words of our Imperial Potentate, just because we cannot conduct face-to-face meetings does not mean that we can’t call upon our fellow Nobles to check on how they are doing, or encourage a Mason to become a Shriner, or speak to a relative about carrying on the family legacy of service to the Shrine.
On behalf of the entire Divan, I encourage each and every one of you to take the appropriate health measures presented by local and state officials while at the same time remembering our obligations to our families and each other.
Please continue to check your email as well as our web site https://www.egyptshriners.com/ and our award-winning Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EgyptShriners/ for updates.
ONE MESSAGE – GREAT COMMUNICATION
Please continue to check your email as well as our web site and face book listed below:
https://www.facebook.com/EgyptShriners/
Website
https://www.egyptshriners.com/
Fraternally yours,
Dean DiLeo
Potentate 2020
