Re: money handling

John Goerzen wrote:
> On Sun, Jul 16, 2006 at 11:11:32AM -0700, Bruce Perens wrote:
>
>> The most important thing we've done about money management in the last
>> several years has been to hire a professional book-keeper. The next
>> important task for the coming year, IMO, is hiring a CPA. Doing these
>>
>
> First off, SPI already HAS a relationship with a CPA.
A very limited one just to advise on taxes. I want something more proactive.
> You don't hire an expensive CPA to do basic bookkeeping and daily mail processing, which it sounds like you've been trying to suggest we do.
>
Oh goodness no. You have the book-keeper do absolutely everything that a
book-keeper can do, because it's less expensive that way. But if we had
been proactively under the guidance of a professional CPA, we never
would have become behind on tax filings. OK, hindsight is easy, but
that's what we need to have for the future.
> I don't recall an officer ever doing the sort of thing a CPA would (file taxes and the like).
Nobody was doing that.
> Why would you have SPI hire a CPA to do bookkeeper's work?
I would have a CPA essentially operate as CFO of the organization and
report to the Treasurer. All routine work would still be done by the
book-keeper, but what we are lacking today is the guidance of a
financial professional. Somehow it was easier to find volunteer counsel
than volunteer finance.

Thanks

Bruce