HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-OR-10,,
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Ordinance No. 2008-OR-~_
An Ordinance Regulating Travel And Travel Expenses
For City Employees, Elected Officials
And Non-Returning Elected Officials And
Non-Returning Department Heads
Whereas, the Jeffersonville City Council is vested with the statutory duty of
oversight of the city's finances;
Whereas, traveling to and from conferences, seminars and other necessary events
is an important component of government and governmental development;
Whereas, although an important component of government it is necessary to insure
that the city's elected officials and employees only travel and spend funds when it is
necessary and that the travel and attendance at conferences, seminars and other events is
not undertaken lightly;
Whereas, the council budgets funds for travel, education and attendance at
seminars, conferences and other necessary events and it is the expectation of the council
that the various departments and elected officials will conscientiously over-see travel;
Whereas, in an effort to provide guidance, continuity and to insure that the
taxpayers and citizens of Jeffersonville are best served by its government, the council
would adopt the following ordinance regulating travel and spending by employees and
elected officials:
Definitions
"Non-Returning Elected Official": For the purpose of this ordinance a "Non-Returning
Elected Official" shall mean the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge or member of the City
Council that has either lost their bid for re-election in the May Primary or the November
General Election. Moreover, it shall also mean the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge or
Council Member that has chosen not to run for re-election. This shall not include an
individual who has run for another elected office in City government and has been
successful in gaining election to said "other" office.
"Non-Returning Department Head": For the purpose of this ordinance a "Non-Returning
Department Head" is any individual that is the head of a Department of City government,
as defined by statute, and that was appointed by a "Non-Returning Elected Official" as
defined herein.
I. TRAVEL POLICY
A. In the interpretation and application of this ordinance, the term "traveler" or
"authorized traveler" means any elected or appointed municipal officer or employee,
including members of municipal boards and committees appointed by the mayor or the
municipal governing body, and the employees of such boards and committees who are
traveling on official municipal business and whose travel was authorized in accordance
with this ordinance. "Authorized traveler" shall not include the spouse, children, other
relatives, friends, or companions accompanying the authorized traveler on city business,
unless the person(s) otherwise qualifies as an authorized traveler under this ordinance.
B. Authorized travelers are entitled to reimbursement of certain expenditures
incurred while traveling on official business for the city. Reimbursable expenses shall
include expenses for transportation; lodging; meals; registration fees for conferences,
conventions and seminars; and other actual and necessary expenses related to official
business as determined by the City Council and/or this ordinance as defined. Under certain
conditions, entertainment expenses may be eligible for reimbursement.
C. Authorized travelers can directly bill the city for registration fees, air fares,
meals, lodging, conferences and similar expenses.
D. Travel advances are available only for special travel and only after
completion and approval of the travel authorization form.
E. The travel expense reimbursement form as approved by the Indiana State
Board of Accounts will be used to document all expense claims.
To qualify for reimbursement, travel expenses must be: Directly related to the
conduct of the city business for which travel was authorized; and Actual, reasonable and
necessary under the circumstances. The City Council may make exceptions for unusual
circumstances. Expenses considered excessive by the City Council will not be allowed
regardless of whether or not the claim is submitted to the council on an approved form and
the expenditure is requested from the correct budget line item.
G. Claims of $5 or more for travel expense reimbursement must be supported by
the original paid receipt for lodging, vehicle rental, phone call, public carrier travel,
conference fee and other reimbursable costs.
H. Any person attempting to defraud the city or misuse city travel funds is
subject to legal action for recovery of fraudulent travel claims.
Mileage and motel expenses incurred within fifty miles (50) of the city are not
ordinarily considered eligible expenses for reimbursement.
II. Elistibility For Travel and Attendance:
The City shall only pay travel, room and meal expenses for the necessary travel for
full-time employees and elected officials of the City of Jeffersonville who are
attending a conference, seminar or event which is determined to be necessary and
essential to that employee or elected officials service to the citizens and taxpayers
of Jeffersonville.
2. The City shall not pay travel, room and meal expenses for any individual that is not
a full-time employee of the City of Jeffersonville.
3. A full-time employee shall be defined as an individual that works 32.5 hours per
week for the City of Jeffersonville.
III. Eligible Conferences, Seminars or Necessary Events:
An eligible event shall be any conference or seminar that is sponsored by the
Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (TACT), the Indiana Municipal Lawyers
Association (IMLA), the Indiana State Board of Accounts and/or any other state
sponsored organization that offers conferences and/or seminars or events that
specialize in providing information for the benefit of elected officials and/or
employees of local city government.
2. The National League of Cities (NLC) and International League of Municipal
Clerks and Treasurers (ILMCT) events shall be deemed and considered necessary
conferences or seminars so long as the "Non-Returning Elected Official" provisions
of this ordinance and the per diem expense regulations shall apply.
