Fraternity-Testvériség, 1973 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1973-10-01 / 10-12. szám

REPORT OF THE SECOND REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors held its second regular meeting in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, during the Labor Day week.

All regular and advisory members were present with the exception of the Medical Director since no medical problem was expected to come up.

After a short devotion the President cordially greeted the members and emphasized the far reaching importance of the issues on the agenda.

The National Officers rendered an informal verbal report on the activities of their respective offices during the first eight months of the year. Information given by the Officers served as basis of the pursuing deliberations.

Resolutions were passed in connection with two bankrupt mortgages and a procedure on foreclosure of mortgages prepared by the Officers, Legal Counsellor and the Accountant was approved.

After hearing the report of the Controller — who serves as Chairman of the Retirement Benefit Fund — rules were set up limiting earnings to $4,000.00 per year to pensioners who render part-time services to the Federation. The Controller’s authorization to find a reliable trustee organization to handle the retirement funds was renewed.

Upon the recommendation of the Building Committee the Board unanimously resolved that a new and thoroughly modem wing be added to the existing Old People’s Home as soon as possible to accomodate our aged and sick people in need of skilled nursing care. The Board selected Mr. László Bojtos, architect from Cleveland, Ohio, who submitted an artistic and practical plan which may be realized at an estimated cost of $280,000.00 without the furniture of the guest rooms. His recommendations to improve the present structure in order to comply with the laws of the Commonwealth were also accepted. The contract with Mr. Bojtos was signed at the meeting. It was another historic moment in the life of the Federation and our charitable institution, the Bethlen Home. We made another giant step forward in the service of our membership.

The past performance of the Bethlen Freedom Press, Inc. and its present financial condition was thoroughly examined. In view of the sobering facts the Board unanimously accepted an offer to purchase printing equipment and the existing inventory from a corporation to be created by the present employees and others. It was agreed on that the first floor of the building be used as museum and library after the

necessary reconstruction as soon as the machinery will be removed by the corporation. On the second floor there are already three guest rooms and the apartment of the Overseer. It was the general feeling of the Board members that by expanding our skilled nursing home and establishing a long sought-after Hungarian Reformed Archive, the Federation better serves the interest of our people than by keeping a print shop which constantly struggles for its survival.

Upon hearing a report on the strict new requirements of the Internal Revenue Service and the recommendations of the National Fraternal Congress, the Secretary and the Controller were appointed to be the responsible officers of the Federation in all IRS matters.

The present method of compensation and another one prepared by the Actuary at the Spring meeting was discussed at length. Finally, it was recognized that the only equitable and just method is the one based on premium dollar income hut the calculation of such compensations is utterly difficult if not impossible in the present manual system of administration. Therefore, the Board resolved that plans for a computerized operation be prepared and presented to a special meeting sometime in next January which shall solve the above mentioned and other administrative problems. Since eventual automation of our operation would take considerable time, the Secretary was instructed to present another method to the Board at the special meeting which takes into consideration the collected dues.

Complying with the request of several branch managers the Board odered to return to the previously used method of remitting commissions from the first twelve monthly dues actually collected by the Treasury of the Federation. This transition was carried out on November 1.

The Federation once again announced a scholarship contest to make our young members acquainted with the spiritual achievements and institutions of Magyar Amerika. The following four contestants were awarded each with $300.00:

Elizabeth A. Szabó, Windsor, Ont. Canada; Sara Bertalan, New Brunswick, N. J.; Dawn Oris, Fairport Harbor, Ohio; and Kalman Szabolcs, San Francisco, California.

We use this opportunity to urge our juvenile members to participate in the contest next year. The awards are attractive and the theses not particularly difficult.

The President expressed his appreciation for the fine contributions of the Members which made the deliberations very fruitful and closed the meeting with a blessing.

László L. Eszenyi, Recording Secretary

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