Your lodge sooner than later is going to be spending money. While the tracking of expenses is a function of the lodge treasurer, good cash handling practices suggest that the money is received by one individual (the secretary) and is logged in some form or fashion, and is then passed on to the Treasurer. It is not a good situation where the person authorized to spend the money is also the one collecting the money.

All expenses paid by the lodge should be approved by the President. Frequently lodges will allow the President or the Executive Board to spend up to a specific amount before the matter must come to the lodge membership for a vote. This is something that must be spelled out in your lodges Constitution & Bylaws.

A voucher system is an excellent way to document the expenses of your lodge. The voucher should include a space for the business nature of the expense. If your lodge has real property, utility bills for example would come to the Secretary, be vouchered, and then passed to the President for approval, and then passed to the Treasurer for payment. This way 3 individuals are involved in the payment of lodge funds.

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