Loading...
Item 9CCITY OF SOUTHLAKE MEMORANDUM April 2, 2015 To: Shana Yelverton, City Manager From: Lori Payne, City Secretary Item 9C Subject: Consider amendment to the City Council Expense Policy Action Requested: Amend the City Council Expense Policy to allow for reimbursement of international air travel at a business class rate Background Information: In June 2015, the City of Southlake has been invited to Tome, Japan for a celebration honoring the 10t" anniversary of our Sister City relationship. The current City Council Expense Policy allows for the Mayor and his/her designees to travel abroad in support of the Sister Cities Program if funds are budgeted. Deputy Mayor Pro Tern Brandon Bledsoe and City Councilmember Randy Williamson will be traveling to Tome to take part in this special event. Due to the length of the flight and the demanding schedule upon arrival, there has been a Council request that the travel portion of the City Council Expense Policy be amended to take into consideration the flight length of international travel. In regards to air travel the policy currently states: "Reimbursement for air travel is limited to coach fare and the most direct route available." It is proposed that City Council consider amending the current City Council Expense Policy to allow for reimbursement of business class fare for international air travel of seven hours or more, distinguishing the difference in flight length between domestic and international travel. The recommendation would be to allow City Council the ability to travel at the business class rate for longer international trips. The reimbursement rate for domestic air travel would remain at the coach class rate. Financial Considerations: Funds for City Council and for Sister Cities travel are included in the budgets for the City Secretary's Office and the Community Services Department. Strategic Link: C5: Promote opportunities for partnerships and volunteer involvement Citizen Input/ Board Review: None Legal Review: None Alternatives: Approve or deny amendment as written or recommend other changes Supporting Documents: Current City Council Expense Policy with redline changes CITY OF SOUTHLAKE CITY COUNCIL EXPENSE POLICY (a) Policy statement. Section 2.05 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Southlake provides that the "members of the Council shall serve without pay or compensation; provided, however, that they shall be entitled to reimbursement for expenses in the performance of their specific duties when approved by the Council." Several organizations at the state, federal, and local levels provide beneficial meetings and educational seminars for elected officials throughout the year. These meetings and seminars are helpful to elected officials in fulfilling their responsibility to the citizens and are important in fostering legislation favorable to the city. It is the policy of the City Council to encourage City Council members to attend these meetings and seminars in order to more effectively perform their official duties. (b) Purpose. The purpose of the city council expense policy is to implement Section 2.05 of the city charter by providing City Council approval for certain expenses, requiring additional City Council approval for other expenses, and providing for the administration of City Council member reimbursements for approved expenses incurred while performing their duties. (c) Meetings, seminars, and other travel. (1) Events approved for City Council members travel. When funds have been budgeted, reimbursement for travel expenses of all City Council members is authorized for attendance at the following: (A) Texas Municipal League annual meeting; (B) Two national meetings each fiscal year from among the following: (i) National League of Cities annual meeting; (ii) Annual Congress of Cities and Exposition; (iii) Other meetings as designated by a majority vote of the City Council; (C) Institute of Mayors and Council Members conducted by the Texas Municipal League; and, (D) Local events held in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area (including Denton and mid -cities) sponsored by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas Municipal League, or the State of Texas (not including overnight expenses). In addition to local events sponsored by these organizations, the City Council members shall attend the following events at the City's expense: (i) Monthly Southlake Chamber of Commerce luncheon; (ii) Annual Southlake Chamber of Commerce Banquet; (iii) Annual Southlake employee awards Banquet; (iv) Annual Tarrant County Mayor's Christmas Banquet; and, (v) Annual United Way Volunteer of the Year Dinner. (2) Events approved for the mayor or the mayor's designee. In addition to the events approved for reimbursement in Subsection (c)(1), when funds are budgeted, reimbursement of travel expenses of the Mayor or the Mayor's designee is authorized to: (A) attend the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and (B) travel annually to Toyoma, Japan, in support of the Sister City Program. (3) Other events and travel expenses. Reimbursement for expenses of travel of