One of the three mandatory officer positions required by CR A-660, the treasurer is the chief financial officer of your PA/PTA. The treasurer’s precise roles and responsibilities should be defined in your PA/PTA’s bylaws, but many treasurers’ responsibilities include:
- spearheading the development of the PA/PTA budget
- keeping a record of all income received by the PA/PTA
- keeping a record of all expenditures of the PA/PTA
- providing a written treasurer’s report* at each meeting
- preparing tax forms
- preparing interim reports, such as the January Interim PA/PTA Financial Report, June Annual PA/PTA Financial report** and the Fundraising Activity Report***
- depositing money in the PA/PTA checking account
- signing PA/PTA checks
- assisting with the June transfer of financial records
- in the event of an audit, assisting the audit committee or external auditors by making all records available
Of course, treasurers’ workloads vary among PA/PTAs. Many use a third party accountant — either paid for with PTA funds or one who donates his/her services to the PA/PTA — to prepare the accounting records; in those instances, the treasurer provides the necessary information and records. A number of PA/PTAs’ bylaws call for the election of co-treasurers. This practice not only allows for a division of the workload, but creates continuity: if each co-officer is elected for a two year term with their starting years staggered, there will always be one incumbent in office.
* The written treasurer’s report is required by Chancellor’s Regulation A-660, and must include a statement of all transactions, including income, refunds, reimbursements and other expenditures, as well as opening and closing balances for the reporting period. Copies of this report must be given to the principal and posted at the school.
** These reports are also mandated by Chancellor’s Regulation A-660. The Interim PA/PTA Financial Report must be prepared by the PTA and submitted to the principal by January 31 of each school year. The Annual PA/PTA Financial Report must be prepared by the PA/PTA and submitted to the principal by June 30.
***The Fundraising Activity Report must be prepared by the executive board, and in many schools the responsibility belongs to the treasurer. The report must be completed after each fundraising activity, and must include the total amount of funds raised and related expenses. A copy must be provided to the principal no more than 5 calendar days after the fundraising activity and distributed to members at the next scheduled general membership meeting. The PA/PTA must report which program goals the funds will be used to support.