Financial Secretary Handbook - Knights of Columbus, Supreme ...

form must also be reported to the state deputy and district
deputy.
Any questions relating to the Service Program
Personnel Report should be directed to the Supreme
Council Department of Fraternal Services, see page 8.
CHARTER CONSTITUTION AND LAWS
The financial secretary should have on hand at all
times a personal copy of the current Charter
Constitution and Laws of the Knights of Columbus
(Item #30). He should also have extra copies available for
the grand knight, advocate and other interested officers
or members and has the responsibility to distribute
copies of the latest issue of the Charter Constitution and
Laws to all First Degree initiates. Copies may be ordered
from the Supreme Council Supply Department.
The council will benefit from a periodic review of the
Laws governing councils, officers and members. These
reviews may be made at meetings of officers under the
direction of the grand knight or the advocate. These
reviews are not requirements of the Laws, but are good
practices to assure that all are acquainted with the
requirements of their own duties in the council and of all
other functions in the council.
REQUISITION FOR SUPPLIES
Financial secretaries should order supplies on a requisition
Form #1 provided for that purpose. It is a five-copy
form with one copy for the financial secretary. The other
four copies, with the carbons remaining between the
sheets, are to be forwarded to the Supply Department at
the Supreme Council office. Please refer to page 15.
To avoid delays in receipt of your order, supply all
required information including specific quantities. Using
terms like “a few” or “a stack” impede processing. Allow
three to four weeks for delivery. Rush orders require that
the requisitioner supply a specific “needed by” date, not
ambiguous terms like “as soon as possible.”
Chargeable items should be ordered only by the grand
knight or financial secre tary. If a council requests
imprinted forms, a separate requisition should be completed,
with imprint sample attached, and forwarded at
least one month in advance. Promotional items must also
be ordered on a separate requisition and forwarded —
together with the proper payment — to the Supply
Department.
The SUPPLY CATALOG (#1264), included in the Surge
. . . with Service kit each year, contains individual items
used by local councils, Fourth Degree assemblies and
Columbian Squire circles. Additional copies of the catalog
are available from the Supreme Council Supply
Department.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY COMPENSATION
The Board of Directors has set the compensation to be
paid to the financial secretary, and every council should
have by-laws that conform exactly to this policy:
From the council… an amount equal to not less than
eight percent and not more than ten percent (to be
determined by the council) of the moneys col lected for
dues from both insurance and associate members. The
financial secretary is free to waive this compensation
at his discretion.
Lump sum payments are not allowed as compensation
to the financial secretary. The purpose of compensating
on a percentage basis is to pay the financial secretary
according to the effectiveness of his collecting
from members all moneys due to the council. Such collection
is the first duty of his office listed in Section 139
of the Laws. The financial secretary receives compensation
from his council for dues collected only. He
does not receive compensation for initiation fees or
any other receipts.
From the Supreme Council office… payable annually
at the end of each calendar year, $0.40 for each life
insurance certificate registered to the council and in
force at the end of the calendar year.
The payment from New Haven is made annually in
January to the financial secretary of record on
December 31. However, if more than one person
served in the office during the year, it is expected that
the financial secretary receiving the award will share it
on a pro-rata basis with his predecessor.
The approved compensation is for perform ance of the
regular duties of the office of the financial secretary
according to the Laws of the Order. The council may
award additional compensation to a financial sec retary
for extra duties which he performs at the council’s direction
beyond those required by the Laws.
MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS
Every member in the Order is assigned a permanent
membership number. The number is indicated on the
Council Statement following any transaction processing
involving that member.
When submitting forms or letters to the Supreme
Council office, the financial secretary should always use
the number of the member involved. Failure to do so may
cause delays in processing or in responding to inquiries.
The importance of using the membership number cannot
be overemphasized.
CONTACTING DEPARTMENTS
To address general issues, please contact the
CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT at:
Phone: (203) 752-4000
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