Even though the property has been listed for sale, ownership of the Batavia Elks Lodge building is apparently in dispute.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks listed the property at 213 E. Main St., Batavia, with Charles Mancuso and Son, according to agent Mike Sisson.
The deed, however, lists "Batavia Lodge #950, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Batavia" as the owner. It is dated Nov. 16, 1918, according to County Clerk Don Read. The property was conveyed by Louis and Sarah Waird to the local Elks for $6,000.
Former Lodge #950 Exalted Ruler Paul Weiss left a comment on The Batavian disputing the Grand Lodge's claim to ownership.
"The Elks Lodge building is not owned by the Grand Lodge. It is owned by a local Batavia Elks corporation," Weiss wrote.
Lodge Exalted Ruler Timothy Garlock agreed that the ownership is in dispute, but he's still hoping the disagreement that led to the Grand Lodge revoking the local charter on Feb. 12 can be resolved.
The charter was apparently pulled purely for administrative reasons.
"If the Grand Lodge wants to pull our charter and make us go away, that's their call," Garlock said. "If they want to give us another crack at the bat, well, we've got some members working on that."
Kenneth Perry, one of the trustees appointed by the Grand Lodge, and who has previously commented on this matter, could not be reached.
UPDATE: News of an other New York lodge being closed, this time in Norwich.
According to an executive order issued by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Grand Lodge, Elk’s Lodge #1222 has failed to make reports required by the laws of the order, and has not complied with the auditing and accounting manual.
Sound familiar. And there's this:
Officers and members of the Norwich lodge, however, strongly disagree with the decision, and have called upon the higher courts of the order for an opportunity to refute the executive ruling.
“This has been a problem for nearly a decade,” said local Exalted Ruler Jeff Cola. “We’re now in the process of appealing the Grand Lodge’s decision, and we believe it was based on past issues.”
