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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 51-2006 RESOLUTION NO. 51-2006 CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RULES OF THE EXISTING COUNCIL MEMBERS' EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY TO BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS WHEREAS, at the regular meeting of the City Council held on June 14, 2006, the City Council directed staff to extend the rules of the existing Councihnen1bers' expense reilnbursement policy to Board and Comlnission Melnbers. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of South San Francisco that the City Council hereby approve this policy as follows: BOARD AND COMMISSION POLICY REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OF BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBER EXPENSES Authorized Expenses City funds, equipment, supplies (including letterhead), titles, and staff tilne must only be used for authorized City business. Expenses incurred in connection with the following types of activities generally constitute authorized expenses, as long as the other requirements of this policy are met: (1) Communicating with representatives of regional, state and national government on City adopted policy positions; (2) Attending educational seminars designed to improve officials' skill and information levels; (3) Participating in regional, state and national organizations whose activities affect the City's interests; (4) Recognizing service to the City (for example, thanking a longtime elnployee with a retirelnent gift or celebration of nominal value and cost); (5) Attending City events; (6) bnplementing a City-approved strategy for attracting or retaining businesses to the City, which will typically involve at least one staff melnber; (7) Direct expenses, including mileage reimbursement and audio or video tape or DVD costs, related to participation in cOlnmunity outreach programs (that do not involve any political advocacy); and (8) Meetings such as those listed above for which a Ineeting stipend is expressly authorized under this policy. All other expenditures require prior approval by the City governing body. Exmnples of personal expenses that the City will not reimburse include, but are not limited to: (1) The personal portion of any trip, including meals, lodging, and other incidental expenses; (2) Political or charitable contributions or events; (3) Family expenses, excluding spouse or significant other's registration or Ineal expenses when accompanying melnber on City-related business within San Mateo County; (4) Entertainment expenses, including theater, Inovies (either in-room or at the theater), sporting events (including gym, massage and/or golf related expenses), or other cultural events; (5) Non-mileage personal automobile expenses, including repairs, traffic citations, insurance or gasoline; (6) Costs of alcoholic beverages; and (7) Personal losses incurred while on City business. Any questions regarding the propriety of a particular type of expense should be resolved by the City governing body before the expense is incurred. Cost Control To conserve City resources and keep expenses within cOInmunity standards for public officials, expenditures should adhere to the following guidelines. In the event that expenses are incurred which exceed these guidelines, the cost borne or reimbursed by the City will be limited to the costs that fall within the guidelines. Transportation The Inost econOlnicallnode and class of transportation reasonably consistent with scheduling needs and cargo space requirements Inust be used, using the most direct and tilne-efficient route. Charges for rental vehicles Inay be reiInbursed under this provision if more than one meInber is attending an out of town conference, and it is detennined that sharing a rental vehicle is In ore economical than other forms of transportation. In making such determination, the cost of the rental vehicle, parking and gasoline will be compared to the combined cost of such other fonns of transportation. Government and group rates must be used when available. Airfare. When possible, IneInbers should arrange for air travel to be paid for in advance by the City at the most economical and reasonable round-trip fare consistent with the member's scheduling needs. If advance arrangeInents cannot be made due to lack of advance warning or other extenuating circumstances, meInbers may be reilnbursed for the expense of the airfare, so long as it is the most economical and reasonable round-trip fare consistent with the Inember's scheduling and official business needs. Automobile. MeInbers shall use City vehicles for travel in performance of official duties, when available. If a City vehicle is unavailable Inembers may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in traveling by personal vehicle on official business at the annual Internal Revenue Service Standard Mileage Rate. The distance of travel will start from the place of work or from home, whichever is closer to the destination point of official business. Reimbursement shall include road and bridge tolls. Members shall be responsible for procuring and Inaintaining liability insurance for their personal vehicles. Car Rental. Members should arrange for car rentals to be paid for in advance by the City at the most econolnical rate available. If advance arrangements cannot be Inade due to lack of advance warning or other extenuating circumstances, members may be reimbursed for the expense of car rental. Since the City is self-insured, meInbers shall not be reimbursed for optional liability insurance or other fees. Taxis/Shuttles. Taxi or shuttle fares may be reimbursed, including a 15 percent gratuity per fare, when the cost of such fares is equal or less than the cost of car rentals, gasoline and parking combined, or when such transportation is necessary for tilne-efficiency. Lodging Lodging expenses will be reimbursed or paid for when the location of the official City business is greater than 50 miles from the melnber's work or hOlne, whichever