Dear PTA members,
We were saddened and disappointed to learn of the theft of funds from one of our PTSA Units by their former treasurer. We would like to address the issue and assure our members and officers that we are aware of what has happened and outline the steps that we are taking.
The PTA has many rules and procedures in place, and while some may seem to be cumbersome, they are there to safeguard officers, units and each group’s assets. We are focusing on training our officers and going over rules and procedures. We are discussing with our officers why they are in place and how they are meant to protect the group when followed properly. Money handling procedures and signs of fraud have been included in training at length, for ALL officers. We are committed to keeping an open dialog with our officers and members.
One of the major benefits of PTA is that we do have procedures and support in place and readily available. We take pride in the strength of our association and the resources that are available to us. We will learn and improve our procedures as a result of this incident.
We do not take these matters lightly, and we do hope to regain the trust of parents and staff members who have generously contributed not only to the Emerson PTSA, but to all PTA Units in Livonia over the years. Full restitution is expected and we will use this as a learning experience and a reminder that policies and rules are important and must be followed.
We are grateful for the support and participation of all of our members and we will continue our work. We have so much to be proud of here in Livonia and we have 24 outstanding, very active PTA units. We refuse to let this isolated incident detract us from our most important work – continuing to advocate for all of our nearly 15,000 students.
Please understand that we do not want to scare anyone away from taking on the role of PTA Treasurer, or from participating in or even joining their PTA. That is the last thing that we want. We are increasing our training efforts and requiring submission of additional documents and safeguards in order to protect our officers, our Units and our members. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we deal with this issue. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact Julie Thompson or incoming PTSA Council President Joanne Hayes.
As a final reminder, we strongly suggest that each Unit send a group to the annual PTA Audit Party on July 20. Units that do not send a group are required to notify Council who is conducting their audit, with contact information for each participant. Units must use Council’s form and must submit a copy of their June PTA bank statement with their Audit. Completed audits must be submitted to Council no later than August 1, unless you contact Council to make special arrangements. Failure to follow this procedure will result in that Unit not being able to participate in the Reflections program, Founders Day, PEP and any other programs or contests that we offer.
We regret that we find it necessary to put these steps in place, but we must take money handling and PTA procedures seriously and feel that this is the best way to protect everyone.
Sincerely,
Julie Thompson
2015-2016 Livonia PTSA Council President
&
Joanne Hayes
2016-2017 Livonia PTSA Council President
http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/livonia-pta-treasurer-accused-of-theft
Livonia PTSA Council 