06/08/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
All Moose Legion Directors, Chapters, Lodge Board of Officers, and Appointed Lodge Moose Legion Committee members.
I have received concerns regarding the funds of Chapters and the Lodge Moose Legion Committee. I am clarifying these issues as follows:
Women of the Moose Chapters are a separate entity and have their own E.I.N.
Chapters and Lodges are separate corporations and are caretakers of their Fraternal Units' funds.
The bottom line is this: Chapter Funds belong to that Chapter. A lodge is not entitled to funds raised by a Chapter, as well as any funds in a Chapter’s Savings, Checking, or Investment Accounts.
Lodge Moose Legion Committees are just that, a committee of their own Lodge. Funds raised must be remitted to the Administrator, as all Committee funds are to be. As per General Law – Section 43.3 states as follows:
Sec. 43.3 - Committee or Activity Group Funds –
Funds of committees or activity groups shall upon receipt, be immediately delivered to the Administrator of the Lodge to be deposited into the general fund and recorded as funds of the committee, unit or activity group. Committee or activity groups shall not have a checking account unless such an account is required by law (i.e., bingo) and the Chief Compliance Officer has approved the account in writing. Committee, unit or activity group funds, if authorized by the Chief Compliance Officer, may be deposited in a savings account. The funds shall be turned over to the Lodge Administrator for deposit into the Lodge's general account from which a check shall be issued for deposit into the savings account. Withdrawals from the savings account shall be by the Administrator who shall deposit the funds into the Lodge's general account from which checks shall be issued. At least three (3) signatures shall be required to withdraw funds from an authorized savings account. The signatures shall be the (1) Administrator, (2) President or Treasurer and, (3) the committee or group chair or another authorized committee or group representative. Withdrawals from committee or activity group savings accounts require Lodge approval, but shall not require a dispensation from the Chief Compliance Officer.
You may contact me if there are questions or concerns about these issues.
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
05/28/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Lodge and Association Board of Officers;
There have been significant criteria changes to earn a Premier Lodge Award and a Top Association Award. Please review these requirements, as there are monthly submissions that are required to be sent to your Territory or Regional Manager.
Administrators and Presidents:
Reconciliations are to be completed by the 15th of each month for the previous month.
This means that your previous fiscal year’s accounts are to be current for all Savings and Checking Accounts.
A copy of the Lodge’s Monthly Financial Review report is to be submitted to your Territory Manager.
Example: Financial Review for May would be due by June 30th
The Heart of the Community Report is to have a grade of Excellent or Superior
Top Association award requires a Grade of Superior.
I.R.S. Form 990 must be submitted by the required dates, and Lodges must not have a loss of their Exempt Tax Status.
Prior balance due to Moose International Account Receivable must be reduced by 5%.
If the lodge did not have a balance in the previous fiscal year, the year-end balance must be zero or less. (Some lodges have negative balances due to online applications.).
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
(Criteria can also be found under the Forms & Documents tab)
05/12/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Lodge Presidents and Administrators,
During my recent visits to a few of your lodges, Orientations were scheduled in LCL Web but were not being conducted at that lodge.
Moving forward, Orientations or Enrollments will not be approved until a copy of the attached attendance form is reviewed and verified.
Members attending will be contacted for their thoughts on this event.
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
(Orientation Enrollment Form can also be found under the Forms & Documents tab)
05/05/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Lodge Board of Officers;
I must apologize that I did not have a chance to visit your lodge during my visits over the last two weeks. I spent additional time at a couple of lodges that required intensive assistance.
New Mexico lodges should have received notification that Territory #41 Manager Glenn Reigle will be visiting lodges this week and next week.
Arizona lodge's schedule of his visits will be sent soon.
We are continuing to search for a Territory Manager for your Association. If you have members who may be interested, please have those members contact me for the qualifications that are required.
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
04/16/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Lodge Presidents and Administrators;
I will be visiting lodges in your Association until the end of April, I will be sending a tentative schedule this Friday.
This schedule will include the following items and actions I will require.
Meeting with your current Board of Officers and Board of Officers slated to begin on May 1st.
Create a list of members to contact expired members to renew their dues.
All Insurance Policies
All filed and non-filed tax reports
All gaming reports
Copies of Alcohol server compliance certificates.
Monthly Safety reports
Monthly Financial Review Reports.
QuickBooks transactions are current and reconciled.
Have these items available when I arrive so as not to delay my reviews.
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
03/13/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Good Afternoon all:
Chief Compliance Officer Rick King has clarified procedures for Lodges that have paid employees who are considering running for an elected Board of Officers position.
If the lodge directly pays an employee, that employee cannot be an elected officer.
If an officer owns a business (aka a Contractor). A Lodge check is to be made to that business, and that Lodge is to receive a receipt for those services. (IRS forms such as W9 and 1099 may be required)
A lodge must follow all procedures in the Nominations and Election Handbook. There will be no exception.
Sorry for the confusion. These procedures and instructions come directly from our Department of Compliance and Chief Compliance Officer Rick King.
Please call me if you have any questions.
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
02/26/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Administrator and Presidents;
There is a disturbing trend happening in Members’ Status within lodge’s LCL Web. Administrators are changing status of expired members to Resigned. I have reviewed those whose status has been changed with the following results:
I have called these members and asked why they chose to Resign their membership. Most had no idea what I was talking about, because they never contacted their lodge to Resign.
Case in point, Danny Albert (Past Supreme Governor) went to paid his dues in a lodge in our region and was refused because his status was changed.
Moving forward the following procedures will be put in place:
Resigned Status option will be removed from Lodge’s LCL Web Member’s Status.
If a member wants to Resign from their lodge, the Lodge Administrator is to contact me as Regional Manager with that member’s information so I may contact that member.
Fraternally,
Jeffery A Gutowski
Regional Manager
406-781-5419 – jgutowski@mooseintl.org
02/10/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Heart of the Community reports are due today for my review. See attachment of current status.
02/08/25 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Nomination and Election Time Chart. 2025-2026 Lodge Elections Information (see Forms & Documents for attachments)
11/22/24 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Moose International is currently looking to fill the Territory Manager position for Territory 39 Plains West Region Arizona-New Mexico. See attached Territory Manager’s Job Description, if interested send an email to Troy King at: tking@mooseintl.org. The email must have attached your professional with (3) three references and Moose resume attached.
11/06/24 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski
Quickbooks SCAM! A Wisconsin lodge received this email, and other lodges may have also. Advise your lodges to just DELETE the email. Our QuickBooks online NEVER needs updating, that is an automatic feature of QuickBooks Online and there is no additional charge.
08/12/24 - From Regional Manager, Jeffery A Gutowski