Whereas the MASONIC CHIP Support Committee (“MCSC”) is a standing committee of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America (“CGMNA”), we the Executive Committee of the MCSC, present this Operations Memorandum to define start-up operations of the MCSC.

Mission Statement: Support and Encourage Freemasons Making a Difference in North America utilizing MASONIC CHIP. This mission entails conducting MASONIC CHIP EVENTS regularly in our communities, so that any parent wanting their children to receive this free comprehensive service will find it regularly offered and thereby raising public awareness concerning the risk of child abduction or exploitation.  At these Events parents are provided with a COMPLETED ID PACKAGE that contains vital identifying items which can be given to law enforcement agencies if their child becomes missing.  All items generated are the sole property of the child’s parent and nothing is kept or copied by any group or agency involved except a permission form.  MASONIC CHIP EVENTS are to serve as an opportunity to educate both children and their parents about abduction prevention and other related safety concerns.  

Structure of Committee: The MCSC shall be limited to twenty (20) members: five (5) executive members, two (2) members each from the six (6) geographic area conferences in the United States and three (3) from Canada (one Western, one Central, and one from the Atlantic Provinces).

The five (5) Executive Members will serve a five year term on rotation with one up for renewal each year in February. The Executive Committee shall propose one (1) member to be elected each year at the CGMNA to serve there after.

The current two (2) representatives from each of the six (6) area conferences in the United States shall serve a two year term on rotation and the members from said Area Conference shall propose one (1) area members for re-election or replacement each year at the CGMNA to serve a two-year term there after. The three (3) area members from the All Canada Conference shall stand for election at the end of their two years of service.  

An Executive Member shall be asked to serve as Executive Director of MCSC and manage its operations. In his absence or extended incapacity, he shall ask one of the remaining Executives to direct operations. The Executive Director shall appoint at each meeting a scribe to document the proceedings of that meeting.

The committee will meet twice a year. Its Annual Meeting held at and in conjunction with the February CGMNA. Its Semi-Annual meeting will be held during the year at and in conjunction with one of the seven (7) Area Conferences on a rotating basis. The date and time of the Semi-Annual meeting shall be set at the preceding Annual Meeting.

Memorandum revisions deemed beneficial to our mission may be approved only at an Annual meeting, by a majority vote of the members present. Any member can propose revisions to be placed on the Annual Meeting agenda for discussion and approval, by submitting in writing a request to the Executive Committee forty-five (45) days prior to said meeting. All requests for placement of items on the agenda at any meeting are to be received by the Executive Committee in writing forty-five (45) days prior to the meeting.  The Executive Committee shall prepare for review and approval by a majority of those present at the first Annual Meeting in February 2005, such revisions to this Operations Memorandum as they have received from the Committee Members.

Primary Duties of Executive Committee

• Define the nature and form of Comprehensive MASONIC CHIP and collaborate with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). 
• Engage and encourage additional Grand Masters to appoint a MASONIC CHIP  Contact or State/ Provincial Coordinator and include them in electronic communication and education. Work with the Grand Master, his designated Contact, Coordinator and the Area Committee Member to disseminate information and provide necessary support.
• Record progress of the expansion of Comprehensive MASONIC CHIP and deliver an annual report to the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America.
• Develop, maintain, manage and utilize a national interactive web server system and electronic communication to lend support, educate and provide other services as may be required to jurisdictions interested in engaging in MASONIC CHIP.
• Create a web based central purchasing entity, to assist interested jurisdictions in obtaining critical elements of MASONIC CHIP.
• Foster such other recognition and relationships with national organizations in the arena of child identification as may be advantageous to our mission. 

Primary Duties of Members from Area Conferences

• Engage Area Masonic Jurisdictions through the Grand Masters and their designated Contacts or State/Provincial MASONIC CHIP Coordinators, with the full knowledge and consent of each successive Grand Master, encouraging them to consider start up of Comprehensive MASONIC CHIP in their jurisdiction, or to consider implementing dental impressions and as many of the comprehensive program attributes into their existing child identification program as their resources will allow. 
• Encourage, solicit and compose text and picture articles for inclusion in the “Event Nuts & Bolts” section and the “in the News” sections located in the “Members” area of the website.  
• Provide guidance, support and disseminate information as to what is working in other jurisdiction pertaining to “Event Nuts & Bolts” operations.
• Arrange for MASONIC CHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE to be on the agenda each year at their respective Area Conference of Grand Masters of Masons. 
• Prepare a report on the status of MASONIC CHIP as it pertains to the Masonic Jurisdictions in their Area, with assistance of data complied through our national interactive web server system, in time for presentation at their Area Conference.
• Assist the Executive Committee in gathering data from their Area Jurisdictions with the full consent and knowledge of each respective Grand Master, utilizing the “members” restricted section of the MCSC website.
• Act as liaison from the Committee to the assigned jurisdictions and to the national organizations the Executive Committee is working with in the arena of child identification.
• Become knowledgeable of the protocol relationships the Committee fosters with National entities, in particular the National Center (NCMEC) and the American Dental Association (ADA). In this capacity as protocol expert, the Area Conference Committeeman is to review every use (websites, brochures, publicity) that mentions the Committee's relationship with a national entity to assure it is proper.  Any questionable application will be referred to the designated counterpart for approval or disapproval in a timely manner. The Executive Director is to be included on every national entity communication.

MEMORANDUM REVISIONS received and approved by vote at Annual Meeting 2/19/05.

1) Revise Structure of Committee from seventeen (17) to eighteen (18) members, adding a third member from the Atlantic Provinces of the All-Canada Area Conference.

MEMORANDUM REVISIONS received and approved by vote at Annual Meeting 2/19/06.

2) Revise Structure of Committee from seventeen (18) to eighteen (20) members, adding two more executive members from (3) to (5).