I'm a new PTA President this year. I took this post when no one else would, I take pride in all that I do, so I'm giving it my all. Everything is going great. Feedback from the last two events tell me that. I'm reading PTO blogs, websites, Facebook pages, books from amazon, taking PTA Leadership Training etc...The problem is this, the past President is having trouble not being in charge and not being needed. She is a bit of a "mean girl" and very very difficult to deal with. She has taken to speaking to my Treasurer (who has been my friend for years) but is naive and is using this Treasurer to insert herself and her wants and her ways into our events. I would appreciate help if it were towards ME, but it seems to be AROUND me... to wake up to emails from my Treasurer telling my board we "need to get started on the Halloween Dance and here is what "people" (aka past president and Vice President) say we need to do..." I was merely trying to get through our first meeting (last night) and THEN work towards the Halloween Dance. I have put on so many events thru my past professions that I am completely competent and not at all worried as we have 7 weeks and I was planning on starting today. To wake up to see that I have been undermined AGAIN, worries me. I feel like my Treasurer talks to the past board too much (they aren't friends she says) and takes over the PTA meetings (several people mentioned and were shocked). I don't know how to handle this, I try not to talk about people, so I'm HERE asking for advice as I am worried to mention to my V.P. or my Secretary (aka the rest of my board) I feel like I have nowhere to turn and I just have to suck it up. I don't appreciate being undermined and condescended to (as though I don't know how to put on events) or having the past board using MY board member to undermine my abilities, and worse that my Treasurer doesn't see it. Ugh. My V.P. see's it, but again, we are trying not to gossip and so we aren't talking about it. Ugh.