3. Any elected official, department head or other employee shall be permitted to
petition the council and request approval to attend an event, seminar or conference
that is not specifically included in this ordinance. Said petition shall be submitted to
the City Council not less than thirty (30) days in advance of said event.
The petition shall contain the name of the event and shall set forth specifically the
cost of attendance, the number of days, the estimated travel cost and any and all
other costs associated therewith. Further, the petition shall specifically set out why
the elected official, department head or employee believes that attendance will
benefit the city and its citizens.
However, if the elected official, department head or other employee is unable to
submit said request thirty (30) days prior he or she shall contact the individual
members of the council and request oral approval of a majority of the council
members.
4. Legislative conferences that are sponsored by the Indiana State Legislature shall be
considered necessary conferences and events. However, only elected officials will
be permitted to unilaterally decide to attend a session of the Indiana Legislature for
the purpose of lobbying, information gathering or any other purpose.
IV. TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT RATE SCHEDULES
Authorized travelers shall be reimbursed as follows:
A. Lodging: The amount allocated for lodging shall not ordinarily exceed the maximum
per diem rates authorized by the federal Government Services Administration
provides guidelines for determining the maximum that can be reimbursed for lodging.
These amounts are available on line at htto:l/www.gsa.aov .The rates are the
maximum reimbursable rates for hotel rooms plus appropriate taxes.
B. Original lodging receipts must be submitted with the reimbursement form.
Photocopies are not acceptable.
C. If a traveler exceeds the maximum lodging per diem, excess costs are the
responsibility of the traveler.
D. If the best rate is secured, and it still exceeds the maximum lodging per diem,
the city council may authorize a higher reimbursement amount by voting to pay said excess
claim. Even if it costs more, travelers may be allowed to stay at the officially designated
hotel of the meeting; however, more moderately priced accommodations must be
requested whenever possible. It will be the traveler's responsibility to provide
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documentation of the "officially designated meeting site" room rates, if these rates are
higher than the normal reimbursable amounts.
E. If lwo or more city employees travel together and share a room, the lodging
reimbursement rate will be the maximum of lwo single rooms. If an employee shares a
room with anon-employee, the actual cost will be allowed up to the maximum reimbursable
amount. The receipt for the entire amount must be submitted with the expense form
B. Meals and Incidentals: RECEIPTS ARE REQUIRED FOR MEALS AND
INCIDENTALS. The authorized traveler may be reimbursed the daily amount based on the
rate schedule and the authorized length of stay. The per diem meal amounts are
expected to cover meals and tips and incidental expenses. The authorized traveler will
not be reimbursed more than this. Whether meals may be claimed depends on when the
traveler leaves and returns to the official station. The traveler's official station is home or
Jeffersonville City Hall, whichever produces the least cost to the city.
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The excess cost of an official banquet may be allowed provided proper
documentation or explanation is submitted with the expense reimbursement form. If a meal
is included as part of a conference or seminar registration, or is included with the air fare,
then the allowance for that meal should be subtracted from the total allowance for the day.
For example, if a dinner is included as part of the conference fee, the maximum meal
allowance for the day should be reduced by the allowed dinner amount.
Meals: Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Ten Dollars ($10J;
Fifteen Dollars ($15J; and
Twenty Five Dollars ($25J
The municipality may pay directly to the provider for expenses such as meals,
lodging and registration fees for conferences, conventions, seminars and other education
programs. The city shall consider payments of additional amounts if the "authorized
traveler" presents evidence that the federal governments authorized expenses for said
travel are greater than those authorized above. The federal governments permitted
expenses shall be found at www.gsa.oov .
V. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES TRAVEL REQUESTS
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To ensure reimbursement for official travel, an approved travel authorization form is
required. Lack ofpre-approval does not prohibit reimbursement, but pre-approval does
assure reimbursement within the limits of the city travel policy. All costs associated with the
travel should be reasonably estimated and shown on the travel authorization form. A copy
of the conference program, if applicable, should be attached to the form. If the program
is not available prior to the travel, submit it with the reimbursement form.
VI. TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION
It is the responsibility of the authorized traveler to:
1. Prepare and accurately describe the travel;
2. Certify the accuracy of the reimbursement request;
3. Note on the reimbursement form all direct payments and travel advances
made by the city; and
4. File the reimbursement form with the necessary supporting
documents and original receipts.
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The reimbursement form should be filed with the office of the Clerk-Treasurer or
finance department within 10 days of return or at the end of the month, whichever is more
practical.
VII. Acceptable Transportation:
All potential costs should be considered when selecting the modes of transportation.
