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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolutions (R-94-1043)-09/06/1994 RESOLUTION R-94-1043 A RESOLUTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVING THE ADDITION OF A COUNCIL TRAVEL POLICY TO THE PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL WHEREAS, a Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual was adopted by Resolution R-93-932 on September 21, 1993; and WHEREAS, the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual contains a travel policy for City employees who are authorized to represent the City at various conferences, meetings, conventions, seminars and functions, but not for elected officials, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS: Sec. 1. That the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual will be revised to include reference to elected officials as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto. AND IT IS SO RESOLVED. pass+f by a vote of ,t) ayes and () nays and ('J abstentions on this the ~~ dayof~,1994. ATTEST: ~. ~MC City Secretary CITY OF COLLEYVILLE: ~~jeJ Mayor . . . ....r.. CHAPTER VI - EMPLOYEE GROUP BENEFITS L. TRAVEL Effective Date: 09/30/92 Revised Date: 8/16/94 1. Policy The policy of the City of Colleyville is to reimburse elected and appointed officials, City employees and other persons who are authorized to represent the City at various conferences, meetings, conventions, seminars and functions. It is also the policy of the City to arrange travel on City business utilizing the most economical means available. 2. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish general guidelines and provide uniformity in the submitting and handling of expenditure requests, and to establish proper accounting for allowable expenses. 3. Responsibility For Administration of the Policy a. Department Director The Department Director is responsible for communicating and administering the provisions of this policy to employees and approving all travel advances and expense reports within their department. It is the responsibility of the Department Director to ensure all travel expenses are accounted for within ten (10) working days from the date of return. b. Finance Department The Finance Department is responsible for disbursing travel funds in compliance with established policies and guidelines. The Finance Department also has responsibility to review all travel expense reports and process payment, accepting only those expenses which are in compliance with this policy. c. City Council Members The City Secretary is responsible for communicatinq and administerino the provisions of this policv to Council members and approvino all travel advances and expense reports. It is the responsibilitv of all Council members to account for all travel expenses within ten (10) workino days from the date of return. 4. Ordinary Expenses a. Allowable Living Expenses 1) Telephone Calls - All actual telephone expenses related to City business "T will be reimbursed. Any lodging receipts listing telephone expenses should indicate which calls were business. Employees may claim one personal telephone call per day not to exceed $5.00. 2) Airport Parking - An employee who travels by air and requires parking at the airport for 24 hours or less shall be reimbursed at short-term parking rates. Required parking for 25 hours or more shall be reimbursed at the long-term parking rate only. Original receipts will be required if over $25.00. 3) Meals - The per diem for meals is $40.00 ($10.00 for breakfast, $15.00 for lunch, $15.00 for dinner). Meals which are paid for in advance (Le. as part of registration) may not be considered as part of the per diem reimbursement. Per diem includes 15% gratuity. Original receipts will be required for each meal covered by the per diem. Date, location and amount must be indicated on the receipt. All receipts must be attached to the expense report. 4) Ground Transportation - Employees may claim reasonable actual ground transportation expenses, including shuttle services and taxis, provided that documentation for these expenses is submitted. 5) Tips/Gratuities - Gratuities on meals or taxis should not exceed 15 percent of total meals and/or taxi fees per day. Tips to bellcaps or skycaps should be no more than $ 1.00 per bag or box. 6) Laundry expense - A reasonable amount will be allowed for laundry and dry cleaning expense for trips lasting five or more days. Original receipts will be required. 7) Lodging - An employee is expected to make hotel or motel reservations well in advance whenever possible. Reimbursement for lodging shall be limited to the minimum number of nights required to conduct the assigned City business. If an employee's spouse or other family members share lodging, reimbursement to the employee shall be limited to the single rate for the most economical room available. b. Non-allowable Living Expenses The cost of alcoholic beverages, in-room movies, tours, personal entertainment, limousines, spouse or family expenses, flight insurance, car rental insurance, and traveler's check fees. c. Transportation 1) Air travel- Arrangements are to be made by each department and shall be at the most discounted fare whenever possible. 2) Rail travel - Reimbursement shall be limited to coach fares for trips not "-'- . involving overnight travel, and to first class plus pullman or roomette fares where sleeping accommodations are required. 3) City vehicles - May be used to travel to destinations of up to 250 miles radius from Colleyville on City business. Instructions for accounting for gasoline, repairs and other expenses attributable to the vehicle, may be obtained from the Finance Director. (Citv vehicles are to be used bv emplovees on Iv. ) 4) Private vehicles - May be used for travel on City business. Reimbursement shall be at the IRS rate per mile if the round-trip does not exceed 250 miles. When an employee or official chooses to drive his/her car on a trip longer than 250 miles, the reimbursement shall be limited to the current round trip coach airfare available at the time, or the IRS rate per mile, whichever is lower. Hotel, meals, or other expenses incurred en route shall not be reimbursed. IRS rate information may be obtained from the Finance Department. 