Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Long-term treasurer? was Re: Hardship funds/resources

[Mac Thomson (macthomson]

What Roger said about how they do it at Cantine’s Island makes a lot of sense.

A general principle of financial internal controls is to not allow the person 
who controls record keeping (bookkeeper) to also control cash disbursements 
(check signer, etc.). That way if something funny is going on with cash being 
misused, the bookkeeper should catch it.

-- 
Mac Thomson

Heartwood Cohousing
Southwest Colorado
http://www.heartwoodcohousing.com


"The price of greatness is responsibility."
        - Sir Winston Churchill
**********************************************************




> On Mar 26, 2024, at 7:28 AM, roger cunningham <nengaku1 [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Our treasurer is elected by the board after recommendation by the finance
> committee. We believe it is important to keep treasurer and bookkeeper
> roles separated so there can be no perception of improper management of
> funds. The bookkeeper is a volunteer from the finance committee and three
> people have access to our Quickbooks Online account. The bookkeeper has no
> authority to move any funds. Only see and record transactions.
> This seems to work well at Cantine’s Island Cohousing in Saugerties NY.
> 
> On Tue, Mar 26, 2024 at 8:12 AM Marjorie Kamine <mkamine [at] gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
>> To dovetail with this question, what is the typical term length for
>> finance team members in different cohousing situations, and how did you
>> come up with this? Are team members elected? We're looking at this here.
>> Thanks!
>> Marjie
>> RiverSong Coho
>> 
>>> On Mar 25, 2024, at 10:41 AM, Mabel Liang <mabel [at] twomeeps.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Kelly, something in your description caught my eye.  Have you been the
>> treasurer since 2010?!?  Have the other members of this 3-person team
>> turned over?
>>> 
>>> Thanks!
>>> 
>>> -- Mabel :-)
>>> 
>>> mabel [at] twomeeps.com
>>> Mabel Liang
>>> Software Engineer turned Gardener
>>> 
>>>> On 2024-03-21 18:08, Kelly Bachman wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> We have had a hardship fund since 2010...
>>>> <snip>
>>>> It is administered
>>>> confidentially by a 3-person team of the treasurer, President, and one
>>>> member appointed by the president who does not have a financial
>> interest in
>>>> the community. It has been used 4 times and each time, I (the treasurer)
>>>> was so glad we could help.
>>>> Kelly
>>>> Bellingham Cohousing
>>>> <snip>
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