So many things being done worng here. Wrong, IMO, of course!!!
You are the President and as such you need to take back control of the group that you are in charge of. It doesn't matter at this point how you became President, though in the future I would recommend using a normal voting process, which should be outlined in your group's Bylaws, assuming that you have Bylaws (if not you need them)...
You should be writing the Agenda.
You should be controlling the meeting.
You should insist on having a proper budget, with breakdowns of expeditures and intake of funds for all events and programs.
You should be on the checking account, so that you can ensure that there are checks and balances in place.
You should be the one that anyone who wishes something comes to to request it, or at least you should know about it before it is brought up at the meeting.
You should likely be the one bringing up requests at the meeting so that it can be discussed and possibly be voted on.
I'm trying to figure out what exactly this Volunteer Coordinator believes is her responsibility. Maybe it's different for your group, but my group's Volunteer Coordinator has the responsibility of working with an Event or Program Chair to seek volunteers to help support that Event or Program. She may also get involved in setting time slots for the volunteers, but again this should be done with the Event or Program Chair...
Lastly, you should possibly create a discription of all positions within your group, so that it can be properly explained what the proper role is of each person.
If no one is nominating or showing up for elections, you can't complain that the board was appointed.
Is a jumping balloon, (I'm thinking like a bounce house) even allowed by your insurance?
We've had a few instances where a member wasn't happy with our decision regarding certain donation requests. They can be troublesome, causing a lot of strife and spreading a lot of half truths.
We're transparent about our fundraising and where the money does go though. All you have to do is show up at a meeting to hear the treasurer's report or request a copy of the budget form an officer.
Chances are, there are plans for that money in place and your balloon doesn't fit into it.
What is the 5th grade team -- teachers, parents, some of each?
Why is the volunteer coordinator writing your meeting agenda? (The president does in our PTO.) Isn't there an open discussion item to allow you to discuss things that aren't on the agenda? (There should be.)
Do you have by-laws? Is the volunteer coordinator a board member? (Can she be voted out -- or, if your by-laws for elections weren't followed, can you insist that a new election be held?)
I think what you need is a lot of parent support, people willing to show up, vote appropriately, and ask that the board do its duties per the by-laws and the votes of the membership. I don't think the principal will be helpful in that regard, but he/she might be able to help with "nasty e-mails."
I am the president of a PTO with about 800 students and there have been issues basically from day one.
First we as a board were not elected because parents do not turn in their ballot or even vote we as the board were chosen by the former PTO board, because we had volunteered and expressed intrest in holding positions in the future.
Issues from day one range from a treasurer who is difficult who gave last years board so many problems, complained and wanted this that and the other but yet would not follow through with her suggestions or got mad if something she wanted was not done no matter the reason.
then the volunteer coordinator writes the agenda for a pto meeting, is late to the meeting comming at the last few minutes and then writing a nasty e-mail(i am guessing she got the details from the meeting from the other 2 henchmen:eek:) because things were said that were not on the agenda.
I was available for 30-45 minutes after the meeting ended she and the other members did not approach but rather the volunteer coordinator chose to send a nasty e-mail at 10pm.
Now they basically do not communicate with me as president and when they do its "WE set the meeting....WE did this....WE did that" they are not open with any information on our budget, how much profit we made on a fundraiser that just ended and the final straw is that the volunteer coordinator made it very clear in a e-mail that was sent that the 5th grade team who had requested a jumping balloon at the fall carnival should in her words "find somthing on another day" because it would cut into the pto profits and the pto's hard work and she is "not willing to do that" add to the fact that she has an obvious dislike for me and my daughter is in 5th grade so what better way to get back at me than hurting the very grade that my daughter is in. the 5th grade did participate in the fundraiser as did all other grades. This now has the 5th grade team upset and considering boycotting the next fundraiser-they feel as they contribuited to the pto budget through the fundraiser but yet are not allowed to put a jumping balloon up-and I even as president but yet a mom as well agree.
How can these situations be resolved? should the principal be involved. I do not see it being resolved as a board with out some type of a mediator involved. your thoughts please:confused:
