Thank you to all who posted. I have not had the opportunity to "have the talk" with this person yet. Mainly because I have busy trying to get things straight with the candy sale. When I get the chance I will meet with her just to clear the air.
There was one person who posted whose response I didn't quite understand. I will say that yes you are correct in saying "get the facts straight." However, I will add that it is impossible for me to get information from the past presidents' or treasurers as they have not been willing to do anything. Which I guess leads me to another question...
I was thinking that to protect the organization I could have all executive board officers sign releases basically stating:
"In accordance with PTO bylaws I agree that upon my removal or resignation from office I will turn in all paperwork, bank statements, supplies, or any equipment that has been provided me in respect to my duties." I understand that if said property is not turned in within 30 days my child's report cards can be held in lieu of said documents.
So I guess my questions would be:
1. Have any of you all had your officers sign such documents?
2. Is this legal?
3. If we are already having a problem with recruiting officers/volunteers would this create more problems?
If you are the school, I believe you are, about the treasurer, You better double check some of the facts. I know the treasurer two back sat down with the treasurer one back and reviewed every account and expenditure. I know the previous treasurer(one back) tried to turn the books over to 3 or 4 different people who said they were going to be the new treasurer and then at the last minute they backed out. By then school was out and they had to wait till Sept.to find a new person willing to do the job. When a new treasurer was found, the old treasurer at a PTO meeting set a date and time and the Principal offered her office to do the audit. As far as I know sthe principal never said not to do an audit. Anyone who wanted to attend could. The previous treasurer was at the school and waited and no one showed up. Seems the new treasurer forgot or wrote the date down wrong. No problem , audit was rescheduled. At PTO meeting, members were made aware and meeting rescheduled. Old treasurer arrived at school with all papers and books again and only the new treasurers showed up. Neither the President or vice president or anyone else who stated they would help with the audit were there. The old treasurer meet with both the new treasurer and co-treasurer to go over the books. I know this all happened because I was at the PTO meetings and at the school when the books, reports and receipts were being transfered. I also know that during some of the PTO meetings(past and present), approval was given for extra money to be spent on certain events/activities even thou it was over the budget. It was also two years ago, the previous treasurer also insisted that the officers and event chairs be BONDED . Which was approved to be done and the treasurer got that done. Audits do not have to be done by an outside firm and large fees paid (a waste of money that can go to better use for the students) as long as you get a PTO that will work TOGETHER and people show up to do the audit. The tresurer can't do it by themself! The previous treasurer did provide reports of every deposit and check written. I have copies from every meeting. You have to go to the meetings to get copies! Seems this school likes to complain and pick on all their treasurer's (past and present) but where are all the reports from the event/activity chairpeople? The treasurer can not report what happened at an event and what supplies were bought. The treasurer may not have even been at those events or involved in the planning except to get the start up money to the event person or to reimburst for supplies (and sometimes this doesn't happen till after the event is over)!
I would suggest you all sit down, CALMLY, and ask questions from the previous treasurer and President about the activites that this PTO does during the year or go on. It doesn't sound like too much preplanning on the part of the next set of officers happened before taking office. Did you all attend meetings in the years before to see what events they had and how they ran? If you take time to read the treasurer's report you can see where money was spend and the income the event generated.I know that this school had a great PTO that worked together and money was always counted at the event by two people and then double checked with the treasurer. And yes, people are volunteers and many have put a ton of work into the school and PTO. It is suppose to be fun and a way to make lasting friendships. These people are not accountants. If you want that nit-picky of reports then hire an accountant to do all the money handling!
Originally posted by Ange02020: If this woman shoots down any idea of yours again. Ask her point blank, as nice as possible, what she would suggest doing instead? Then, (if it isn't a terrible idea) with as much interest and happyness you can muster, tell her what a great idea it is, go on about it, and then in front of everyone, quickly, Thank her for the great suggestion AND for volunteering to take the lead getting some information together on it, Tell her she could present HER idea at the next board meeting.
Fabulous suggestion [img]smile.gif[/img]
onesteph, I hope the talk goes well. Do you think you'll have some good people on board after the elections? I feel your pain in running a one woman show!
I would like to offer a suggestion, Every PTO have the parents who have come to meetings and put down every suggestion, yet don't volunteer for anything. Try this....
If this woman shoots down any idea of yours again. Ask her point blank, as nice as possible, what she would suggest doing instead? Then, (if it isn't a terrible idea) with as much interest and happyness you can muster, tell her what a great idea it is, go on about it, and then in front of everyone, quickly, Thank her for the great suggestion AND for volunteering to take the lead getting some information together on it, Tell her she could present HER idea at the next board meeting.
she could say no and give excuses not to do her own idea, then go back to discussing how to follow through with the original idea.
or
she could say she doesn't have a better idea, in leiu of no better suggestions stick with the original idea.
or
she might actually follow through with her idea
Just a thought
Andrea
P.S. and I agree with your principal, move forward with your candy sale, you could use the explanation to her, that the principal wanted to do it.
All you can do it keep at it. I am the Pres elect of our PTO and because no one has a challenger at the close of the May meeting the new officers will assume thier offices. I have 3 women who have said no to every suggestion I've offered the past 2 years. This was the 1st year that I was on the Exec Brd. as just a general officer. Tell us how your talk goes. I'm going to have a similar talk with a couple of the women who have been a pain. I'm planning to take the tack of we need to work as a team. We are all talented and intellegent, just imagine what we could accomplish if we worked together rather than against each other.
Our next election is scheduled for May. I'm wondering just how to go about this. I guess my main concern would be to make sure that this type of thing doesn't happen in the near future. I know that if I set term limits and work on having elections for only certain positions (at certain times) that may help.
I talked with my principal, thank god we have a wonderful relationship. I had already decided last night that I was going to continue with our candy sale next week, even though I said I wouldn't. He suggested that I do so as well. After all 40% profit is better than no profit right? I guess I'm going to have to chalk this up to being a leadership decision which will probably be an unpopular one.
Mainly I decided to continue with this because after thinking about this long and hard I realized one thing. I was mad as h@##!! People are always crying broke and screaming that our kids need this and our kids need that and now that I have the opportunity to give our kids this they don't want it. In fact, my principal even went as far as to say that people will challenge my decisions because not because they disagre with them, but mainly just because I'm in a leadership position.
Thanks everybody for letting me vent and for offering valuable solutions....I love this place [img]smile.gif[/img]
Oh...and I am going to try and have a heart to heart with this person. Will it accomplish anything? I don't know. But I do know it will ease my conscience knowing I'm not holding anything back.
