HomeMy WebLinkAboutPO 5994: TRAVEL EXPENSESinteroffice
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor, City Council, and City Manager
From: Valecia R. Tizeno, First Assistant City Attorney
Fate: April 3, 2009
~~ubject: P. O. No. 5994; Council Meeting April 7, 2009
Attached is P. O. No. 5994 amending Section 78-269 of the Code
of Ordinances a:a it pertains to travel expenses. Attached is a
sample of the GSA per diem rates that is planned to be used for
employees. (Requested by Mayor Prince.)
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Attachment
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Domestic Perdiem Rates
Page 1 of 2
Back_to Original
U.S. GenQra! Services Administration
Domestic Perdiem Rates
Texas - FY 09
(Oc:tober 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009)
Cities not appearing below rr~ay be located within a county for which rates are listed. To determine what
county a city is located in, visit the National Association_c~f Counties (NACO~_website (a non-federal website).
NOTE: If neither the city nor the county is listed, the location is a standard CONUS destination with a
rate of $70.00 for lodging and $39.00 for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE).
State Tax Rates & Exemptori_Forms
Properties at Per Diem (FedF;ooms)
Rrimary destnation f,=i
Arlington /Fort Worth /
Grapevine
Austin
(October 1 -March 31)
Austin
(April 1 -August 31)
Austin
(September 1 -September 30)
Beaumont
College Station
Corpus Christi
Dallas
(October 1 -December 31)
Dallas
(January 1 -March 31)
Dallas
(April 1 -September 30)
E.I Paso
Galveston
(October 1 -May 31)
Galveston
(June 1 -July 31)
Galveston
(August 1 -September 30)
Houston (L.B. Johnson Space
Center)
Bunt County
County (2.3~
Tarrant county and City limits
of Grapevine
Travis
Travis
Travis
Jefferson
Brazos
Nueces
Dallas County and City of
Dallas
Dallas County and City of
Dallas
Dallas County and City of
Dallas
EI Paso
Galveston
Galveston
Galveston
Montgomery, Fort Bend and
Harris
Hunt County
*~ e,
m ~~f ~~~~`~
149 44 193 33.0
114 54 168 40.5
107 54 161 40.5
114 54 168 40.5
82 49 131 36.75
86 39 125 29.25
89 44 133 33.0
115 59 174 44.25
129 59 188 44.25
115 59 174 44.25
92 44 136 33.0
99 49 148 36.75
121 49 170 36.75
99 49 148 36.75
110 59 169 44.25
81 39 120 29.25
httpJ/www.gsa.gov/Portal/g;salep/perdiem.do?pf=y&queryYear=2009&queryState=Texas 3/20/2009
Domestic Perdiern Rates
Page 2 of 2
Laredo Webb 88 44 132 33.0
McAllen Hidalgo 84 44 128 33.0
Plano Collin 108 49 157 36.75
Round Rock Williamson 95 44 139 33.0
San Antonio Bexar 117 54 171 40.5
South Padre Island Cameron 84 44 128 33.0
(~~ctober 1 -May 31)
South Padre Island Cameron 110 44 154 33.0
(June 1 -July 31)
South Padre Island Cameron 84 44 128 33.0
(,August 1 -September 30)
Waco McLennan 85 39 124 29.25
http:i/www.gsa_gov/Portal/gsa/ep/perdiem.do?pf=y&queryYear=2009&queryState=Texas 3/20/2009
P. O. No. 5994
03/31/09 gt
ORDINANCE NiD .
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 78-269 OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES AS IT PERTAINS TO TRAVEL
EXPENSES (REQUESTED BY ]MAYOR PRINCE)
WHEREAS, the Code of Ordinances establishes limits for travel
expenses; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to adopt the U.S. General
Services Administration (GSA) meals and incidental expenses rates
to determine the per diem rates for City employees and make other
m~iscellan.eous changes to Section ~~8-269 of the Code of Ordinances.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF POR'.C ARTHUR:
Section 1. That the facts and opinions in the preamble
are true and correct.