is closer to the destination. When possible, Inelnbers should arrange for lodging expenses to be paid in advance by the City at the Inost economical and reasonable rates for single occupancy lodging that is in a location that is reasonable and convenient in relation to the member's scheduling and official business needs. Conferences/Meetings. If such lodging is in connection with a conference, lodging expenses must not exceed the group rate published by the conference sponsor for the meeting in question if such rates are available at the tilne of booking. Other Lodging. Travelers must request government rates, when available. Lodging rates that are equal or less to govermnent rates are presumed to be reasonable and hence reimbursable for purposes of this policy. Actual lodging costs that exceed the government rate for the area Inay be rein1bursed conditioned upon performance of a good faith effort, evidenced by documentation (e.g., internet search, phone calls) that demonstrate an attempt to find median-priced lodging. Meals Members may be reimbursed for expenses incurred for Ineals consulned in conjunction with travel on official business. Reilnbursable Ineal expenses and associated gratuities will not exceed the following rates: Breakfast $12 Lunch $18 Dinner $40 Such amounts will be annually adjusted to reflect changes in the cost of living in accordance with statistics published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, all urban consumers for the San Francisco Metropolitan Area. (The annual adjustment will be based on this area whether travel is within the area or not.) If a Ineal is provided by a conference or organized educational activity, or otherwise included in the payment of registration fees, Inembers Inay not be reilnbursed for meals purchased in lieu of, or in addition to, the provided Ineal. Meal expenses incurred by a member's spouse or imlnediate fmnily shall not be reilnbursed, except where the Ineal is part of an event or function located in San Mateo County at which the Inelnber is performing his or her official duties, and the spouse or significant other's attendance at the meal is appropriate given the prevailing business practices. Additional Incidental Expense Reimbursement Members may be reimbursed for actual and necessary incidental expenses incurred in connection with a conference, organized educational activity, or other performance of official duties. Incidental expenses include reasonable gratuities for hotel and airline elnployees, baggage fees, parking fees, cab fares, public transportation costs, tolls, telephone calls, telegrams, faxing, and special delivery services related to the performance of official duties, telephone calls of a personal nature, hotel internet charges, and other such incidental expenses. Members may be reimbursed for such incidental expenses related to reasonable gratuities for which receipts are not customarily given. Reimbursement for expenses incurred in placing telephone calls of a personal nature shall be limited to $10 per day for travel within California, and $20 per day for travel outside of California. All other actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties that are not described in this Policy shall not be reimbursed unless approved before the expense is incurred. Prohibited Expense Reimbursements Members shall not be reimbursed for non-business expenses including, but not limited to, entertainment expenses such as movie rental fees, theater tickets or sporting event fees, fines for parking citations, laundry, replacement fees for lost keys, fees assessed for dmnage to lodging prelnises, and expenses incurred pursuant to personal portions of business travel, including extra lodging and meals. Expense Report Content and Submission Deadline All member expense reilnbursement requests must be submitted on the Expense Reilnburselnent Form. Expense reports must document that the expense in question Inet the requirements of this policy. For example, if the meeting is with a legislator, the local agency official should explain whose meals were purchased, what issues were discussed and how those relate to the City's adopted legislative positions and priorities. Melnbers must sublnit their expense reports within 30 days of an expense being incurred, accompanied by receipts documenting each expense. Restaurant receipts, in addition to any credit card receipts, are also part of the necessary documentation. Inability to provide such doculnentation in a timely fashion may result in the expense being borne by the melnber. Audits Of Expense Reports. All expenses are subject to verification that they cOlnply with this policy. Reports To Governing Board. At the following City governing body Ineeting, each official shall briefly report on Ineetings attended at City expense. If Inultiple members attended, a joint report Inay be made. Compliance With Laws. Melnbers should keep in Inind that SOlne expenditures Inay be subject to reporting under the Political Refonn Act and other laws. All agency expenditures are public records subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, mnong other laws. Violation Of This Policy. Use of public resources or falsifying expense reports in violation of this policy may result in any or all of the following: (l) loss of reilnbursement privileges; (2) a delnand for restitution to the City; (3) the agency's reporting the expenses as inCOlne to the elected official to state and federal tax authorities; (4) civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day and three tilnes the value of the resources used; and (5) prosecution for misuse of public resources. * * * * * I hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was regularly introduced and adopted by the City Council of the City of South San Francisco at a regular Ineeting held on the 12th day of July 2006 by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers Mark N. Addiego, Pedro Gonzalez and Karyl Matsumoto, Vice Mayor Richard A. Garbarino and Mayor Joseph A. F ernekes NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: ATTEST: