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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPO 6337: AMENDING SEC. 78-269 (B) (1) CODE OF ORD. PETAINS TO TRAVEL EXPENSES (REQUESTED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS) P. O. NO. 6337 03/25/14 gt ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 78- 269(B)(1) OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR AS IT PERTAINS TO TRAVEL EXPENSES (REQUESTED BY COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS) WHEREAS, the Code of Ordinances establishes limits and regulations for the use of City funds for travel by officials elected and appointed; and WHEREAS, in order to effectively administer the policy the City Council desires to update this policy as to amend Section 78 -269 (b) (1) as follows: (b) Expenses of mayor and city councilmembers. Prior travel arrangements, expenses advance; expense report. (1) All travel arrangements for the city councilmembers will be made by the City Secretary. 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 due and owing for previous travel. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR: Section 1. That the facts and opinions in the preamble are true and correct. s.po6337 Section 2. That Section 78 -269 of the Code of Ordinances be amended as denoted in the attached "Exhibit A." Section 3. That this Ordinance shall be effective immediately. Section 4. That a copy of the caption of this Ordinance be spread upon the minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED, this day of April, 2014, A.D., at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, Texas by the following vote: AYES: Mayor: Councilmembers: NOES: Mayor ATTEST: CITY SECRETARY APPROVED .S TO FORM: 4 'ice 'ITY A Ir ORN Y / APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION: JOHN A. COMEAUX, P.E., INTERIM CITY MANAGER s.po6337 EXHIBIT "A" s.po6337 Sec. 78 -269. Travel expenses. (a) With the exception of the mayor and councilmembers, the city attorney, city secretary and 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 approved by the department head prior to submission to the accounting division for audit within seven days after the trip is complete. After audit, the expense account shall be submitted to the city manager or his designee for approval. (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 to accompany the expense account in order that the entire cost of the trip may be reflected in the expense package. (5) Travel advances for overnight travel must be approved by the department head and the city manager and will not exceed $100.00 per day. Advances will not be issued for same day trips. (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. Employees 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 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 and incidental expenses. Employees are only eligible for 75 percent of the total M &IE rate for the location to which they are traveling on the first and last day of travel. The GSA provides a breakdown of the components of the maximum per diem rate. Should a meal be provided by the city or the conference attended, that component amount should be deducted from the per diem. (The city manager may authorize actual expenses with receipts for travel to s.po6337 Internal Revenue Code designated "high cost" cities. This option must be requested 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. When trips are less than 12 hours, meals and incidental expenses will be reimbursed at actual cost for necessary and reasonable expense. When trips are more than 12 hours and less than 24 hours, the employee will receive a per diem of 75 percent of the GSA per diem rate (75 percent of M &IE). 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. Airfare. Reimbursement for airfare 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, or chargeable to, the city. f. Entertainment. Entertainment expenses are not eligible expenses. g. Miscellaneous. All other miscellaneous business expenses are reimbursable they are reasonable, ordinary and necessary for the completion of city business and supported by receipt. (b) Expenses of mayor and city councilmembers. Prior travel arrangements, expenses advance; expense report. (1) All travel arrangements for the city councilmembers will be made by the City Secretary. 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 due and owing for previous travel. (2) Expense packets, consisting of detailed expense statements, receipts, airline bills, hotel bills, registration receipts of 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. The mayor will submit his /her expense packet to the mayor's secretary. A receipt (or copy thereof) for any charge incurred that may be paid in advance by the city, such s.po6337 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, or mayor's secretary as appropriate, shall then check the packet for duplication and mathematical corrections. a. If errors are found, the submitter is notified. b. The city secretary or mayor's secretary shall then submit those completed expense packets to the council for their consideration. (3) Exclusions and limitations on certain charges and requirements of receipts. a. Airfares on all trips shall be by coach class. b. Receipts are required on all charges for meals, when the total cost exceeds $75.00 per day, for mayor and city councilmembers. c. When trips are Tess than 24 hours, meals and tips cannot exceed $35.00. d. Entertainment expenses are not eligible expenses. Examples: golf, sporting events, theatres or shows. e. Business relations: Limited to $25.00 maximum per day. Receipts are required. (4) 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 receive a monthly automobile allowance. The mileage used will be based on estimated mileage. (5) 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. (6) If there are any travel expenses that have not been reimbursed or reconciled within 30 days of the trip, the city secretary shall notify the city manager, mayor, the director of finance and city council. (7) If a councilmember desires to drive to a location wherein air travel was available, the city councilmember will be limited in obtaining reimbursement to the cost of the round -trip 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. s.po6337 (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. s.po6337