Our PTO is fairly young as we have been together five years and really would LOVE to have the cash to do what you are doing!!! Is there a parent in the legal feild in your group that could help you with wording if you decide to put this in your by-laws?
Personnally I would step back from the kitchen equipment purchase is the PTO is going to held accountable for it! Unless you can say we will give you $xx amount for the purchase the possiblity of being left with the headaches of calling the "Maytag repair guy" will be more of an headache that anyone in the PTO will want!
I'm surprised the school is acting this way. What will be interesting in 5-10 years when parents want to do improvments on the playground the school said was your resposiblity, what the school will say then!
Is there a way to ask a medator (sp) to help with wording between the PTO and school to make sure all sides are happy.
I would hold off on any more spending until something can be agreed on and signed! This is the time to also think about the parents down the road.....you don't want this headache to be passed on!

We recently got a copier donated to the PTO. The principal put a district code # on the back. It then officially became district property. We were upset at first then realized that they have to upkeep it. I don't know if adding anything to your bylaws would help. You are going to have to go to the district and see what they can do. I guess I don't have any advice, just wanted you to know that there are some districts that do the upkeep on PTO equipment.

We would like the school to sign an agreement with the PTO that any equipment that we purchase for the school will be gifted to the school by the PTO and ultimately would be the school's/school district's responsibility to maintain.

We have moved from one building to another and purchased/built playground equipment and now the school district is claiming that the equipment is ours to maintain. We offered to buy the wood sealer if they would have someone spray the wood equipment twice per year and they've said NO.

We also purchased a library automation equipment/software and since have purchased a maintenance agreement with the vendor for it's upkeep.

Recently we've been asked to pay half for some kitchen equipment but there is a lot of concern with the parents on if the equipment breaks down who would have to pay to repair it.

We would like to add something to our bylaws. Does anyone have something like this in their bylaws? Does anyone have ideas on how to handle this?