Program Manual

Proper Billing Procedures Including use of the “Notice of Intent to Suspend”

1. The financial secretary will mail the First Notice Membership Bill 15 days prior to the billing period (December 15).  If using FSPC, the financial secretary will process dues (Procedures/Process Member Dues) before preparing and mailing the first notice.  If using the manual pegboard system, the First Notice Bill (Form #423) will be prepared and mailed.

2. If payment is not received in 30 days (January 15), FSPC users will update the billing status (Procedures/Update Billing Status) from First Notice to Second Notice, print and mail the Second Notice bill.  If using the manual pegboard system, the financial secretary will mail the Second Notice Membership Bill Form #424. 

3. If payment is still not received in 30 days (February 15) from the date the second notice was sent:

a. The financial secretary will provide the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and amounts of delinquency for each member in arrears to the retention committee.  The committee should include – but is not limited to – the grand knight, chairman ex officio; the deputy grand knight, the trustees; and the proposer, if available.  Financial secretaries utilizing FSPC will produce the Retention Committee Report (Output/Reports, Labels, Letters/Fraternal) and distribute copies to members of the committee.
b. A ”Knight Alert” letter Form #KA1 will be forwarded to each delinquent member, signed by the grand knight and trustees.  If using FSPC, the financial secretary must update the billing status from Second Notice to Knight Alert and print the Knight Alert letter (Output/Reports, Labels, Letters/Notices).
c. The grand knight will assign a member of the retention committee to make personal contact with the delinquent member to remind him of his obligation.  The committee member will provide a written report of his findings to the grand knight.  If the member is experiencing financial difficulty, the grand knight will direct the committee members to visit the member and make arrangements to accommodate him with either a payment plan or other financial arrangement acceptable to the council.  Again, a full report is to be provided to the grand knight as to why the member is delinquent and why he is considering leaving the Order.  Financial difficulty is not a valid reason for suspension.  In FSPC, the date the retention committee contacted the delinquent member is to be entered on the ledger screen in the Retention Committee contact field (Edit/Members/Ledger).

4. If payment is still not received in 60 days (March 15) from the date the second notice was sent:

a. The financial secretary will prepare the Notice of Intent to Suspend Form #1845 and it is signed by the financial secretary and grand knight.  If using FSPC, the financial secretary must update the billing status (Procedures/Update Billing Status) and print four copies of the notice (Output/Reports, Labels, Letters/Notices).  The financial secretary may also use the Supreme multi-part carbonless Form #1845, if desired.  The Texas Membership Conservation Report #TX1845A (Rev May 05) will be prepared with all available information including details of all attempted and actual contacts with the member.  The Form TX1845A is signed by the grand knight, financial secretary, council retention chairman and District Deputy.  The form will be prepared in one copy and copies made for distribution.  Forms 1845 and TX1845A will be distributed as follows:
i. The Form 1845 original copy is sent to the delinquent member.
ii. The Form 1845 Supreme Office copy is forwarded to the Department of Membership Records.  The Supreme Knight will mail a personal letter to the delinquent member.  This letter will convey the Supreme Knight’s interest in having the member retain his “good standing” status.
iii. The Form 1845 and TX 1845A State Council copy are mailed to the State Retention Chairman at the State Office.  He will contact the member, offering assistance and advising him that the district deputy in his area is available to help with any particular problems. 
iv. The Form 1845 and TX1845A District Deputy copy are sent to your district deputy.  He will telephone the delinquent member to discuss the arrearage situation.  In the course of the telephone visit, suggestions as to a possible solution will be recommended, and the district deputy will volunteer to assist the member, if a need exists.  The district deputy will also determine whether the council made or attempted to make personal contact with the member.  The response and reaction received from the delinquent member is recorded on the reverse side of the District Deputy copy of the Form #1845 and then forwarded to the State Deputy.
v. Form 1845 and TX1845A Council copy are retained for the council files.

5. If the delinquent member does not meet his obligation or arrange a satisfactory payment schedule within 60 days (May 15) following processing of the Notice of Intent To Suspend Form #1845, the council may file a Form 100 Membership Document indicating suspension for non-payment of dues. However, the suspension will not be processed at the Supreme Council unless a Notice of Intent to Suspend Form #1845 has been on file for the required 60 days.  After the Form 100 has been filed with the Supreme Council office, FSPC users must change the member type code to SUSPENDED – NON PAYMENT (Edit/Members) and delete any outstanding charges that appear on the ledger screen (Edit/Members/Ledger/Void).  A record of the arrearage can be stored in the ledger notes field for future reference.

6. The Notice of Intent to Suspend Form #1845 becomes null and void 90 days following the date it is recorded at the Supreme Council Office.  After the 90-day period has elapsed, the form will be removed from the file under the assumption the council has been successful in retaining the member.

7. If, subsequently, the member on whom the council previously filed a Notice of Intent to Suspend Form #1845 should again become delinquent, the entire billing/retention process must be re-implemented as described herein.

8. This process can be started at any time after the required time duration of the 1st and 2nd Notice billing.  Just be sure to have the times between actions that are listed above.

Updated 2009 07 17