Troop Account Questions

[ScouterPaul]

Small tidbit of information. Most banks do not verify signatures on checks less than $1,000. It is cheaper to pay the fraud cost than to hire staff to do the actual work. Your check will most likely clear with only one signature.

 

Our Troop and Pack accounts are non profit and do not pay any service charges. As a banker I would strongly urge all checks be made payable to the Troop or Pack.

 

Paul

[Eagle Foot]

Wow!!!!

 

I have told other scouters things like this really happen.

You must or I should say you should have all checks made to the troop....If you

write checks to parents then have them write to the troop, this is bad business.

 

In our legalistic life styles this will protect the innocent. Use the committee guide

Book as to how checks are signed by the

Committee chair & Treasurer...as a Scoutmaster

I dont want to sign checks.Ill spend the money.

 

It was good your DC was there, Im sure he helped opened the door for your (x)Treasurer so she wouldnt knock a whole in it when she left.

 

They are banks who will provide free checking for BSAthis is good business for those

who do this. We have a local banker on our district committee. Our troop has free checking. If the bank ever starts charging well move the account. In most councils you

can deposit money with them say $200.00 then buy against this at the local council scout shop. This makes it the logistics easier for the SM or advancement Chairman to purchase for the troop.

 

Sounds like her way of getting out of the responsibility rather than saying Im not up to this.

 

(comments by Eagle Foot)

 

 

[Bob White]

"Use the Committee Guide Book as to how checks are signed by theCommittee chair & Treasurer.

 

Actually that is not what the book says. It recommends that the two signatures required should be the Scoutmaster and the Troop Finance Chair. page 23

[buffalo2]

All that's been said sounds good, but having watched a couple of treasurers over the years (thankfully avoiding that job!) must insert the idea that this position can heavily burden your most dedicated person much less an SMs wife / temporarily single parent / military spouse.

Perhaps the Committee could consider an Associate Treasurer to handle Scout accounts or fundraisers? Offers an automatic oversight function also... Might be a spot to fill with one of your older Scouts? While this can be more trouble than its worth in a small unit, there's a lot to handle and making things easier for this critical position should be considered.

And always act as if you'd be audited the next day!

[SR540Beaver]

Buffalo,

 

True enough. The fundraiser we just completed had another person coordinating it and collecting the money. Just from my limited knowledge and experience in this troop, I don't think the Treasurer would welcome an assistant. She accused the Committee Chair of being controlling. Yet it was the Treasurer who made the comment (before finally exploding) that she was told when she took this job that she could do it however she wanted. In other words....I have the power and you don't. When I graciously extend the coutesy of telling you HOW it is going to be, you rubber stamp it and let ME have MY way. I have since learned that this is the second time she has stated she is quitting when someone suggested something different than her way. Being new, I don't think I've gotten in the Troop e-mail loop yet. I found out thru the grapevine last night that the SM is requesting a specially called Committee meeting to discuss boy led troops, the responsibilites of the committe and then based on how those discussions go; a third topic might be discussed. Folks reading between the lines interpret that to mean that if he and his wife don't hear what they want to hear, they will leave. That is really sad because everything I've ever heard inside and outside this Troop is that the SM is highly regarded as an SM. I understand that he has a duty to defend his wife. In mu opinion, her actions are not really defendable. But she has placed him between a rock and a hard place. I don't think anyone wants to lose him, but may have no choice. The committee can not just let her tantrum go unnoticed. Another piece of hearsay I heard is that the SM believes so totally in the boy led method that while he thinks the committee has it's place; he often thinks it can get in the way and should operate in a limited capacity. So I don't know, maybe he and his wife are both of the mind that the committe is a formality and is there to rubber stamp their decisions. All I know is that the troop has a group of great kids and dedicated parents who enjoy working together. Everyone except the Treasurer.

[Shell in WA- USA]

I'm not sure about the meeting and the display of emotion. Seems like there's alot more going on, than just your post.

 

But besides that, fundraising money should be made out to the troop. Even people with the best of intentions might end up losing the troop money before it gets back to the treasurer. But it might be harder to collect the monies from each individual parent. I'd leave it as turning in all money and checks to a main person in the troop.

 

I'm not sure of all banks, but we have a bank that waves the charges to our account because of our troop status. Although we would pay for bounced checks, etc. monthly charges, deposit fees, etc are waved. I'd hunt around for a bank willing to do that. Try the smaller local banks in your area. They seem to be more willing to work with the community and "little guy."

 

And yes I agree. It's tough to have the SM, Wife and son all in head positions, but most of the time, it works out just fine.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

Maybe it's time to sit down with the SM and see what he has to say in private.

[Eagle Foot]

I stand corrected...I thought that I read that the CC and Tres. sign the check and purchase's were at the recomendation of the SM.

 

I need to find another copy of Committee Guide Book and read up.

 

Thanks

 

Eagle Foot