We allow the Treasurer to pay out budgeted items with only notice being sent to the other officers via email. Items that exceed their budgeted amount or are not on the organization's approved budget must be voted on by the organization. The only item that does not follow this protocol is a new budget/bylaw item that we started. It is called the President's Discretionary Fund. It is funded each year to allow the President (with Executive Board approval) a limited amount to use if a need arose during the summer or between meetings. The President must get Board approval and then must bring the matter up at the next organizational meeting to replenish the fund. If the organization doesn't feel the President should have spent the funds, the President is responsible for the money. It is a good item for the in-between times.
We just pay it out if the amount is the same as in the approved budget. We approve the budget in the first meeting of the year so we don't have to vote on everything later on.
Can the treasurer act on the authority of the president to pay those items out?
Not sure. This you need to check on as I don't know who needs to sign the checks etc. For our group, no. But every group is different yet the same in corny little ways!
(I'm not as budget minded. That's why I like to be the secretary.... )
We have a mixture of bylaws and policy, depending on the item. Some things are very clear. If we budget and approve by vote to buy something concrete, then it needs no further action.
But if allocate funds for an on-going program (i.e., Teacher Appreciation/Hospitality), then it's a little different. Yes, that committee has XX amount of dollars to spend. But we expect them to come to our Board meeting each month with plans and explanations of HOW the money will be spent. The individual plans need board approval also.
The way our PTO is setup is that once the budget is approved we do not have to vote on an item again, unless for some reason it will cost more than $100.00 over what was approved. This is a very important reason that all known expenditures be line items on your budget. It saves time in future meetings and gives the board the means to be more efficent.
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