Message From the 3rd Vice President

On September 30th, The Enrico Caruso lodge 1463 of Visalia held its 96 anniversary celebration dinner, at the Hyde in Visalia. We honored our 25, 40 & 50+ year members!

The Roma Lodge # 1573, celebrated Columbus Day on October 8th at Mooney Grove Park. New bocce champs were crowned, between the Roma and Hanford lodges, and everyone enjoyed the improvements being made to the park. I couldn’t attend, because October 8th is my oldest grandsons 14th birthday, but I plan on attending the following 3 events!

Roma lodges next event will be their annual ravioli dinner drive-thru on Saturday October 28, 2023 at the IAC Social Hall in Tulare. The Hanford Lodge # 1543, on Sunday October 29, 2023, is hosting its spaghetti and meatballs dinner/ delicious homemade pasta sauce sale! Spaghetti and Meatballs $15.00 Sauce: $8.00 per/qt. Drive thru pickup at the Hanford Fraternal Hall. CORNELIA-VITA NUOVA LODGE, # 1198, is celebrating its 100 year anniversary on Saturday November 4, 2023

I was the vice president of the Enrico Caruso lodge of Visalia, when the decision was made in 2019, to sell our lodge building and park property. A building and park improvements, that was mortgage free for almost 40 years. We had spirited meetings with lots of constructive input. With the request of our members, and also recommended by the grand lodge, we paid an independent specialized tax accountant, I believe about $10,000, to look into the tax implications we might have. Turns out, our non profit status in part, made us exempt from any tax liability, from the sale. This information was also shared with the state Grand lodge at that time. When I came into office, at the 2023 convention, I was among a group of delegates, that were against the purchase of a building, instead of just leasing an office space. Thinking the monies invested from the sale of the old building, would generate more than enough money to pay for a space big enough for our needs, and help keep the dues at current levels, among other expenses for the filial lodges.

We also believed the tax liabilities wouldn’t be the numbers that were told to the delegates. I have made mine as have some other lodge presidents views known, to the current leadership, and stand by them.

That being said, the process, that was started under our past slate of officers, made a decision to purchase, a property in the Sacramento area. My opinions are still the same, but for the good of the order, I’ve decided to at least work to get the best building possible, with the best terms available. It was an all cash purchase after all. Since the process of finding a building was so far along when the current slate of officers were installed, there really was no going back. They had looked at and debated several other properties, over the past 10 months. The final location was the best out of a half dozen or so of other properties that the officers had looked at. I have seen pictures of some of them and I think a good choice was made with the Orangevale property. The final decided was made on the Orangevale property, so we made an offer, they made a counter, with most of our requests made and we decided to make one last counter offer which, they accepted. The property closed around 10/11/23, and we will be taking full possession, by the end of October

In the end, we got a lot of concessions from the sellers, like $125,000 off the asking price, and the replacement of an air conditioning unit, which they did on their dime, and paying for their share of the shared utilities. I think this location will more than, serve our needs. It does give us plenty of space, and the opportunity to generate enough income, to help pay to operate the Grand lodge office. 9300 Madison Ave, Orangevale Ca, which is just west of the city of Folsom, on the Highway 50. You can do a Google map search for it and get a good look at the outside. The top floor is fully leased, for the next 2 years. One tenant’s lease is for 5 years, the other is for 2 years, as they plan on retiring.

The former owner, who currently is in one of the downstairs offices, will be relocating his office upstairs, by the end of October.