I agree with Pottsville. At best, a budget is a really good guess of what's ahead. It's never perfect. If the members want to revise it, and the money is available, why worry?
At this point in the year, there are two possible scenarios: your fall fundraiser came in over plan, and you have extra money you can allocate to this new idea. Or, your fundraising hit target or fell short in which case you can't fund this new idea without taking budget away from something else.
Let the members discuss the proposal in accordance with Roberts Rules. If it's a really bad idea, that should come out during discussion. If it's one person's pet project, and the Board disagrees with the proposal, be sure to have information to back up the Board's recommendation. But in the end, if your Bylaws don't give sole ownership of the budget to the Board, I'd say the members have control.
The good news is that your PTO puts together and annual budget in the first place. Think how ugly it could be if you were faced with similar debate for every single expenditure!
We can make adjustments to our budget during the yar (if approved by our Executive Board) if there is no net effect on the budget. In other words, we can add an event if there is a way to pay for it, either by raising more money or by reducing an expenditure in another area. This hasn't really been an issue for us in the past. There needs to be some flexibility, I think, because things come up that you can't always plan for. Another option we have discussed is to have a budget line item for a certain amount that is Undesignated. That would be an amount that could be spent for something not anticipated when the budget is first set.
Why would you want to head it off? Apparently, your general membership is wanting to do something different. Not knowing all the specifics, I would just say to listen and see where they are wanting things to go.
If the general membership and the board are not seeing eye-to-eye in general of how the money is to be spent, I see trouble on the horizon.
This might not be your case, but I have seen it happen many times.
It sounds like your general population has a lot of control. Do you ever have the problem that one person makes something their cause and brings their friends to help get it passed? This is why we handle finance the way we do. I guess, in your case, I would voice my opinions as to why I don't think that certain item should be passed and remind everyone that nothing was budgeted for it and that maybe it should be considered to add to the budget for next year so that money can be saved for this item since it will not fund itself. Good luck.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
Our by-laws state that the duties of the Treasurer "shall pay out funds in accordance with the budget as approved by the membership. . ." There are no provisions for amendments, etc. and one of the roles of the executive board is:
"Review tentative budget from budget and finance committee for recommendation as a proposed budget to the general membership for adoption."
there are no other budget mentions in the by-laws so this is a really grey area
In our group, the budget can be voted on only by Board Members. Do your bylaws tell you who can vote on such items?
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