For example, airline travel may be cheaper than automobile when time away from work
and increased meal and lodging costs are considered. When time is important, or when the
trip is so long that other modes of transportation are not cost-beneficial, air travel is
encouraged. If the traveler goes outside the state by means other than air, the
reimbursement will be limited to air fare at tourist or economy class, ordinary expenses
during the meeting dates, and one day's meals and motel before and after the meeting.
The traveler will be required to take annual leave for any additional time taken beyond the
day before and the day after the meeting dates. Exceptions: When the traveler extends
the trip with personal time to take advantage of discount fares, the reimbursement will be
limited to the lesser of the:
1. Actual expenses incurred; or
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2. Amount that would have been incurred for the business portion only.
The calculations for the business portion of the trip must be made using the least
expensive rates available. All expenses and savings associated with extending the trip
must be submitted with the expense reimbursement form.
A. Air: When possible, the traveler should make full use of discounts for advance
airline reservations and advance registration. The traveler should request conference,
government, or weekend rates, whichever is cheaper, when making lodging or rental car
reservations. The city will pay for tourist or economy class air travel. The traveler should
get the cheapest reasonable fare and take advantage of discount fares. Airline travel
can be paid by direct billing to the city. Mileage credits for frequent flyer programs
accrue to the individual traveler. However, the city will not reimburse for additional
expenses such as circuitous routing, eMended stays, layovers to schedule a particular
carrier, upgrading from economy to first class for travelers to accumulate additional
mileage or for other personal reasons.
B. Rail or Bus: The city will pay for actual cost of ticket
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C. Vehicles: Automobile transportation may be used when a common carrier cannot
be scheduled, when it is more economical, when a common carrier is not practical, or
when expenses can be reduced by two or more city employees traveling together.
• Personal Vehicle. Employees should use city vehicles when possible. Use of a
private vehicle must be approved in advance by the mayor, clerk-treasurer or city
council. The city will pay a mileage rate not to exceed the rate allowed by the federal or
state schedule, whichever the city adopts. The miles for reimbursement shall be paid from
origin to destination and back by the most direct route. Necessary vicinity travel
related to official city business will be reimbursed. However, mileage in excess of the
mileage as determined by www.mapguest.com must be documented as necessary and
business-related. If an indirect route is taken, the www.maoguest.com will be used to
determine the mileage to be reimbursed. If a privately owned automobile is used by
two or more travelers on the same trip, only the traveler who owns or has custody
of the automobile will be reimbursed for mileage. It is the responsibility of the traveler to
provide adequate insurance to hold harmless the city for any liability from the use of
the private vehicle. In no event will mileage reimbursement, plus vicinity travel and
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associated automobile costs, exceed the lowest reasonable available air fare and
associated air fare travel costs. Travelers will not be reimbursed for automotive repair or
breakdowns when using their personal vehicle.
City Vehicle. The city may require the employee to drive a city vehicle. If a city
vehicle is provided, the traveler is responsible for seeing that the vehicle is used
properly and only for acceptable business. The employee will be reimbursed for expenses
directly related to the actual and normal use of the city vehicle when proper
documentation is provided. Out-of-town repair cost to the city vehicle in excess of
$100 must be cleared with the proper city official before the repair is authorized.
Rental Cars. Use of a rental car is not permitted unless it's less expensive or
otherwise more practical than public transportation. Approval of car rental is generally
required in advance from the mayor, clerk-treasurer or city council. Always request the
government or weekend rate, whichever is cheaper. Anyone who uses a rental car for
out-of-state travel must obtain liability coverage from the vendor. Fines for traffic or
is
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parking violations will not be reimbursed by the city. Reasonable tolls will be allowed
when the most direct travel route requires them.
D. Taxi, Limousine and Other Transportation Fares: When an individual travels by
common carrier, reasonable fares will be allowed for necessary ground
transportation. Bus or limousine service to and from airports should be used when
available and practical. The city will reimburse mileage for travel to and from the
local airport and parking fees, provided such costs do not exceed normal taxi/limousine
fares to and from the airport. Receipts are required. For travel between lodging
quarters and meetings, conferences, or meals, reasonable taxi fares will be allowed.
Original receipts are required for claims of $5 or more. Transportation to and from
shopping, entertainment, or other personal trips is the choice of the traveler and not
reimbursable. Reimbursement claims for taxis, limousines, or other ground
transportation must be listed separately on the expense form, claiming the destination
and amount of each fare.
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VIII. Miscellaneous Expenses: A. Registration fees for approved conferences,
conventions, seminars, meetings and other educational programs will be allowed and
will generally include the cost of official banquets, meals, lodging and registration fees.
Registration fees should be specified on the original travel request form and can include a
request for pre-registration fee payment.
