[Mom21]

I'm new to posting here but I enjoy reading and learning from everyone else. I surely hope you can help me with some insight.

I'm in my second year as president of the parents' group at my son's school. We recently held our annual fundraiser and raised over $17,000 in that one night! Amazing to say the least! However, our joy was short-lived as the treasurer has lost $1300. We are not insured and she is not bonded. I tried to get this taken care of last year but everyone said we are a small town ('family') so no need. Well ... here we are. And this is a community-supported fundraiser so if/when word gets into the community that the money is missing this fundraiser is ruined going forward. The cateter is a businesswoman from town and she helps check guests out and helps tally the totals at the end of the night. We have two-year term limits so the caterer and her daughter have been constants at this fundraiser for 15+ years. So she has it down to a science. Well, the treasurer was very rude with all of us the day of and rude to the caterer and was in a hurry to leave that night. She didn't want us to even count or verify anything. However, we did insist on counting mostly because everyone wants to know the total at the end of the night and also the caterer has her protocol she follows. The treasurer gave the caterer a hard time and left with the money before the protocol had been completed. I was cleaning up some things and did not know the treasurer left without following protocol. She left the funds in her home for 4 days and then called to tell me funds are missing. Problem is she is also on the school board so the principal and superintendent are in her corner 10000% to protect that ... and they intimidated my members against calling the authorities to investigate saying it will ruin our school's reputation, etc, despite the fact that police to not release information to the newspapers unless/until there is an arrest. So my group voted for me to not call. Well, 1/2 of them voted; the other half said nothing. Parents in the group want her held accountable but when we get to the meeting and no one supports me it is discouraging. And I feel she should resign ... but all I'm getting from administration is to sweep it under the rug and move along. I'm very discouraged, can't sleep and am working on an ulcer I'm sure. I think the most concerning thing is that the treasurer has not shown any panic. She has not commented at all that she doesn't know what she'll do or how she'll replace the money. It has been only finger-pointing at this and that and how other people messed the totals up and she has the right amount of money. She has been caught in numerous lies in the situation and has changed her story too many times for me to count. I'm concerned to say the least. Can I call the police on my own if I am concened even though I didn't get a vote from the group? The caterer wants it turned over to the police but her mother passed away in the middle of this so she is a bit sidetracked to say the least. I'm certain the caterer will call ... but I do feel that, as president, it is my responsibility. Let me also say that I am not pointing fingers that my treasurer used the money for her own purposes. But we are confident in the amount of money she took despite the fact that she didn't allow the protocol to be finished. The only thing missing was adding the auction receipts and that has since been done and corresponds with the cash totals we have on our tally sheets that we each counted. Don't we have a fiduciary responsibility both to the group and to the community who donated all these items for auction and come and spend every year that the money is accounted for? Even if the police come back and say they cannot find evidence of a crime, isn't that something we need to maintain our reputation and credibility? And I'm concerned about my personal credibility as well.

[dlf]

It's clear from the post you made that you know the right thing to do. The money needs to be accounted for. Either all those who want to "save the reputation" of the school pony up and cover the loss, or the treasurer covers the loss (or perhaps the board has a bite in this too since protocal wasn't followed), then report the loss. You can't take a "vote" to allow someone to steal from you.

I'd suggest that those involved cover the loss in a certain amount of time, or I'd proceed to the authorities and if you can no longer continue in your post so be it. At least you'll be able to look in the mirror.

d

[gjcoram]

How strong is your evidence for the $17k? Are all the people who came up with the numbers that went into it ready to sign, under penalty of perjury, that they are correct?

I'm surprised that the principal and superintendent are backing her so strongly. Have you met with them privately? They may tell you things in person where there's no record. If you bring them signed statements from the counters and point out that the caterer knows there is a problem and won't be satisfied with a cover-up so this will jeopardize the $17k for next year, I'd think they'd change their tune. If you have good evidence that this person "misplaced" the money, I'd think they wouldn't want her in a position of authority.

On the other hand, could it be that someone else stole the money, and the treasurer "just" made the mistake of violating protocol by taking an uncounted amount of cash?

I like dlf's comment that you can't "vote" to allow a crime.

[LovinDisney4]

I'm a little shocked by the "call the police" comments. I think gjcoram is more on track here asking whether the original number was correct. Why would you jump to the conclusion that she took the money and not to the first conculsion that perhaps the count was wrong and she is indeed innocent. Wow, this type of attitude scares me as a parent and I would certainly not jump on the PTO bandwagon after reading this. Are you serious? Call the police on a mother who volunteers her time? Maybe I'm just being naive in thinking that you could be sending a mother thru the legal system without knowing the facts.

[dlf]

My sense from the original post is that the preliminary research has been done and the money missing is indeed a fact. Of course you would never just call willy nilly to involve the authorities. If the preliminary work hasn't been done, then that is of course that is the first step. You must be absolutely clear that embezzlement has taken place. Unfortunately it isn't the first time we've heard on these boards that a theft has occured at a PTO and it won't be the last. There are moms, more than one, that have embezzeled money. Last year there was a case of 50,000 dollars stolen over a 5 year period by a PTO (or PTA president--I cannot recall) in Fairfax, Virginia.

