We are looking at keeping a certain amount of checks with their carbons, at the school in their safe. We have a two signature also but the President and Treasurer are signers. The Principal is not a signer. I'm THE only stay at home mom on the Board so it makes sense to me and I hope others feel the same way. Right now I'm dealing with bills that the Treasurer hasn't paid and all the fun with that but can't get the checkbook from her for nothing!
Our treasurer keeps the checkbook with her in a file folder complete with her treasurer's reports and bank statements.We need two signatures also, any of the four board members. We all see each other several times a week anyhow, so getting both siggys isn't that difficult. Usually it's a board member that is doing the purchasing, often the Pres or myself and we use our credit card and then get reimbursed. We do order supplies through the company, but the school secretary gives us the bill and the treasurer sends a check directly. Any teacher who wants to us to purchase anything for them has to attend a meeting with their proposal and order in hand and we will write a check that evening to the compaany they are ordering from. It's rare for us to give a check directly to a teacher.
Our treasurer holds the checkbook, but we need two signers to write a check. We authorize the Prez, Trez, and one VP. Usually one of the second signers is available within a day or two. We mail all reimbursement checks to our volunteers rather than send them home with the students. Also, we give about 1 week turn around on checks - we don't prmoise any faster service...one week is reasonable for our PTO, unless someone specifically needs their reimb check sooner. Of course we can create a check for a bill faster if we need to, but with decent planning, those times are few and far between.
Godwinmom,
If you are unable to get to the treasurer when you need her, maybe you need to come up with a different set of guidelines. When I was treasurer, I get really tired of being called all the time for various things that could have been handled easier with some forethought.
Now, if a request is approved at a meeting, a check is cut at that time. If a teacher wants to be reimbursed for approved expenses, the treasurer has up to one week to do this before you can bug her. Also, the principal was given a larger discretionary amount so she could buy things and be reimbursed and not have to call someone all the time.
Our bylaws state that the President and Treasurer should be the only ones signing checks, but a few years ago we had a president who seemed to like making things hard for everyone and, without going into more details, we had to make the exception that one other, non-employee, board member could also be a check signer for approved expenses. That way I could buy popcorn for the school without having to track someone down all over town.
I hope this helps.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
let me also add we do have a very good treasurer and alot of the times she is just busy and we can not get ahold of her but she is very good at her job
