*Update*
Well it was short lived, but still could be worse. My VP is getting on my nerves and our Treasurer is still not doing her job very well. We have T-shirt orders that should have gone out LAST WEEK, but couldn't because the Former PTO prez wouldn't help close last years' account to transfer to our new account. She said that she had a difficult time, and we should too! Well, that was so helpful!
Our Treasurer seems to procrastinate and spin her spurs alot doing nothing, but is always in her daughter's classroom helping out the teacher daily. We still have no financial report on where we stand or our budget hammered out for this year. She always has an excuse on hand( Like she's got to go towork at 3pm- though school begins at 8:25am and gets out at 3:45pm, she doesn't feel well and still goes to work, she can't count money because of a discrepancy on the first receipt, etc.),and is very negative about every decision or suggestion put out on the table.What a ray of sunshine she is!
Any who, my Secretary- VP- and Volunteer Coord is getting upset because she is inept to depositing moneies daily and my sec even told me she has talked of resigning from this PTO because of current problems. I almost did myself here, too! Nobody here is happy with our money situation.
And my VP is still nipicking about certain things- like who opensmail. We got a notice from our bank and it was put in the PTO box. It was adressed to my VP and Treasuer personally ( I understand it is a federal crime to open other people's mail, but I feel that the bank should address it to PTO and not the officers themselves.), and I opened it to see where it need to go. Well, my VP complained she doesn't like anyone opening mail that is not theirs and not to do it again. Excuse me? It is PTO's funds and bank account-HEEELLLLLOOOOO! Also we were concerned about money collection, so my VP had devised a system to put all monies in one central place to be collected from each teacher in all grade levels. I thought-good plan. Well when it was time to collect them on Friday( a date she picked and teachers had concerns about, because of having the responsibility of having money in their classrooms), she couldn't do it. I offered to help collect them and she flat out rufused for me to do it, because they were expecting her to do it. Well,excuse me your royal highness! In the beginning shewould tell me that teachers werre complaining about certain procedures and membership cards, refunds, etc.- but no one ever come to me with these complaints. I have a strict open door policy and if anyone has a concern they can talk to me direct.
So, people here are my strategies for the following weeks ahead and see if they sound reasonable:
First, I am going to talk to all the Teachers and get honest feedback from them about my performance so far. I want to see if anything my VP is saying is justified. If they feel I am doing a lousy job- I'll step down and my VP can inherit all the problems, maybe she has a better plan to fix them. Not that she has been any help fixing them now while constantly complaining, but we'll stay on the positive.
Second, I think if we are going to gripe about petty crap, then I will assign petty duties to everyone. I f you complain that mail should not be opened- then you shall be PTO postmaster and make sure mail is given to whoever it needs to be given to. Maybe we should be less concerned with trivial matters, no?
Third,I will give one more month for our current financial officer to get her ducks in a row. If this continues, the board will convene to grant her request to remain a classroom helper for the remainder fo the year. I wouldn't want to take away her valuable time to helping the teacher with trivial financial matters for PTO.
I am soory and apologize in advance to anyone I have offended or peeved over this matter, but enough is enough! I am not going to make anymore concessions or play to anyone ego anymore. I was elected to be Prez and I should have the full support of my Board. Good luck to all and I will keep you updated.
