I want to offer this as an idea (works for our little group).
I chair the fundraiser we have been doing for four years with a roller rink. In the spring I sell summer passes that give families a discount on skating. All monies are kept at the school, counted in front of the gals in Accounting or school secretary, every cent accounted for because I sign the envelope as well as the witness. ONLY the Treasurer makes deposites. Please note though, we "bank" through the school district PER our school's charter (yeap, we are a charter school and this was developed for our protection) but it works.
As of this morning I have taken controll of all monies in the safe counted it and put it in the teachers box to be deposited, along with a full statement of where the money came from and how much from each event was collected. I thought I better lead by example.I had a second parent there with me as I counted it
Bravo!!! Just always have someone with you.
I know I'm not one to ever want the job of Treasurer but my next step in your shoes would be to make a big pot of ice tea and comb over your bank statements and any reciept you can get from the bank.
Dear Sunshinestate Mom
Your group needs to develop Standing Rules. Standing Rules enhance your bylaws. I tell people that your bylaws are like your bones, they give you structure. Your standing rules are the muscles that give you form. Standing rules can spell out the day to day operations while keeping your bylaws simple. You do not want bylaws that are so complicated that you are in conflict with them all the time.
In your standing rules you can list the duties of your board members. You can write job descriptions of all your committee chairs and any special assignments. You can write descriptions of the other duties that you have not listed in your bylaws. Example: The treasurer will be responsible for filing a 990 form by November 15th. Or, the President shall appoint the following special committees.... This is an excellent place to put your money handling procedures, deadlines for turning receipts, ect. They are a wonderful tool.
My standing rules are reviewed annual by a special committee. After they are appoved by the Board Members, copies are distributed to ALL Board Members.
Standing rules also are a great recruiting tool. The jobs are defined and everyone should know what they are getting into.
Thank you for your replys. As of this morning I have taken controll of all monies in the safe counted it and put it in the teachers box to be deposited, along with a full statement of where the money came from and how much from each event was collected. I thought I better lead by example.I had a second parent there with me as I counted it .
Firstly, my condolences. What a nightmare! I can only imagine how awful this must all be. Secondly, I am so thankful that this forum exists so that we can learn from others. We're in the process of setting up an association in our school that will be handling the new playground, and this is something I never even thought of! Another note to put in my notebook for our next meeting.
You are in no way shape or form out of line! Each month, a treasurer should bring the books to the board meeting, complete with deposits, expenses, and from which budget line item it came from.
In the meantime, you need to work on changing the resolution of the checking account at your bank and revoke the authority of anyone with questionable intent. You should also have it changed to where two people must sign all checks.
Unfortunately, no one signed onto that account is prohibited from taking a "cash" withdrawal from the account. That's where honesty comes in.
With our account, we have five signees, two must sign checks, and our account info is available on-line where all five of us can access it with a password and keep up with it daily if we like. Trust me, this good system was borne out of a very bad one, so I empathize with you completely. In fact, we're still digging out, too.
Well since my last posting on 11/07 a lot has happened. There were 3 fundraisers (2 were PTO approved)and lots of money made and no accountability fo ANY OF THEM. I got my first treasurer report yesterday and it is so incomplete it doesn't even coincied with the bank statement.The one funraiser that was TEACHER RUN
was a disaster. It cost us money we made no money.
Now at my meeting yesterday I blended my 2 boards( one of the teachers resigned because it was too much to deal with)and I put the remaining teachers into grade rep. positions that our by-laws reconize. My question is I found out that signers on the checking account can walk into the bank and make withdraws from the PTO account. In all of the 4 years I have been involved an since the start of this group NO ONE has ever had the right to make withdraw from the account or obtain ballence inquieries, just deposit funds THATS ALL.
The bank satements come under her name with PTO. I told her to have the bank REMOVE her name from the statement because it is a non-profit account not a personal one.Several years ago the PTA had names on the account and were allowed to withdraw funds and stole 3,000.00 from the account....
Am I out of line for wanting a full account of all funds going in and out of the bank? I am after all the president. HELP!!!!
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Firstly, my condolences. What a nightmare! I can only imagine how awful this must all be. Secondly, I am so thankful that this forum exists so that we can learn from others. We're in the process of setting up an association in our school that will be handling the new playground, and this is something I never even thought of! Another note to put in my notebook for our next meeting. 