B. The traveler may be reimbursed for personal phone calls while on official
travel, but the amount will be limited to $5 per day.
C. A $4 allowance will be reimbursable for hotel/motel check-in and
baggage handling expenses.
D. Laundry, valet service, tips and gratuities are considered personal
expenses and are not reimbursable.
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E. For travel outside the United States, all expenses claimed must be
converted to U.S. dollars. The conversion rate and computation should be shown on
each receipt.
IX. Entertainment The city may pay for certain entertainment expenses provided that
the:
A. Entertainment is appropriate in the conduct of city business;
B. Entertainment is approved by the city council, mayor orclerk-treasurer;
C. Group or individuals involved are identified; and
D. Documentation is attached to the expense form to support the entertainment
expense claims. To request reimbursement for authorized entertainment expenses,
be sure to include with the expense reimbursement form:
A. Required receipts. All requests must be supported by
original receipts from the vendor (restaurant, caterer, ticket office,
is
etc.) Reasonable tips and gratuities included in the receipt by the vendor
are reimbursable.
B. A disclosure and explanation statement, explaining the purpose of the
entertainment and identifying the group and the number of people entertained
(or individual names listed if not a recognized group). If the Clerk Treasurer is
the person filing the claim, then it must be approved by the governing board
before the finance officer authorizes payment.
X. NON-RETURNING ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS
PROHIBITION:
No elected official shall be permitted to attend any seminar, conference or other
out-of-town meetings subsequent to the November General Election if that elected
official either lost the Primary, General Election or did not run for re-election.
No elected official shall be permitted to attend any seminar, conference or other out
of town meetings if that elected official did not run for re-election and will not be serving the
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city of Jeffersonville in the capacity of an elected official subsequent to the November
General Election.
No Department Head shall be permitted to attend any seminar or conference in the
year subsequent to a Primary election or General election which the Mayor, City
Judge orClerk-Treasurer for whom they served either lost the Primary or General
election and/or did not run for re-election. However, an exception to this
provision shall apply if the newly elected Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer or City Judge
submits a written certification stating that said Department Head shall be
retained and shall be employed by the newly elected Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer or
City Judge.
XI. Claims In Excess of Travel Budaet Prohibited•
The Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge and City Council have a fiduciary duty to the
citizens and taxpayers of Jeffersonville to conduct public business within the
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parameters of those budgets that are set every year by the fiscal body of the city.
Therefore, based upon this fiduciary duty the following shall be adopted:
A. The Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge and City Council are responsible for having
full and complete knowledge of the existing balances of their various budget line
items;
g. The Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge and Ci[y Council shall be prohibited
from expending monies in excess of those amounts budgeted for "Travel" during
each calendar year.
C. If the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge, City Council or any of their
employees or appointees submit claims for payment, reimbursement or other
financial remuneration for travel and either no funds exist to pay the request and/or
the balance is insufficient to pay said request said claim shall be deemed
to be "unlawful" and the council shall not be mandated to pay said claim pursuant
to those dictates of Indiana Code.
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p, The City Council shall not be required to approve any requests to transfer
funds from either within the same "line item' or from other "line items' in the city's
budget in order to pay for unauthorized travel expenses.
E, It shall be deemed a violation of this ordinance if any elected official
"transfers" funds from either the same "line item' or from other "line items" within
the city's budget without first requesting the approval of the City Council to
engage in this function.
F, The purpose of this provision is to insure that government functions occur in a
public forum and expenditures such as travel are transparent and fully
observable by the taxpayers and public.
G. The City Council, as the city's fiscal officer, shall be permitted to transfer
funds from any "line item' or other budget items to pay for any travel expenses
upon the request of the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Judge or City Council.
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Severabil
If any provision of this Ordinance or application thereof to any person
or circumstance is held unlawful or otherwise invalid such invalidity does not
affect other provisions or applications of this Ordinance which can be given
effect without the invalid application or provision and to this end each such
invalid provision or application of this Ordinance is severable it is hereby
declared to be the intent of the Jeffersonville City Council that this Ordinance
would have been issued had any such unlawful or otherwise invalid provision
or application not be included.
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have been issued had any such unlawful or otherwise invalid
provision or application not be includ~
Passed this ~, day of , 2008.
h ~~ ~
ayor Thomas Galli an
Attest: j
lA <
Pegd ildeq Clerk-Treasurer
Presented by me, Peggy Wilder, as the Clerk and Treasurer to the Mayor of said
City of Jeffersonville, Indiana on tnhi~~snn//~Q_ day of , 2008.
Q Ail .l / V~
Pegg Ider, Clerk-Treasurer
This ordinance approved and signed by Thomas Galligan, Mayor of the City of
Jeffersonville, Indian on this ~_ d of , 2008.
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T omas Galligan, or