Mom21--if you haven't done the work to back up your concerns, then that is absolutely the first thing you need to do. This might be much ado about nothing after you get your arms around it.

Excuse me while I relight my torch and head to the castle.

d

[JHB]

Mom21 - it doesn't sound to me like your group has proof that will stand up in court. Since she did leave without the money being counted, no one can know with absolute certainty how much was there. If the backup is correct and that much cash is truly missing, then the argument will be made that the funds were taken during the event and that multiple people could be responsible.

This was actually the situation when I started with my first PTO. No formal policies or cash controls. Everyone was simply trusted. No double checks. And then suddenly money is missing. Lots of finger pointing. Investigation that indicated this was actually a pattern, not the first attempt. And the person at the center of it acting as if nothing was wrong. There was no proof; nothing we could do except ask that person to step down and implement REAL controls from that moment forward.

One positive thing - surviving a theft like this will fast track you towards formalizing your processes. Suddenly everyone is on board with the idea.

**One positive thing - surviving a theft like this will fast track you towards formalizing your processes. Suddenly everyone is on board with the idea.**

Exactly. If you do nothing else regarding this situation, push through checks and balances to govern the next fundraiswer that, if not followed, will result in immediate dismissal from the board. Then, push through a vote to remove this particular task from that particular board position's umbrella of responsibility. Suggest it under the guise of "checks and balances" and out of concern for "protecting her reputation in the community" and "preserving trust with the parent group" in the event that totals not balance with receipts.

[rnbowmom]

I don't believe an investigation would be at harm. Maybe not naming any certain person, but that is alot of money to just dismiss. What does that tell future members? Its okay to just say money is lost????

[Mom21]

Hi everyone ~

Thanks so much for weighing in.

Yes, everyone who counted money is ready to sign and testify if needed. That said, I am not saying we HAVE to prosecute someone to satisfy this. Do I think the treasurer simply took the money and used it ... I don't think so, but ... But do I think she was careless keeping it in her home for 4 days and numerous other things, yes ... I do.

Do we think we could prove the $17,000 ... yes, we think we could. We have tally sheets to prove the majority of it, except for a couple of the raffles. The only thing we didn't count and verify ourselves (myself and the caterer) were some raffles but those were verified by the persons working the particular raffles. And, I honestly feel that since the treasurer gave us those numbers herself for the raffle totals that she is liable for that amount of money. And she wouldn't take the time to count the money that night. She was very belligerent all day, sad to say. She didn't even want to allow us to count it at the end of the night, she just wanted to take it home.

Do I think the police can prove anything ... I'm not sure. If they can we definitely need to know. If they can't ... is there harm done? I don't mean to sound naive ... but if we can clear the treasurer, our group and the repuration of our fundraiser isn't that a good thing?!

I am disappointed in her character. Personally, my checkbook is open if the police want to see it. If the treasurer truly has nothing to hide I would rather see her say, "How can I help? What do we do next?" and she isn't saying anything like that. Just pointing fingers of who else could be at blame.

There is a gal in our town who was involved in some money missing a few years ago from another organization in town but it was swept under the rug. Sad to admit but every time I see that mom I have thoughts of that. So if we call the police to investigate and they find no evidence of a crime (or cannot prove one) ... is that a bad thing? Doesn't that help the reputation of everyone involved?

I believe this is way too much money to sweep under the rug.

I certainly don't mean to turn anyone off from volunteering by talking about calling the police; however, that $1300 was given for the students. That mom/treasurer does volunteer her time ... but so does everyone else, including myself. As president I can promise you I put a whole lot more time into this fundraiser than everyone else combined, except for the caterer of course. Treasurer is rude to the previous treasurer and refused to ask questions and seek guidance despite the fact that the previous treasurer was there all day helping us set up, but she has no problem pointing out to everyone that it is my fault she didn't know what to do ... despite the fact that the caterer tried to give her guidance which she blatantly ignored right in front of us all. I am the president, I don't have time to hold hands and coddle. If you have a job on the board it is your responsibility to either know what to do or find out what to do. Are we not adults?

I am confident the only reason the superintendent and principal are looking out for this gal is that she is on the school board. And as far as the caterer, they just figure that they'll make less next year. Hello?! If/when word gets out in town the fundraiser is ruined if we don't do something. People will not donate and people will not come and spend. It is going to be personal to them, the money missing is the money they spent or from the item they donated.

I appreciate everyone's support. I called the State Police today and the detective is on vacation so I left a message and asked him to call me when he gets back. I guess if I don't talk to him I'll never know. Even if we don't have legal grounds maybe he can help us out with something to put this to rest. I don't know. But I have to have this cleared up or my conscience will not bear it. How do I teach my child that you always do the honest thing, even when it is difficult ... if I am not willing to do that myself. So I guess that is where it is at for now ... until the detective returns from vacation.

Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement!

[JHB]

Just curious, but why involve the state police? Is it not the jurisidiction of local authorities.

I don't think any of us are advocating that the missing funds be swept under the rug and that it doesn't matter. We're merely concerned there is no firm evidence with which to move forward. Yes - money is missing, but unless it was counted before she left, how can anyone prove if the funds went missing before or after they were taken from the event? Please keep us posted. We do want to hear what happens.