Section 2. That Section 78-269 is herein amended as
follows;
"Sec. 78-269. Travel expenses.
(a) With the exception of t:he mayor and councilmembers, the
city attorney, city secretary ancL the municipal court judge, all
persons will present expense accounts to the city manager for
approval.
(1) Overnight travel must be authorized in advance by the
city manager or his designee. Expense accounts for all
travel, overnight or single day trips, will be
approved by the city manager.
(2) All expense accounts shall be approve
department head prior Ito submission
division for audit within seven days
complete. After audit, the expense
submitted to the city manager or
approval.
:d by the
to the accounting
after the trip is
account shall be
his designee for
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(3) Should the expense account not be returned in a timely
manner, the department head will be notified, and travel
advances to the employee suspended. If the expense report
remains outstanding, travel advances to the department
will be suspended.
(4) A receipt for any charge incurred that may be paid in
advance by the city, such as airline tickets,
registration, etc., is Ito accompany the expense account
in order that the entire cost of the trip may be
reflected in the expense package.
(5) Travel advances must be approved by the department head
and the city manager and will not exceed $100.00 per day.
(6) Allowable reimbursements:
a. Auto expense. Reimbursement for the use of a
private automobile: shall be at the IRS standard
mileage rate to the employee furnishing the
automobile. Emp]_oyees receiving automobile
allowances shall bE~ reimbursed at a rate equivalent
to $0.10 per mile less than the IRS standard
mileage rate for authorized travel outside the city
limits. When more than one employee travels by car
to the same conference/meeting, etc., pooling is to
be utilized to the fullest extent possible.
b. Per diem allowance. A per diem allowance a€
~ ; ,_~~ e--p re~rd a-~~~e~r3-i~tr
~~a~e-~ will be determined as delineated in the GSA
Meals and Incidental Expenses (M & IE) Rate
Schedule for travel outside the City. This
allowance is intended to cover all meals;~gs, and
incidental ~~~expenses- ire-1-~t~i~g _ _ ______
phe~e-nom-ate. Should registration cover any
meal , *~~re~~e~i~g-~e~t= s~~rl-die-de~~}~Tr-ems
the--~e~--~re~~1--~~~e~~ee-}~€as-tom 1~-A-E~€e=-1-~c-~
acrd--~8-A-~ €e~-di-~r~ a pro-rata reduction will be
made. The city manager may authorize actual
expenses with receipts for travel to Internal
Revenue Code designated "high cost" cities. This
option must be ~°equested by the employee and
department head on the request for authorization
for overnight travel. The employee must document
the days eligible for the allowance on the expense
report . ~~ea~s~e
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t~6-~~c~ carrz-r~ c~czz~-Er-cy-
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~p~r~yee-s '_ =-- _ _„g ire-e~~~e~e=e-~-~~r. a-r~
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e-l~g~-le-~e~--a-~i-~i~~;~~e~~-e-€-$-1~-A-9 When
trips are less than 24 hours, meals and incidental
expenses cannot exceed 75$ of the GSA Per Diem Rate
c. Out-of-town transportation. When auto expenses
are not claimed on the expense account, the use of
out-of-town transportation will be an eligible
expense. The business necessity for any charge for
taxi, bus, car rental or other transportation,
while out-of-town, must be explained in writing and
attached to the expense account form, and a receipt
for each charge must be submitted with the expense
report.
d. Air fare. Reimbursement for air fare shall be a
coach class rate. Any expense exceeding coach class
shall not be eligible expense except in the case of
documented emergency travel where coach class is
not available.
e. Spouse attendance. Spouses travel at their own
expense. The difference between the single and
double rate is reimbursable to the city. No travel
costs for spouses;, whether for transportation,
lodging, meals or cost of attendance to events are
reimbursable by, o:r chargeable to, the city.
f. Entertainment. Entertainment expenses are not
eligible expenses.
g. Miscellaneous. All other miscellaneous business
expenses are reimbursable when they are reasonable,
ordinary and necessary for the completion of city
business and supported by receipt.