5) Rental cars - Approval to rent a car must be obtained from the Department Director prior to taking the trip. The Department Director may approve the rental of a car if it is determined that public transportation facilities are inadequate or are more expensive than the cost of the vehicle. Costs should be included in the Travel Advance Request form. Employees are expected to obtain the lowest possible rental rates for cars. Employee shall sign and accept the liability/collision insurance agreement on the contract. Failure to accept this additional insurance will hold the employee responsible for all claims in the event of an accident. An executive level or other employee who has been issued an American Express Corporate Card shall use the card when obtaining a rental car in order to receive automatic liability/collision insurance coverage. gl City Council members should make every effort to coordinate transportation arranoements with other Council members attendino the same function to minimize rental car expenses. d. Registration Fees The City will reimburse actual expenses incurred in registering for a conference or meeting. An original receipt must be fumished for reimbursement purposes. Direct and/or advance payment of conference fees by the City is encouraged to take advantage of any discounts available. e. Local Conference Fees When a conference which is ordinarily attended by an employee or official is held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex area, additional expenses not ordinarily allowed under the provisions of this policy may be authorized by the Assistant City Manager. The expenses thus authorized may include overnight lodging and other _._~~.. f"'. expenses (not including registration for spouse) for the employee and for the spouse if the spouse is expected to accompany the employee or official. 5. Extraordinary Expenses There may be isolated occasions when extraordinary expenses beyond ordinary living costs can be justified as having a direct bearing upon City programs or which will otherwise be of benefit to the City. In such cases, approval for reimbursement of expenditures may be secured if adequate written justification is submitted to the City Manager. 6. Travel Advance Request Procedures a. City Employee 1) Complete and sign Travel Advance Request form and forward the original to immediate Supervisor. City Manager must approve all department director requests. 2) This request should be prepared and submitted at the earliest practical time, but no later than twelve (12) full working days prior to departure. Travel advances will not be processed if the request is made less than ten (10) days in advance. b. Immediate Supervisor 1) Review travel request, if approved, sign and forward the original to the Department Director. c. Department Director 1 ) Review travel request form. 2) If the request is approved, sign the travel request form and complete a disbursement voucher. Attach the two forms together. 3) Forward the travel advance form and disbursement voucher to the Finance Department for processing. Five (5) working day before check is required. d. Finance Department 1) Upon receipt of a travel request and disbursement voucher, process and forward a check to the applicable employee. e. City Council Members 11 Complete and siqn Travel Advance Request form and forward the oriqinal to the City Secretary. . ~-"--r'. ~ This request should be prepared and submitted at the earliest practical time, but no later than twelve (12) full workinq days prior to departure. Travel advances will not be processed if the request is made less than ten (10) days in advance. ID City Secretary should forward travel request and disbursement voucher to Finance Department for processinq. 12 Finance Department should process and forward a check to the applicable ~ 7. Travel Expenses Report Procedures a. City Employee 1) Complete and sign Expense Report form within ten (10) working days of return and forward to immediate Supervisor. City Manager must approve all department director reports. b. Immediate Supervisor 1) Review expense report and, if approved, sign and forward the original to the Department Director. c. Department Director 1) Review expense report form and if approved, sign and forward the original to the Finance Department for processing within five (5) working days after receipt from employee. d. Finance Department 1) Process expense report form. e. City Council Members 1.1 Complete and siQn Expense Report form within ten (10) workinQ days of return and forward to the City Secretary. ~ City Secretary should review Expense Report form to ensure that expenses have been appropriately documented with receipts. ID If complete, the City Secretary should siqn and forward to the Finance Department for processinQ within five (5) days after receipt from Council member. T 8. Travel Expense Report Considerations a. Itemized Expenses Each claim of expense must be supported with an acceptable receipt. Expense claims not supported by a pre-printed receipt will be rejected unless written justification initialed by the department director is submitted. Employee or elected official shall include all prepaid expenses related to the travel on the expense report. Prepaid expenses include hotel or motel charges, registration fees, and transportation expenses. b. Splitting Bills If more than one employee or elected official attends the same trip/event, each employee or elected official will complete their own expense report. In such instances where employees or elected officials dine together, every effort should be made to split the bill. If the bill cannot be split, then one employee or elected official should obtain a receipt for the entire amount and document the other employees or elected officials who contributed, and the amounts provided by each. Upon return to the City, the employee or elected official shall produce copies of the receipt for all employees or elected officials present, so that they can document their portion of the receipt. c. Return of Unused Funds In instances where an advance of City funds was made and not entirely used, or if the trip was not taken, the employee or elected official shall return the unused funds to the Finance department for credit to the proper Fund. The employee or elected official shall insure that the returned monies are credited to the same department and line item account from which they were originally drawn. The original receipt of this refund transaction must be attached to the expense report submitted to their department director or for elected officials. the City Secretarv.. 9. American Express Corporate Travel Cards The City Manager and Assistant City Manager will be the only employees to receive the corporate travel card. Corporate travel cards are to be used for the purpose of City business-related travel, meals, and entertainment. '----T I-