[19795] in APO-L
Re: Bylaw discussion: The "House" Issue.
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Richard Quodomine, Thomas Register)
Wed Dec 16 18:24:05 1998
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 18:22:30 -0500
Reply-To: "Richard Quodomine, Thomas Register, Long Island" <trrdq@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
From: "Richard Quodomine, Thomas Register, Long Island" <trrdq@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Brothers all,
Richard Edward Vehlow wrote:
>However, the argument that we would be better off doing service for others
> rather than devoting strength to upkeep of a house is a rather weak point to
> argue on.
I concur, lousy reason to argue.
> Therefore, I feel that any time to upkeep a house is not any extra time away
> from community service,as residence maintenance will have to happen anywhere
> you live anyway.
Well, that is until you file insurance, maintain bills, and the other time
associated with running the house itself. It's a mess. We've all had housemate
problems. Try running one where money from everyone (perhaps thousands of dollars
per semester) must be maintained.
> Furthermore, the use of the term "house" is legally ambiguous. Although in
> the Bylaws, and in this amendment, it does specify a house used as a
> residence, there is nothing to say that a fraternity cannot own any real
> estate. "Houses" can be offices, storage, meeting places, etc. and so long as
> no one resides there, it is in perfect conformance with bylaws and our
> nonresidential status.
Well, hang on a sec, REV, Houses do have a legal definition. I'd ask any of the
attorneys on line to define it. It may differ from state to state. I don't know
the legal defnition myself.
> So when people ask simply "Why can't we have a house?" the actual correct
> answer is "We can." To be more legally correct, the question should read,
> "Why can't the fraternity own and/or operate a residence for its members"?
Good point. The term house should be defined better.
> Lastly, the Alumni Associations are autonomous from the fraternity, right?
To an extent, but they don't have complete dissociation either. We ought to have
a legal opinion on their status.
> Can they own and or operate residences for alumni brothers? Like if a bunch
> of rich alumni real estate developers were to make a retirement or other
> residential community in Florida for brother-alumni and their families? Where
> community service projects are run out of the town, and where multiple houses
> and apartment buildings can be erected for borthers and their families? An
> APO community not run by the National Fraternity itself.
*snip*
Well, as far as this goes, several organizations have had residences for its
members established. I don't see why we couldn't do so for ourselves. We could
have an APO community, and hell, even an APO retirement home. The other day, I
was joking with John Grossi on this issue. There certainly can be a privately
financed Alumni community, and I doubt it would bear the same insurance costs as
a "house." However, the question then remains where? It would have to be a
location with a concentration of APO Alumni. Further, there would have to be a
willing alumnus/alumna investment group. So, who knows?
-- Rich Quodomine, Sec. 97 Staff ....
PS Hey, cheaper housing in the NYC metropolitan area is a great idea!