(b} Expenses of mayor and city council members. Prior
notice and travel expenses advance; expense report.
(1} Before any overnight out-of-town business trip is made
by the mayor or councilm.embers, three days' prior written
notification should be given to the council. However, for
an emergency trip, prior notice shall be sufficient.
(2} Travel advances must have a reasonable relation to
estimated travel costs, and are limited to a maximum of
$150.00 per day. Travel advances will not be given if
there are any monies dine and owing for previous travel.
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(3) Expense packets, consisting of detailed expense
statements, receipts, airline bills, hotel bills,
registration receipts o:E attended meetings and the city
receipts for refund of advances, shall be submitted to
the city secretary within 15 days after the return from
an out-of-town business trip. A receipt (or copy thereof)
for any charge incurred that may be paid in advance by
the cii~y, such as registration, airline tickets, etc., is
to accompany the expense account in order that the entire
charge for the trip may be reflected in one expense
package. The city secretary shall then check the packet
for duplication and matlhematical corrections.
a. If errors are found, the submitter is notified.
b. The city secretary shall then submit those
completed expense packets to the council for their
consideration.
(4) Exclusions and limitations on certain charges and
requirements of receipts.
a. Air fares on all grips shall be by coach class.
b. Tips given shall have a reasonable relationship to
the charges involved and the services provided.
c. Receipts are required on all charges for meals
when the total cost exceeds $75.00 per• day, for
mayor and city council members.
d. When trips are less than 24 hours, meals and tips
cannot exceed $35.00.
e. Entertainment expenses are not eligible expenses.
Examples: golf, sporting events, theatres or shows.
f. Business relations: Limited to $25.00 maximum per
day. Receipts are :required.
(5) Automobile expenses:
a. Said officers will be paid at the rate authorized
by the Internal Revenue Service per mile for the
use of their personal automobile for business trips
that exceed 30 miles round trip from the point of
origin to a location outside of the city.
b. Said officers will be paid at the rate authorized
by the Internal Revenue Service per mile for the
use of their personal automobile for business trips
within the city, except for those officers who
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receive a monthly automobile allowance. The mileage
used will be based on estimated mileage.
(6) Exclusion of expenses for spouses. Expenses for or on
behalf of spouses are not eligible expenses and shall not
be paid, or reimbursed ]by the city.
(7) If there are any travel expenses that have not been
reimbursed or reconciled within 30 days of the trip, the
city secretary shall not;ify the city manager, mayor, the
director of finance, and city council.
(8) If a councilmember desires to drive to a location
wherein air travel was ,available, the city cost of the
roundt:rip airfare ticket:, as well as additional costs of
renting a car at the actual location and the per diem
that would have been normally associated with air travel.
This subsection will not apply to cases wherein due to
security concerns, vehicle travel is more prudent.
(c) Allowable reimbursements for city manager, city
attorney, city secretary and municipal court judge:
(1) Before any overnight out-of-town business trip is
made by city manager, city attorney, city
secretary, municipal court judge or any department
head not under the control of the city manager,
three days' prior written notification should be
given to the council. However, for an emergency
trip, prior notice shall be sufficient.
(2) The city manager, city attorney, city secretary,
municipal court judge, and all department: heads not
under the control of the city manager will submit
completed expense reports to the city council for
consideration and ,approval.
(3) Said officers will be reimbursed in accordance
with subsection (a) of this section with the
limitations of other city employees."
Section 3.
That a copy of= the caption of this Ordinance be
spread, upon the Minutes of the City Council.
Section 4. That this being an Ordinance amending an
Ordinance which does not carry a penalty, and does not require
publication, it shall take effect; immediately from and after its
passage..
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READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED on this day of ,
A.D., 2009, at a Council Meeting of the City Council of the City of
Port Arthur, Texas, by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor
City Council
NOES:
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
~ _ ~;~
CITY ATTORNEY ,
APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION:
- ~~~ ~~~
CITY MANAGER
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