City Council members for purposes other than those listed in Subsections (c)(1) and (c)(2) must be approved in advance by a vote of a majority of the City Council. (d) Reimbursable travel expenses. The following expenses may be reimbursed when a council member travels to a meeting or seminar or for a purpose authorized pursuant to Subsection (c). Expenses for other purposes must be approved for reimbursement by a majority vote of the City Council. (1) Transportation. (A) Personal vehicles. A City Council member may be reimbursed for mileage and parking expenses in the use of a personal vehicle for travel beyond the cities contiguous to the City of Southlake if the round trip does not exceed 250 miles. For longer distance trips, reimbursement is limited to the lower of the vehicle mileage reimbursement or the air fare. The mileage reimbursement is at the rate established for reimbursement of city employees. (B)Air travel. Reimbursement for permissible domestic air travel is limited to coach fare and the most direct route available. Reimbursement for permissible international air travel of seven hours or more is allowed at either a coach or business class rate. (C)Airport transportation. Airport shuttle services should be used whenever feasible in preference to taxicabs. (D)Car rentals. Rental of a car is authorized only at a destination reached by air travel when: (i) there is a necessity for ground travel other than to and from the airport; and, (ii) another form of reasonable transportation is not available or the use of other forms of transportation is more costly than rental of a car and the parking expense that may be incurred. (2) Meals. (A) Reimbursement for meals and meal tips is limited to $35 per day. Only actual expenses will be reimbursed, and the city will not make reimbursements for alcoholic beverages. (B) In cases when travel is in a location with unusually high meal costs (e.g., New York City), the per diem meal rate may be adjusted by a majority vote of the city council. (3) Lodging. While City Council members should be comfortably lodged, luxury hotel accommodations to be reimbursed by the city should be avoided. (4) Tips. Reimbursement for reasonable meal and baggage tips is authorized. (5) Travel time. Reimbursement for travel expenses will be made only for the duration of the travel necessary to conduct the city business. (e) Other reimbursable expenses. In order to improve the effectiveness of Council members in the performance of their duties and to assure necessary communications between council members and city staff, the City shall provide: (1) a mobile telephone to the mayor for use in the performance of the mayor's duties; (2) an alpha pager to City Council members in order for the city staff to send messages of meetings and emergencies and other important information as necessary; (3) a charge card to the Mayor or the Mayor's designee for use while conducting city business. It is anticipated that it may be necessary for the mayor or the mayor's designee to buy meals during meetings at which City business is conducted; and, (4) upon reasonable request by a City Council member: (A) equipment or supplies necessary for the performance of the City Council member's duties; and, (B) government -related publications, which shall become the property of the city. (f) Economy. Notwithstanding the authorizations contained in this policy, City Council members are expected to practice economy appropriate to the circumstances of the performance of their duties. (g) Administration of City Council expenses. The City Secretary is responsible for administering the City Council expense reimbursement process. Upon receiving notice of an event or meeting that is authorized for reimbursement by this policy, the city secretary shall provide information to the City Council members. City Council members wishing to attend a meeting or seminar authorized under this policy, shall notify the City Secretary, who shall make the arrangements necessary for registration and travel. (h) Travel advances. The City Secretary may issue a travel advance upon the request of a city council member for expenses related to travel for a meeting or seminar in an amount sufficient to cover the costs for transportation, meals, lodging, tips, and registration. In determining this amount, the City Secretary shall use the seminar or meeting information available. (i) Travel expense report. Accounting for travel expenses is the responsibility of each City Council member. Upon completion of travel, City Council members shall submit to the city secretary a complete travel expense report on a form provided by the City Secretary. All expenses must be supported by documentation. Receipts for all expenses must be attached to the travel expense report. If a travel advance was issued, the city council member must submit the travel expense report to the city secretary within five business days of returning from the travel and reimburse the city or be reimbursed the difference between the advance and the actual travel expenses. The city secretary shall forward the travel expense reports to the director of finance.