Pamola Lodge By-Laws
ARTICLE I. Name, Affiliation and Totem of the Lodge
Section 1.
The name of this lodge shall be Pamola Lodge 211, W.W.W., after the legendary Penobscot Indian spirit of Mount Katahdin, Pamola. The lodge shall be affiliated with Katahdin Area Council. Shall be under the supervision of the Council Camping Committee and the administrative authority of the Supreme Chief of the Fire.
Section 2.
The purpose of this Lodge shall be to promote Brotherhood, Service, and Scout Camping, and shall be in accordance with the purposes and principles set forth in the Order of the Arrow Handbook. This lodge shall cooperate with the Council to serve Scouting in the Council area.
Section 3.
The Lodge shall have a patch to be worn on the Scout uniform on the right pocket flap, which shall include the design of a deer. The totem of this pocket flap or embroidered neckerchief must be approved by a majority of all active, voting members present at a meeting of the general Lodge.
Section 4.
Members of this Lodge shall wear their Order of the Arrow sashes only at Order of the Arrow functions.
ARTICLE II. Candidate Elections and Ordeal Membership
Section 1.
The requirements for elected membership into this Lodge shall be those in the most recent edition of the Order of the Arrow Handbook.
Section 2.
All Boy Scout and Varsity Scout Units in the Council shall be allowed one Order of the Arrow election each calendar year. At the beginning of each year, election procedures accompanied by a letter from the lodge, will be mailed to each unit. All elected candidates will receive an invitation to the induction following their election and, on the occasion that they missed that one, an invitation to the next induction.
Any candidate, after failing to attend an induction one year after their elections shall be considered ineligible for membership into this Lodge unless:
- extenuating circumstances resulted in their failing to attend the two induction (these circumstances shall be considered "extenuating" at the discretion of the Lodge Executive Committee)
- the candidate is re-elected by their unit.
Section 3.
Induction procedures of Ordeal Membership shall be as stated in the Guide to Inductions. The induction fee of this lodge shall include only enough money to cover the costs of meals, a sash, a new members packet, and dues until December 31 of the current calendar year.
ARTICLE III. Dues and Active Membership
Section 1.
The dues of this Lodge shall be set each year by the Lodge Executive Committee and approved by the general Lodge membership, and are to be paid before December 31 of each year.
Section 2.
Members who do not pay their dues by January 1 shall be considered inactive. Inactive members will become active by paying their dues.
ARTICLE IV. Brotherhood and Vigil Membership
Section 1.
Completion of Brotherhood Membership shall be in accordance with the requirements of the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Handbook. The Lodge shall set-up Brotherhood Workshop(s) as necessary and shall hold at least one Brotherhood Ceremony each year.
Section 2.
Attainment of the Vigil Honor shall be accordance with the requirements in the current printing of the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisors.
ARTICLE V. Chapters
Section 1.
This Lodge shall be divided into chapters. Districts or combinations of districts in the Council shall request
the Executive Committee to establish a Chapter in their area.
Section 2.
Each Chapter may draw up its own rules, which must stay in accordance with all rules set forth in the Order of the Arrow Handbook and the Pamola Lodge rules, choose its name, and elect its officers, which shall include a Chief, a Vice- Chief, as established by its rules, and a Secretary, and carry on its own program in addition to participating in all general Lodge events.
Section 3.
The Chapters' Advisors shall be appointed by the Supreme Chief of the Fire. The duties shall be those outlined in the Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers and Advisors.
Section 4.
No Chapter of this Lodge shall hold their own Induction, Brotherhood or Vigil Ceremonies without the consent of the Lodge Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI. Lodge Officers and Executive Committee
Section 1.
The Officers of this Lodge shall include a:
Lodge Chief, Vice-Chief, Vice-Chief of Communication, Vice-Chief of Finance, and Vice-Chief of Chapter Operations. The candidates for lodge officer positions shall be nominated, elected, and installed at the fall induction during the general lodge meeting.
Section 2.
Each year, after the election, the Lodge Chief shall appoint chairpersons to standing committees set forth by these bylaws. Standing committees shall be determined on an annual basis by the LEC, chairs to be appointed by the Lodge Chief and approved by the LEC. Their duties are those in the Lodge Officer's Manual and OA Guide for Officers and Advisers. The Chief may also establish ad hoc committees as necessary.
Section 3.
All officers and chairman must be under 21, years of age, for their entire term of office.
