Can Treasurer disclose the copies of bank statements to members?

[Guest Robin]

HI

 

I need your advice.  On behalf of our organization, members requested the Treasurer to disclose the copies of bank statements to the members at our last regular meeting since we received a report at the meeting that a Board of Trustee admitted that she used our debit card to make multiple purchases by mistake.  She stated that she will repay money back to us.  The members want to see the bank statements to see if there are any more transactions that she made purchases without our approval.  President, Treasurer and 2 BTs refused to show the bank statements but they showed the finanical report which sounds like fishy to us.  They told us to make an appointment with them if anyone want to come over to see at the bank statements.  Do the members have a right to view the bank statements on the project screen at the regular meeting?   I looked up at ByLaws.  It did not say about showing the "bank statements" to the members at the meeting but only finanical report.  Please be advised.

 

Thanks,

 

[Chris Harrison]

Was there a motion made and adopted at the meeting of the General Membership ordering the bank statements be produced or did a few members present the request to the Treasurer without it going through the General Membership?

[Hieu H. Huynh]

No rule in RONR requires the treasurer to disclose the copies of bank statements to members. However, the membership could adopt a motion to do so.

[Richard Brown]

I agree with Hieu that I find no rule in RONR that requires the treasurer to disclose the bank statements to members, but neither does any rule prohibit it.  There is language that indicates to me that, much like other records of the organization maintained by the secretary, members may have the right to inspect the treasurer's records at reasonable times.   It does seem to me from your post that the officers have agreed to allow this.   I also agree that the assembly (and possibly the board) can direct the treasurer to make the records available or to produce them at a meeting.

 

In addition, if your organization is incorporated, you might check your state's non profit corporation laws.  Such laws often provide for the rights of members to inspect records of the organization.

[Josh Martin]

There is language that indicates to me that, much like other records of the organization maintained by the secretary, members may have the right to inspect the treasurer's records at reasonable times.

Members have the right to inspect the Treasurer's report and the auditor's report, but that's about it, unless the assembly's rules or applicable law provide otherwise. The assembly may, of course, order additional information to be disclosed.

[Thomas Ralph]

I agree with Mr. Brown's principles but with Mr. Martin's conclusion. Absent rules to the contrary, the Treasurer may but is not obliged to produce extracts from bank statements to the meeting. The assembly can of course order the Treasurer to produce them by motion.

[Gary c Tesser]

So what are we waiting for?

[Richard Brown]

Members have the right to inspect the Treasurer's report and the auditor's report, but that's about it, unless the assembly's rules or applicable law provide otherwise. The assembly may, of course, order additional information to be disclosed.

Can anyone give me a cite where RONR says that members have the right to inspect the treasurer's reports from prior meetings?   I'm not disputing it, but trying to find some authority that the treasurer has a duty to produce anything at all other than a treasurer's report at meetings as required by the bylaws or the parliamentary authority.  I can't even find where a member has the right to inspect the treasurer's report at a meeting.

 

Josh, by your comment, did you mean that members have the right to inspect past treasurer's reports or only the report being presented at a meeting?   

 

Also, if the treasurer's reports are written and are filed with/by the secretary, and the members have the right to inspect the secretary's records, wouldn't this then include the treasurer's reports which the secretary has on file?

[Josh Martin]

Can anyone give me a cite where RONR says that members have the right to inspect the treasurer's reports from prior meetings?   I'm not disputing it, but trying to find some authority that the treasurer has a duty to produce anything at all other than a treasurer's report at meetings as required by the bylaws or the parliamentary authority.  I can't even find where a member has the right to inspect the treasurer's report at a meeting.

 

Josh, by your comment, did you mean that members have the right to inspect past treasurer's reports or only the report being presented at a meeting?   

 

Also, if the treasurer's reports are written and are filed with/by the secretary, and the members have the right to inspect the secretary's records, wouldn't this then include the treasurer's reports which the secretary has on file?

I am including past reports. See RONR, 11th ed., pg. 460. It has been pointed out to me before that, technically speaking, the text only says that the reports of boards and committee are part of the Secretary's records and therefore available for examination, but I personally believe there is no reason not to extend this principle to the reports of officers as well.