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Thursday, May 06, 2010

Confirmed: Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer Retiring in Arkansas

Past Grand Master Doug Simmons of Arkansas has responded by email to the Burning Taper's report about resignations from the Grand Lodge of Arkansas F&AM. It reads in part:

Grand Secretary James Weatherall has been carefully planning his retirement for the last 4 years, due to culminate in the Spring of this year;

Grand Treasurer Garry Jones has been urged by his doctors to permanently curtail his activities due to on-going and increasing health problems. Knowing he would not want his medical history discussed with strangers, I will not elaborate.

I have known both of these honorable gentlemen for over 20 years, and have spent many, many hours in pleasant conversations with both of them, on personal and Masonic levels. Their resignations have nothing whatever to do with any current dealings of the Grand Lodge or any of its officers.

The complete response can be read here.

Both Brothers Weatherall and Jones have served in their positions for almost two decades.

Rumors of other possible grand officer resignations appear to be unsubstantiated at this time.

3 comments:

  1. A good reason to not jump to conclusions before all the facts are presented (not aimed at you, Brother Hodapp).

    ReplyDelete
  2. General comments:

    "Grand Secretary James Weatherall has been carefully planning his retirement for the last 4 years, due to culminate in the Spring of this year."

    Ok. So he wanted to 'retire' from his position. Isn't he elected annually? Wouldn't the better thing to do would be to NOT run for the next term, have someone then run and win the next term? One does not 'plan their retirement' from an elected position to resign during their term as opposed to just say they won't run for re-election.

    "Grand Treasurer Garry Jones has been urged by his doctors to permanently curtail his activities due to on-going and increasing health problems."

    Ok. I could understand someone wanted to resign due to health reasons. Did this occur so sudden that he had to resign? And I do find it a little strange that his resignation occured at the same time as someone else's resignation.


    Also, if I am reading the info correctly, it sounded like the same group of people were holding the same positions at the Grand Lodge level. Am I correct. I would say that this is never good for any organization. Its usually better for an organization to limit the term of office in the same office if candidates aren't good enough to not keep holding an office for years and years. Holding the same term for 2-3 terms is one thing, but for decades is never good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. KNO would you find it prudent that these men accept a new term. After serving two or three months both resign at the same time when the heat is really starting to build up for their actions?

    To me it at least seems suspect that these guys jumped ship after they started being called out for their actions.

    No person should have power for so long emb021. What is the old saying "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

    ReplyDelete

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