Section 4.
The Chief of the Fire and Deputy Supreme Chief of Fire shall be appointed by Supreme Chief of the Fire.
Section 5.
The Executive Committee of this Lodge shall consist of Lodge Officers, all Lodge Committee Chairman, Chapter Chiefs, the most recent past Lodge Chief, all duly appointed Chapter advisors, Chief of the Fire, Deputy Supreme Chief of the Fire and the Supreme Chief of the Fire. No Lodge member shall hold two positions on the Lodge Executive Committee. A quorum shall consist of at least four voting members and at least one Advisor. All meetings of the Executive Committee will be called by the Lodge Chief and notification will go out to all Lodge members unless in the case of emergency session. The Committee shall meet at least six (6) times per year.
Section 6.
Arrangements will be made by the Lodge Chief or the Executive Committee to conduct a training session for all new officers as soon as possible after their election.
Section 7.
Because this is a youth-led organization, members of this Lodge over 21, years of age, will not be allowed to vote at any Lodge meeting.
Section 8.
It is the responsibility of all Executive Committee members of this Lodge to:
- attend the officers' training sessions;
- carry out their job as described to them at the officers training session and;
- to attend all meetings of the general Lodge and of the Executive Committee.
- If at any time an officer or other appointed Executive Committee Member fails in any one or more of these responsibilities without a legitimate excuse, they may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all voting members present at an Executive Committee meeting. The legitimacy of an excuse will be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all voting members present at the next Executive Committee meeting at which the officer in question is present.
Section 9.
In case of any vacancy on the Executive Committee due to removal from office or resignation or by any other means, the vacancy may be filled, until the next general meeting of the Lodge, by appointment of the Lodge Chief with a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Lodge Executive Committee.
Section 10. Voting members of the Lodge Executive Committee consist of the Lodge Chief, Vice-Chief, Vice-Chief of Communications, Vice-Chief of Finance, Vice-Chief of Chapter Operations, Chapter Chiefs, and the Committee Chairs
ARTICLE VII. Financing
Section 1.
All Order of the Arrow funds will be handled by the council office and subject to all accounting procedures used by the council. All approved bills/invoices will be paid by the council office from the Lodge account.
ARTICLE VIII. Lodge Activities
Section 1.
Each year the Lodge shall actively participate in the Section Conclave, at least two inductions, one Brotherhood Ceremony, one annual banquet, and one Indian Affairs workshop as necessary. The time and place of these activities are to be set and the membership to be notified at least one month prior to the activity. The Lodge will participate in the National Order of the Arrow Conference, Lodge Leader Development Conference and any other national and regional activities as available.
Section 2.
Each meeting of the Lodge should open with or include the Obligation of our Order and close with the Song of our Order.
Section 3.
The Lodge Vice-Chief of Communications or designee shall publish a quarter-annual newsletter, The DEERPAD on the Lodge website, The DeerPage. Of these publications, at least two of the four newsletters will be sent to all Lodge members, Supreme Chief of the Fire, and the District Executives. The Lodge Vice-Chief of Communications or designee shall maintain the Pamola Lodge website, The DeerPage, and ensure that it is current.
Section 4.
All meetings of the Lodge Executive Committee and of the general Lodge are to be run by parliamentary procedure or other method approved by the membership in attendance, i.e. talking stick.
Section 5.
Minutes of the meeting of the Lodge Executive Committee shall be published on the Lodge Website, The DeerPage, within 10 business days of the meeting.
ARTICLE IX. Regalia
Section 1.
All Lodge regalia shall be accurate representations of Native American Tribes of Maine (Wabanaki).
ARTICLE X. National Compliances
Section 1.
All procedures carried on by this Lodge not mentioned here will be in compliance with those recommend by the National Council, Order of the Arrow.
ARTICLE XI. Amending These Rules
Section 1.
Any proposed rule change must be published in The Deerpad, or on the DeerPage and sent to the membership prior to the meeting of the General Lodge. After publication, these rules may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of voting members present the general Lodge meeting.
ARTICLE XII. Ratification
Section 1.
These bylaws go into effect as soon as they are accepted by a majority vote of the Lodge Executive Committee and are valid until a meeting of the general Lodge at which time they may be ratified by a three-quarter (3/4) majority vote of all those voting members present.
Updated September 12, 1992, June 1, 1997, September 16, 2001, June 2011, and October 2019