office expenses

At our last meeting we passed a resolution allowing the Secretary (I am the Secretary at this to) to be reimbursed for up to $800.00 per calendar year for office expenses. Our documents state that with a resolution, Board members can be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses.

Our President turned in a bill for inktoner. Our resolution said nothing about anyone else beine reimbursed for office supplies. (We all us our personal printers etc) The President hasn't turned in any bill for office expense for over a year to my knowledge.

I am just wondering how you think this should be handled. I have the tax exempt card so the purchase by our President includes taxes.

I am going to talk to the President about this. It is just that I get such good advice from people on this site.

Since it's common for our President, Treasurer and Architectural Chair to print and send letters, we budget one ink cartridge per year (of course we need receipts prior to reimbursement).

It takes more than one ink cartridge per year to do all the printing I do for the Association.

Dear Bonnie-

I don't understand the need for the latest "resolution" your board passed; as you say, you already have this situation covered in your documents. (quoted below)

But even if your board found it necessary to establish that the secretary be limited to $800/year for office expenses, that does NOT necessarily mean that ONLY she is entitled to reimbursement for expenses. You write: "our resolution said nothing about anyone else being reimbursed for office supplies" It does not need to. It's already in your bylaws.

Remember - a little common sense is needed here- you needn't be an attorney to figure this stuff out. Here's the pertinent section-

"Our documents state that with a resolution, Board members can be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses. "

Here's how I would read your documents (as you've described them): "resolution" =" a vote." So... at your next meeting someone makes a motion that the President will be reimbursed the cost of the ink and the secretary (or treasurer) will collect her/his receipt for the accountant. Someone seconds the motion, it passes unanimously (unless the bill is unreasonable or discussion is needed) Then, the issue being resolved, the President is paid in whatever manner your board has extablished for this type of minor expense.

Why be petty about who can or cannot be reimbursed for legitimate expenses? You all spend enough of your time for FREE. None of you should be expected to loose money on the deal too. If the President asks for ink once a year it seems reasonable to me. Offer some ink to the other directors too if they print out flyers or whatever. If they don't need it, they'll probably decline the offer.

If you are going to worry about saving the sales tax, then I guess you'll have to go buy the next ink cartridge yourself and deliver it to the President.

Elaine

TIm,
This is not fair to you. No Board member should have to pay out of pocket for expenses without being reimbursed.

Also when Board members pay out of pocket without reimbursement, the financial statements do no honestly represent the cost of the Association.

As Secretary, I use much more ink than any other Board member. I have no problem with other members being reimbursed.

I have served on many boards where personal stock of ink, paper, envelopes were used. I called around and got prices for copies from Staples and that is what I used to "bill" my organizations. Calculate the cost of envelopes and figure in your postage. I kept records of the page counts and mailings and submitted a bill when my costs got up to $50. Even thought I didn't have a receipt, except for very specific postage, no one ever questioned a bill.

Bonnie-
Okay, so your board seems to use some form or version of Roberts rules which I'm not familiar with. That's fine. I guess what I want to emphasize is that if you endeavor to make each Board decision exactly correlate with each other similar issue over the years, you're making things too hard on yourselves. If attendance at your meetings is anything like ours, (sparse) you probably can surmise how many people are going to care enough to research past decisions in order to call the Board on an inconsistancy. Volunteer boards must use their documents and state laws to guide them to decide each issue fairly on its own merits within the constraints established, and that's all they can do. The legal test of good faith is not a standard of perfection. It seems as if you are certainly trying hard to be diligent. I hope most of the owners appreciate your effort.

Although it would be more work, maybe an outline or working policy manual which consolidates past decisions on topics which present themselves again and again would be helpful. Another benefit of such a procedural manual would be to encourage potential Board members to take a turn at serving, since they might better imagine what would be expected of them. Just a thought.
Elaine