Advice from PTO Today

Rose H writes:
Hi SharonB5678

Sharing this from our article: Robert's Rules: Sticky Situations
http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/1058-roberts-rules-sticky-situations

What issues get voted on at a general meeting vs. a board meeting?
There isn’t really a set answer to this; it depends on how your group operates. Some groups have only occasional informational meetings for the general membership, and the board handles most of the real business. Other groups have regular monthly general meetings, and they do much of the group’s major business at those meetings.

There are only a few things that must be voted on by the membership, mostly involving changes to the group’s structure, such as a bylaws amendment or revision. Your bylaws may specify other required votes, such as approval of an annual budget. It also may make sense to vote on things for which you want broad-based support, such as creating a major new program.

Members have the right to vote on other items or change the board’s decisions by raising topics at general meetings. But as a rule, you shouldn’t be voting on which cookie dough company to choose for your fundraiser or whether the color scheme for the auction should be blue and white or green and yellow. Those types of nitty-gritty items are best handled by committees and the board. Keep your general meetings short, friendly, and informational.

When I was on a PTO board, we had in our bylaws that the board could vote on expenditures of up to $200.

You may want to consider amending your bylaws so language is included on this and you have it for reference!

Rose
Community Manager

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