Be careful. We have had a bad experience in the past with a Treasurer.
We do not let the Treasurer sign checks. We have Reimbursement forms that are numbered, original receipts must be attached. The Treasurer writes the check, enters it into the system and balances the account. Only the 2 Co-Presidents and Pres-elect can sign checks. One also has to sign the Reimbursement form. We feel this protects everyone.
We have a PC at school so all records are accessible to the Exec Board. We also have a committee that reviews the account several times a year.
I would suggest getting your bylaws together. Maybe have an Executive Board meeting and review your procedures. Good Luck!
Thanks for the advice. I don't believe that our treasurer is protective of our money, I believe that she has control issues. For example, she was picking up our mail at the school that was addressed to the president (myself). I had to ask her to let me pick up the mail so as that I could review any fundraising catalogs, etc. All of the officers (4) are on the checking account at our local bank, therefor any of us can write or sign a check. However, we must all approve any purchases. And, since we have no bylaws, it is going to be that way. I am the president, and I haven't even seen any of the reports from last year or anything. She has everything at her house, and she didn't bring anything to the first meeting except our bank balance. She would have liked to have been president, but was not nominated and therefore not elected. I have tried being tactful and courteous to her, but I'm getting nowhere.
To Cokiesmom: as a PTO treasurer, my first bit of advice is to set up your checking account so that every check needs two signatures, and only 3 people are authorized to sign - Prez, VP, and Treas.
Please, please, don't let all your officers get ahold of the checkbook. That could create incredible chaos. Yes, I believe that the treasurer is the custodian of the PTO's funds (that's what our bylaws say), and as such, the treas. should treat the account with great care and respect. Don't be offended if your treas. seems overly protective of the money. This may just be indication that your PTO needs to set up a budget so everyone knows the plan for where the money will come from and where it will go. With a well-constructed budget, no one officer is making individual decisions about how to spend money. It eliminates alot of the personality and emotion from discussions about money.
I, too, am a newly elected president of a parent support group for our school. I am unexperienced with this group, however am experienced with township boards. I find a meeting that is not structured to have the same effect~ everyone getting off on those way out subjects and getting nothing accomplished. I would love to have some bylaws ar something to go by. Does anyone know of anything that states what an officer's job really is? We seem to have an officer (Treas.) that thinks that her job is to do everything that we have to pay for? It is my understanding that any officer can write a check out of our account with another officer's signature. Please email me: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
