diff --git a/modpol/modpol.lua b/modpol/modpol.lua
index 33ccded..d220ed5 100644
--- a/modpol/modpol.lua
+++ b/modpol/modpol.lua
@@ -71,9 +71,10 @@ dofile (topdir .. "/api.lua")
 
 -- ===================================================================
 -- Final checks
-
 for id, org in ipairs(modpol.orgs.array) do
-    setmetatable(org, modpol.orgs)
+    if type(org) == 'table' then 
+        setmetatable(org, modpol.orgs)
+    end
 end
 
 -- create instance if not present
@@ -83,4 +84,4 @@ modpol.instance = modpol.orgs.array[1] or modpol.orgs.init_instance()
 modpol.ocutil.log ("modpol loaded")
 
 -- ===================================================================
--- End of file.
+-- End of file.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
index b4c9aae..43ba3cc 100644
--- a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
+++ b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,27 @@ modpol.orgs = modpol.orgs or
 -- sets modpol.orgs as its own fallback
 modpol.orgs.__index = modpol.orgs
 
+function temp_org()
+    return {
+        id = nil,
+        name = nil,
+        policies = {},
+        processes = {},
+        requests = {},
+        request_count = 0,
+        members = {},
+        parent = nil,
+        children = {}
+    }
+end
+
+modpol.orgs.request_params = {
+    add_org = 1,
+    delete = 0,
+    add_member = 1,
+    remove_member = 1
+}
+
 -- ==================================================
 -- returns org when given its id or name
 function modpol.orgs.get_org(arg)
@@ -71,22 +92,14 @@ end
 function modpol.orgs.init_instance()
     local error_msg
     if modpol.orgs.array[1] then
-        error_msg = 'Error: instance has already been initialized'
-        modpol.ocutil.log(error_msg)
-        return false, error_msg
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: instance has already been initialized')
+        return false
     end
 
-    local instance = {
-        id = 1,
-        name = "instance",
-        policies = {},
-        members = {},
-        ledger = {},
-        parent = nil,
-        children = {},
-        properties = {},
-        old_names = {}
-    }
+    local instance = temp_org()
+    instance.id = 1
+    instance.name = "instance"
+    
     setmetatable(instance, modpol.orgs)
 
     -- adding instance to org list
@@ -114,14 +127,15 @@ function modpol.orgs:record(msg, entry_type)
     if type(msg) == 'string' and not(modpol.ocutil.str_empty(msg)) then
         entry.action_msg = msg
     else
-        print('Error: msg must be a non empty string')
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: msg must be a non empty string')
         return false
     end
 
     if type(entry_type) == 'string' and not(modpol.ocutil.str_empty(entry_type)) then
         entry.entry_type = entry_type
     else
-        print('Error: entry_type must be a non empty string')
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: entry_type must be a non empty string')
+        print(msg, entry_type)
         return false
     end
 
@@ -138,33 +152,27 @@ end
 -- ex: instance:add_org('town hall')
 function modpol.orgs:add_org(name)
     if self.id == nil then
-        error_msg = 'Error: add_org can only be called by another org'
-        modpol.ocutil.log(error_msg)
-        return false, error_msg
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: add_org can only be called by another org')
+        return false
     end
 
     if modpol.ocutil.str_empty(name) then
-        error_msg = 'Error: org name is required'
-        modpol.ocutil.log(error_msg)
-        return false, error_msg
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: org name is required')
+        return false
     end
 
     if modpol.orgs.get_org(name) then
-        error_msg = 'Error: org name is already being used'
-        modpol.ocutil.log(error_msg)
-        return false, error_msg
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: org name is already being used')
+        return false
     end
 
     -- creating the child sub org
     modpol.orgs.count = modpol.orgs.count + 1
-    local child_org = {
-        id = modpol.orgs.count,
-        name = name,
-        policies = {},
-        members = {},
-        parent = self.id,
-        children = {},
-    }
+    local child_org = temp_org()
+    child_org.id = modpol.orgs.count
+    child_org.name = name
+    child_org.parent = self.id
+    
     setmetatable(child_org, modpol.orgs)
 
