Tim,
Thanks for responding. Couple of quick questions. You mention that we don't need to vote on dissolution tomorrow night. If we don't, do we need to have representatives come to our school again when we do vote? Also, do we still need a quorum tomorrow night if we postpone the vote? ( If we have a quorum, I plan on going ahead with the vote!)
I asked the representative I spoke with if we could use written votes by members who can't attend. She said she won't accept them because there's no way for her to know if they are authentic. What if the letters indicating a vote to dissolve are stamped by a notary?
Thanks again. This is an outstanding forum!
First -- don't panic. You're contemplating a move that 75% of the parent groups in the country have already taken. It's done every week and good-hearted volunteers live to tell about it.
There has been no definitive answer to the "can they take our money" question to date (we're working on it!); however, there are definitely moves you can make to quite legally avoid that problem. For example, your PTA can spend down its funds quickly so that -- upon dissolution -- there are very few dollars to argue about. Or you could keep your PTA technically in existence (with very few members, thus few dues to pay) while you start up your PTO. You could then run fund-growers through the PTO account and fund-spenders through the PTA account until the PTA account runs to zero. You could then officially end the PTA.
Your leadership and your members are in charge of your group. You have every right to use Robert's Rules tomorrow night to limit debate and you don't have to vote on dissolution tomorrow night.
If your state contact is especially difficult, then your responsibility for "playing nice" goes down, as well.
Why any organization would want to force members to stay I have no idea.
If you do dissolve tomorrow night, don't forget that your leaders (treasurer?) still are the signatories on all your accounts. No one gets a penny of your money without your approval (or a court order), and I've never heard of this type thing going to the courts. Ever.
Good luck.
Please keep us informed. Remember that it's the work you do for kids that matters far, far more than the acronym you choose.
Thanks for the quick responses! I knew I could count on all of you. As far as holding off on the vote until the 501 goes through ... this could take a year. Won't we have to have "them" come back out again? Do they need to be present when the vote is taken?
I did do some checking and being tax emempt and having non-profit status are separate things. We can be tax emempt as soon as our new PTO is incorporated, which will take at most a month. (I've got the paperwork done.) I am thinking this...can we postpone the vote until the PTO is incorporated (using this time to pay remaining bills etc.) I just don't want to have to have reps keep coming. We would all like to get this done and move on. Your help is very appreciated!
I'm just curious... Are you going to let your membership in on the "discussion" between you and the rep? I say let them know what kind of scare tactics were used and then, table the vote until you have your 5013c statis. I would also notify the rep that you are going to be 'chatting' with her supervisor to see if threatening and blackmailing are a part of the PTA.
Good luck and don't let the witch scare you out of doing what your group thinks is right! [img]tongue.gif[/img] :eek: [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Let them speak at your meeting, and when they are done....table the vote to dissolve. I would wait til the 501 status comes through for your PTO and then vote to dissolve, and make sure you have a minimal balance in your pta funds. Then gladly send a check to state PTA for about $5.00, your remaining balance!!! LOL
Seriously, I don't know if what your rep told you was true or she was trying to scare you. I would wait out the dissolution vote until all your ducks are in a straight row and quacking!!!!
Depending on the relationship with your school district, could it be possible to have the school hold it in an "activity account" until the papers go through? I know one of our school booster clubs just simply uses the school's tax letter for their purchases since they are spending the money on the school and its population.
Good luck! Sounds like kind of a threatening situation there.
[img]tongue.gif[/img] 