Do bills need to be presented at meeting for paymetn

[Guest Francis]

If an organization has an approved budget, does the treasurer need to present bills for payment at the meeting for approval and then payment?

[Chris Harrison]

That depends on how hands-on the Membership wishes to be. They in theory could adopt a rule authorizing the Treasurer to pay all bills without needing approval, they could authorize the Treasurer to pay bills without needing approval up to a certain amount and approval would be required for a higher amount, or they could require approval for paying bills in general.

[tctheatc]

And those options Chris mentions should perhaps be in the bylaws under the treasurer section, describing the duties of the office.

[David A Foulkes]

And those options Chris mentions should perhaps be in the bylaws under the treasurer section, describing the duties of the office.

Hmmmm..... I would have thought the Standing Rules would have been okay, and perhaps a better place.

[tctheatc]

Sure. Perhaps.

Depending on the organization's preference.

[Rev Ed]

It would depend on what the Board wants to do. However, routine "fixed" expenses like the phone bill, Internet costs, rent/property taxes, employee wages/salaries, etc. need not be brought up at every single Board meeting as it can become dilatory to do so and that's partly why you have a Treasurer to deal with this. However, it could be argued that until the budgeted amounts for each item on the Agenda has been reached, the Treasurer should be allowed to sign cheques.

Also, if the organization could have a rule stating that all cheques must be signed by the Treasurer and another Board member.

[Guest Edgar]

It would depend on what the Board wants to do.

It would?

(There's a board?)

[George Mervosh]

And those options Chris mentions should perhaps be in the bylaws under the treasurer section, describing the duties of the office.

But nothing like that is in RONR's model bylaws.

[tctheatc]

Nothing like that? Nothing at all?

p 572 ll 30 ff states that if the duties of the office(s) be numerous, a separate article may sometimes follow the one listing the officers, describing their duties. RONR notes the advantages and disadvantages of this method.

I'd call that something.

It certainly may not be the way to ensure the briefest of bylaws, and not contained in the bylaw sample in RONR, but the notion is certainly discussed.

[George Mervosh]

Yeah. I'd still avoid it

[tctheatc]

Fair enough. To each his own, depending on the particulars and needs of the organization. In our church we do list the duties, but we follow RONR's advice that there be a more encompassing statement so as not to have duties omitted when not intended.

So we're back to the "perhaps"...

Even a Stillers fan and a Pats fan can agree on this forum!!

[Trina]

Yeah. I'd still avoid it

Why is that?

[Trina]

If an organization has an approved budget, does the treasurer need to present bills for payment at the meeting for approval and then payment?

Does your organization have any rules in place about this (in the bylaws, or standing rules, as previous posters have mentioned)? Does your treasurer normally present all bills for approval? Or is someone expressing a desire that he/she do so?

I just looked at the bylaws of the organizations I belong to, and they all clearly state that the treasurer is responsible for making routine disbursements. Certainly the treasurer never shows up at our meetings asking for authorization to pay the phone bill, or to write this month's paycheck to an employee. However, this is just one specific case, and doesn't answer the question for your organization.

RONR is a book of rules about parliamentary procedure -- it won't tell you very much about what the specific administrative duties of your members and officers are.

RONR does say:

'The specific duties of the treasurer will vary depending on the size and complexity of the society; but this officer cannot disburse funds except by authority of the the society or as the bylaws prescribe.' (RONR 11th ed. p. 461 ll. 5-8)

Further down the same page:

'...tasks incident to the collection of dues from members are a part of the treasurer's duties unless the bylaws provide otherwise.' (ll. 14-16). Nothing there about paying bills as a routine part of the treasurer's duties...

So, you're back to looking at your own bylaws and/or at rules or instructions adopted by 'authority of the society.'

[Sean Hunt]

I think that it is usually considered the Treasurer's duty to sign for bills where the money has already been approved. But if the expenditure hasn't been approved by some action of the assembly, then the Treasurer is not to disperse those funds.

[Trina]

I think that it is usually considered the Treasurer's duty to sign for bills where the money has already been approved. But if the expenditure hasn't been approved by some action of the assembly, then the Treasurer is not to disperse those funds.

So, is an approved budget (approval being an act of the assembly) to be construed as instructions to the treasurer to pay bills related to the approved budget items over the course of the year?

[George Mervosh]

Yeah. I'd still avoid it

Why is that?

I'd put all this stuff in the standing rules, since bill paying etc.....seems to fit the definition of adminstrative rules/duties perfectly..

[Trina]

I'd put all this stuff in the standing rules, since bill paying etc.....seems to fit the definition of adminstrative rules/duties perfectly..

Thank you for the explanation.