     -- adding child id to list of children
@@ -174,6 +182,7 @@ function modpol.orgs:add_org(name)
     modpol.orgs.array[child_org.id] = child_org
 
     self:record('created sub org ' .. name, 'add_org')
+    modpol.ocutil.log('Created sub org ' .. name)
 
     return child_org
 end
@@ -184,7 +193,8 @@ end
 -- note: "reason" param was removed, can be added back
 function modpol.orgs:delete()
     if self.id == 1 then
-        return false, 'Error: cannot delete instance'
+        modpol.ocutil.log('Error: cannot delete instance')
+        return false
     end
     
     if #self.children > 0 then
@@ -196,7 +206,7 @@ function modpol.orgs:delete()
     end
 
     modpol.orgs.array[self.id] = 'removed'
-    print('Removed ' .. self.name .. ': ' .. self.id)
+    modpol.ocutil.log('Removed ' .. self.name .. ': ' .. self.id)
 
     self:record('Deleted ' .. self.name .. ' and all child orgs', 'del_org')
 
@@ -224,7 +234,8 @@ function modpol.orgs:add_member(user)
         -- adds to end if no empty spots
         table.insert(self.members, user)
     end
-    self.record('Added member ' .. user, 'add_member')
+    self:record('Added member ' .. user, 'add_member')
+
 end
 
 -- =======================================
@@ -236,7 +247,7 @@ function modpol.orgs:remove_member(user)
     if user_index then
         self.members[user_index] = ''
     end
-    self.record('Removed member ' .. user, 'del_member')
+    self:record('Removed member ' .. user, 'del_member')
 end
 
 -- ===========================================
@@ -263,3 +274,57 @@ function modpol.orgs:list_member()
     end
     return str
 end
+
+-- ===========================
+-- compares to requests to see if they are identical
+function modpol.orgs.comp_req(req1, req2)
+    -- compares request type
+    if req1.type ~= req2.type then
+        return false
+    else
+        -- comparing parameters
+        -- we can assume the number of params is the same as this is checked in the make_request func
+        for k, v in ipairs(req1.params) do
+            if v ~= req2.params[k] then
+                return false
+            end
+        end
+    end
+    return true
+end
+
+-- ================================
+-- tries to make a request to the org
+function modpol.orgs:make_request(request)
+    -- makes sure the request has the valid number of parameters
+    local num_params = modpol.orgs.request_params[request.type]
+
+    if num_params == nil then 
+        modpol.ocutil.log("Error: request type is invalid")
+        return false 
+    end
+   
+    for k, v in ipairs(request.params) do
+        num_params = num_params - 1
+    end 
+
+    if num_params ~= 0 then
+        modpol.ocutil.log("Error: request has invalid number of parameters") 
+        return false 
+    end
+
+    -- checking to see if identical request already exists
+    for k, v in ipairs(self.requests) do
+        if self.comp_req(request, v) == true then
+            modpol.ocutil.log("Error: request has already been made")
+            return false
+        end
+    end
+
+    -- use lazy deletion here, not very clean
+    -- table.insert(self.requests, request)
+    self.request_count = self.request_count + 1
+    self.requests[self.request_count] = request
+    return self.request_count
+
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modpol/storage/storage-local.lua b/modpol/storage/storage-local.lua
index ce61a95..d94214e 100644
--- a/modpol/storage/storage-local.lua
+++ b/modpol/storage/storage-local.lua
@@ -117,9 +117,9 @@ local load_orgs   = function()
         modpol.orgs = func()
 
         -- this block resets the metatable after being loaded in so that the class functions work
-        for id, org in ipairs(modpol.orgs.array) do
-            setmetatable(org, modpol.orgs)
-        end
+        -- for id, org in ipairs(modpol.orgs.array) do
+        --     setmetatable(org, modpol.orgs)
+        -- end
 
         local nn  = modpol.ocutil.table_length (modpol.orgs.array)
         local str = "entries"