What do your by-laws state for member definition? Does it state you have to either be a teacher or parent/gaurdian of a child in the school?
Do your by-laws require a audit before officer changes (specifically the treasurer position)? If so it may could be a technical issue but it would be nice to approve the auditor as a group - less liability on just one or two people making the auditor choice.
What is your Principle's stance?
To be an effective PTO all members should work together on issues big or small; not doing so raises the risks for the organization.
The next time someone asks you if you will run for President say "YES!"
Then you need to check out your bylaws if you have any.
As for the audit issue: Our bylaws state that an annual audit will be performed at the end of each school year, but one year when I was co-prez, my co and I decided to have an audit done on our own because we were concerned about the status of our finances and how up to date our books were. We made the decision on our own because we were trying to work out the problems with our treasurer in a low key and private manner. Did they give any reason for their audit?
Counting of money should be done by at least two people and I would even go so far as to recommend that it not always be the SAME two people. We usually count the money at our event, but sometimes two of us will meet at one of our houses and do the count. Even so, we always have a treasurer's report at meetings and get updates from the committee chairs after each event, so that all the members are aware of how we are doing financially and how successful and fundraisers were.
Having her family come in to vote: That's an interesting tactic. Only your bylaws can really let you know who is eligible to be a voting member of your organization. Ours state that any person who is a parent or guardian of any student and all staff members are considered members of our group with voting rights. In your situation that would mean that the President and her husband could vote, but aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. would not be eligible. We do not discourage other family members from attending our meetings and participating in discussions, presenting ideas or volunteering, they just can't vote. She is basically using this tactic as a way to insure that her ideas will be the ones that get approved-dirty tactic, but one you will find in other groups. There are other posters who have mentioned situations where groups of friends come in and push something through.
If you find that the Prez and Treasurer are violating any of the bylaws with this behavior then bring it up at the next meeting.
Now start putting together your ideas for next school year when you're the President!!
I am the Secretary of our PTO. Our president and treasure think that they are the only 2 officers in the organization. They do not include myself or the vp on anything. They took upon them selfs to have the pto audited. I dont have a problem with that but I feel that they should have to talked to us, and the principle and then we discuss it with the other parents of the school. Also with the fundraisers that we have they count the money after they take it home. We never know how much was taken in at the fundraisers. The president has her family come to our meetings and vote with I dont feel should be allowed for they do not have any children in the school but she says that they can vote for her daughter goes to the school. The president's sister comes to every meeting and all the fundraiser suggestions that I have her sister says to do something else. I am to the point that I am tired of trying and frustrated and wanting to resign but I then think how the kids will be effected. Other parents are not wanting to volunteer because of them they say they only help because I asked them to. Parents are asking me if I will run for President in the next election I tell them that I am not sure if I will run or not. They have caused alot of frustation in the school.
ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS???