I'm not sure if I'm asking for advice or just venting - probably just venting, but all comments welcome...

I belong to two PTO's. The elementary one I helped reorganize from the ground up - 501(c)(3), pays sales tax, gets all required permits, uses good cash processes, has audits, etc.

The middle school one is a loosely held org that operates with few processes and totally "off radar". Middle school (at least ours) has tons of after school clubs, band, athletics, etc. - all which recruit volunteers and have fundraisers. So the PTO plays a MUCH less centralized, less formal role (than elementary school). I've been willing to help with PTO, but can't in good conscience agree to run it - knowing as much as I do about how it's "supposed" to be done and that this one will never be that way.

This year, there are no officers, I'm not even sure we will have a PTO. (We can take up the slack in other organizations.)

However, I just found out that the PTO bank account still has $4000+ in it. No officers, no one still at the school has authority to sign checks. (No clue where the checkbook is.) The scary thing is that I (or anyone who discovers the account) could fairly easily just take charge of it and do anything with it.

Uggghhh! I don't want to run this organization, but I'm not sure I can sit by and do nothing.

[ 08-19-2004, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: JHB ]