Forms? We've got forms:

www.ptotoday.com/bonusTools.html

Tim

Hey Critter, (would love to see) those forms you were talking about, or if not, at least tell me what is on them?

Last night we were counting money from the fall festival and I mentioned that I was going to get these forms. The prez groaned and said, "You and your forms." I replied,"Well, we don't want what happened last year to happen this year (the embezzlement)." That shut her up pretty darn quick!

[ 11-05-2005, 07:38 PM: Message edited by: Rockne ]

Some simple things might help you like two signatures for all checks, only paying for things with checks-never cash, if you need cash for something or start up funds-write a check for cash that requires 2 signatures and get a receipt, if your budget is that low-all expenses should be voted on-this way there is no miscommunication. Finally, get your principal behind you on this. If your group can't function without the risk of mishandling funds, then you shouldn't function. It's a hard line to take but one our group committed itself to after a bad experience and now no one complains about the extra paperwork because they want a group in our school and I'm sure you would feel the same way. It's possible even this person you don't like might be that passionate about the group and the school that they would follow the rules to have a presence if it were all laid out to them.

Critter, I like the idea of paperwork documenting money turned it. We don't do that, although when I gave her the money, I did count it in front of everyone and write down in my notes how much it was. But you're right, we do need to know where money is coming from. We don't really do anything with an eye to the future, and we should. I am going to bring up documentation forms at our next meeting, which will be a good intro into a little reminder lecture on financial policies and responsibilities.

We don't have by-laws but our "rules" allow the pres to spend up to $100 without authorization, but with as little money as we have in the bank, I think I will suggest lowering that amount.

Phil, ok maybe you're right--I should cut her some slack on the bank issue. You know on Seinfeld, how he greets Newman everytime he sees him, with clenched teeth and narrowed eyes? That's me with the pres. Hard to cut slack when you feel that way.

We don't even have a budget! I wish someone here could cometo my school and give us a "PTO 101" course.

You guys are the best, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get advice here. Thanks everyone!!

Your president is probably just doing what she did last year, when no one cared. I've always felt that the whole board is responsible for money handling, so you as an officer shouldn't feel like you're out of line with your questions. Maybe you can help enforce good financial controls, too. When you gave her the miscellaneous money, did you also give her supporting documentation? Here's what I mean. We use a differenct form for each major type of financial transaction. So if someone has money to turn in, she is responsible for filling out a green Deposit Notice form that shows the breakdown of the cash, what it was from, who turned it in, date, phone, budget account. Our treasurer shouldn't accept money without a completed form because the form documents that the money has been counted and approved by the member.

Stick to your guns. Enforce the rules you all agreed to. Frame it this way: we may all be the most honest officers this PTO has ever had, but we need to set a good precedent for the future. If the next group of officers aren't as honest, and they ignore the rules, someone could take improper advantage of the situation and rip off the PTO.

Our bylaws authorize our Executive Board to spend up to $100 per month on non-budgeted items. Similar to Phil's group, some of our committees have a set budget and they are expected to work within it. If they need more money, they must request it through the Exec Board first, and then to a vote of the members.

It seems to me that if your group recently was dealing with an embezzling situation, that you (collectively as a board) need to be extra careful about how the $$ is handled. You (all - especially the Pres) should be willing to go the extra mile to ensure the money trails are visible, auditable, authorized and accounted for. A group in this situation should be very careful about authorizing expenditures.

I understand your annoyance - people who make rules for the group but don't follow them is a pet peeve of mine. They set a bad example and tell the rest of the group not to take their responsibilities seriously. Well, you and the other new board member need to be serious.

I understand there is friction between you two, but you need to find away to work around that. If you talk with the Pres and remind her of the embezzeling situation and the new rules that are in effect, hopefully that works. If it doesn't you probably need to talk to the other board members and the Principal and work together to turn the ship in the right direction. If you stick to facts and don't bring pettiness or personalities into it, you will probably be successful (eventually).

Our group has a budget and the Treasurer is responsible for tracking to that budget. The Treasurer is NOT authorized to write a check that will exceed any budget item but is authorized to reimburse for appropriate expenditures within the budget item without specific board approval.

For example, say our Social Activities budget is $700. That budget item typically pays for things like plastic-ware and paper plates that will be shared by multiple events. If the committee chair finds a great deal on the stuff and spends, say $200, the Treasuer can reimburse that without a vote - it is an expenditure that is part of the rules. (This is not to say that the committee chair and Treasurer don't let the rest of the board know what happened - they obviously should and they have.) if, say, there were only $100 left in the budget, then the Committee Chair would ask for an increase in budget at the next meeting or the Treasurer would ask for the increase from the Board (depending on timing). Worst case, the committee chair would have to return half the stuff.

With e-mail we can get a consensus and vote on emergency items pretty quickly. There are very few emergencies that can't wait a day or so to be paid for.

It is not a perfect system (we are working on documenting the rules for each budget item), but it works for us.

I am very wary of a blank check given to any PTO member, dlf, no matter how trustworthy. It sets a bad precedent and allows a less trustworthy successor to take advantage.

Having said all that, writermom, sometimes it is just hard to get to the bank for a few days, so depending on the circumstances I can cut your Pres a little slack that the money wasn't deposited right away. I would expect that it would be kept in a safe, secure, non-visible place in the home rather than being left in the car while running errands though.

Good luck