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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be the only person concerned that the PTA treasurer seems to have gone missing....

583 replies

PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 07:06

With all the PTA money?

She's been treasurer for years, no children at the school anymore.

She usually attends roughly 1 of every 4 meetings. She hasn't been to one for 6 months. She won't answer the phone or the door, doesn't reply to emails or texts. Chair went to her house and she didn't answer the door although it looked like she was in. We have no access to the money or accounts and the school is lending us money to get back off her at some indeterminate time in the future.

We have the school fate soon and she has all the info on stalls etc not to mention the money we need to buy things! She owes one of the parents about £50 for things they bought from their company for the PTA xmas fate.

Nobody else seems concerned! I really got angry about it at the last meeting and said this is ridiculous, we have no idea how much is in the account, we can't get hold of her, we have no working float. Apparently she has family drama at the moment and thats why she's unavailable but she still wants to be treasurer. I raised the possibility that there could be something dodgy going on and got shut down by the chair who said its not possible as there are two signatories on the account (because she couldn't just forge a signature???)

AIBU to think they should be taking this a bit more seriously given there is over £7000 (at the last count) of money that has been donated by the parents fgs, not to just sit in an account that nobody can get into?!

OP posts:
RaspberryOverload · 16/05/2016 13:28

I am a PTA chairman. I see the bank statements, as they come to me and I pass them on. There's no way I'd allow a Treasurer to be that unavailable without some back up to be sure of how the money is being dealt with.

I intend to step down from the committee when my youngest leaves the school. I would find it very odd that someone carries on after their children have left.

I'm also on the committee for a scout group, and I have online access to the bank accounts, as back up to our treasurer. I also arrange for independent auditing, which may not be strictly necessary, but acts as protection to our treasurer and committee.

This situation needs to be resolved.

Sunnybitch · 16/05/2016 13:53

I haven't had chance to read the whole thread so my apologies if this had already been said but could the head not summon her to a meeting?

Jenny70 · 16/05/2016 14:20

Aside from the theft angle, which is definitely possible (but the Head/PTA Chair don't believe it possible, knowing the person is of good character) it sounds like the PTA is completely paralysed from doing anything because of this stranglehold on funds.

Parents are out of pocket, there is no feedback on how much funds were raised from various events - it's hard to get people to help out at these things, let alone if they don't know if they'll be reinbursed and what funds were raised and where they are going.

Funds raised should be spent on the school community in a timely fashion - that way the families that raise the funds benefit from the improvements/equipment bought. You (and the PTA) don't know what funds there are, so no planning for spending can be made - no plans, priorities, directions etc.

AlwaysDancing1234 · 16/05/2016 14:25

YANBU sounds iffy to me!
There is no reason why the head can't contact the bank to at least ask for an up to date statement.
If you haven't already done so email the chair and copy in the head with your concerns. If she has a family problem fair enough but it shouldn't have such an impact that she can't sign it over to a deputy in her absence.

cozietoesie · 16/05/2016 14:28

People can become 'fixtures' in positions with groups, especially if they're doing a job that no-one else is volunteering to do. People want a quiet life so just go along with an 'Oh - and X will be acting as ....... of course'. It's easier to do that.

They should be replaced - but the HT is unlikely to take the initiative on it. They'll have a lot on their plate already and could well be happy to let things roll on as long as there's no particular trouble from that quarter.

Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 14:29

I've had a reply from the chair. No word from the treasurer but I'm welcome to call an extraordinary meeting of someone else seconds it.

Will contact other parent to ask if she will!

OP posts:
Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 14:29

*if

OP posts:
JennyOnAPlate · 16/05/2016 14:42

At this point I would be sending her a letter asking for a reply by x date or the police will be contacted!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 16/05/2016 14:44

it's hard to get people to help out at these things, let alone if they don't know if they'll be reinbursed and what funds were raised and where they are going

A very valid point, Jenny Wink

Glad you've heard back, PTA - but why has the Chair passed the responsibility for calling an extraordinary meeting to you?? I think you'll find that kind of thing is their job - especially in these circumstances - and I'm afraid all these attempts to back away from the situation would be a massive red flag to me

Baconyum · 16/05/2016 14:48

I agree, that's a weak response to a serious issue

OneEpisode · 16/05/2016 14:50

This thread is getting quite overheated! An extraordinary meeting usually just means a meeting about one topic. That could be one company buying another.

In this case the meeting could be to appoint a temporary treasurer.
Do you know anyone who wants the job?
It would be polite to invite the elected treasurer. If they choose not to come that would indicate the Pta does need a temp treasurer.
Why they didn't attend isn't actually relevant at this stage.

The invite to the meeting should be short and to the point. Date time, and issue to be discussed eg "to discuss if we should appoint temp treasurer, and if so agreed, to elect one"

GoudyStout · 16/05/2016 14:58

Is there on-line access to the PTA bank account set up, and if so can people other than the Treasurer view the on-line account? I operate a Treasurer's account on behalf of a club and I know it's possible to set up various levels of on-line access.

blueskywithclouds · 16/05/2016 14:59

It sounds to me like the school doesn't want to risk there being a scandal, so they are brushing it under the carpet. I agree something is not right here.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 16/05/2016 15:02

My main concern is that if they are committing a criminal offence you are giving them warning to cover their tracks.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 16/05/2016 15:26

That may be so ghoul, but if anything dubious is happening there could be even more difficulties ahead if the committee aren't seen to be doing something to resolve the issue

As I've said, the whole thing could be completely innocent and I very much hope it is. But if most folk had a "family crisis" which prevented them from doing the job for months and affected others, wouldn't they at least offer to hand the books to someone able to take over for a while? I certainly would ...

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 16/05/2016 15:31

Quite. The whole thing's very odd including other PTA committee members' failure to act, hence I'd report them all to police to investigate.

Original poster
PTAmissing · 16/05/2016 16:50

Other worried mum wasn't at the school.

Other PTA mum was and was meh about the whole thing. She said 'well she's got stuff on at home I'm sure it's fine' maybe they do all know something I don't?

OP posts:
Bathsheba · 16/05/2016 16:52

Ask the chair that - "I know that there are problems with Suzie at home - I don't need details and I am never going to gossip - I just need to know if these issues are going to compromise this role or if you are confident it is being done"

MadamDeathstare · 16/05/2016 17:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JsOtherHalf · 16/05/2016 17:15

Something similar happened at a school in our area, only it was the out of school club treasurer. They tooks £1000's, and it ended up in court. The club almost went under.

Ripeberry · 16/05/2016 17:30

It sounds like a plot from 'Hot Fuzz'.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 16/05/2016 18:08

Wow it is weird that no one wants to even support you to hold the extraordinary meeting. If you don't want to get Police involved them call Charity Commission for advice.

Andbabymakesthree · 16/05/2016 18:15

When I was a treasurer I used to have bank statement sent via the chair for acknowledging before passing to me.

I'd be asking the other members who don't seem bothered exactly why they aren't and if they know something to ease your concerns.

Spotsandstars · 16/05/2016 18:17

Even f nothing untoward is going on (yeah right) then she should be relieved of her duties due to other pressures in her life taking over and she's not able to give the role her full attention. I would lead with this in your meeting so it doesn't just look like (justified) accusations.

lljkk · 16/05/2016 19:04

Huge scandal and liability could fall on the heads of everyone who isn't sorting this out appropriately.

Appointing a temporary treasurer with any powers to deal with the money will be impossible without getting 2 signatures to let new person on... from sound of it only 2 people currently can sign the cheques and one of them is AWOL (I think?).