The PTOtoday Show in Cleveland yesterday was wonderful. Recieved alot of great info. We are looking forward to the next one. It was great to be able to share and to find out that your not the only ones with problems like how to get volunteers.
We had our second 2002 Show yesterday in Cleveland. It was great fun. I hope you'll say hello in Chicago. I'll be wearing the super-fancy PTO Today shirt.
I guess I am pretty lucky! I am in Illinois and they are having the first ever PTO Show just up near Chicago. So, our PTO voted to pay the registration fee and fuel for two attendees. This may only come to $150.00 so it isn't a large expense. We have never gone before so hopefully we can bring back good stuff so next year members will feel it is worthwhile. By the way, any of you who have gone before, is it worthwhile? :cool:
Our Board has decided that 2 of us will attend with PTO picking up all expenses. It's gonna cost around $1000.00 to go but we look at from the point of view that putting the spark and new idea's back in our PTO is well worth the money that we would spend attending.
I'm of two different minds about this. I firmly believe in continuing education and think officers SHOULD get the proper training. If it were just the matter of a conference fee, I'd support the PTO paying for it. But when you get into out of state travel, for us and our budget, I'd have a harder time justifying this to parents.
I faced this myself when I wanted to attend the PTO conference in Massachusettes (from Texas, coincidentally) last Spring. The trip was going to cost $500-$600 even traveling on a shoestring budget. Ultimately I just decided to pay for it and take the tax deductions. (Charitable contribution / travel as a volunteer.)
However, my Board felt differently, decided since I was willing to spend the money and take two vacation days from work, they would pay for the $200 plane ticket. They had already talked and insisted I present the idea at a meeting. So I laid out the whole thing and turned the meeting over to my Vice President and left the room for them to discuss it. I told them I could see it both ways and would only except the funds if the entire board voted unanimously. If not, if even one person felt uncomfortable - that was fine, there would be absolutely no hard feelings.
We had just had a really good fundraiser that raised twice as much as expected, plus I was practically living at school at that time trying to turn some things around. I was really honored that they felt so strongly about helping. However, in our current economic climate (our fundraiser brought in HALF what we expected), I wouldn't even raise the question.
So bottom line - is it a legitimate expense: Yes. Will YOUR organization see is as an acceptable one? You just need to talk it out and see.
