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SOLUTION NO. R-00 03
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A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN,
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A
TRAVEL POLICY PURSUANT TO CITY CODE
SECTION 2-78 AS AMENDED.
WHEREAS, the only the City Council has the authority to institute a travel policy
governing elected officials and charter officers; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted Ordinance 0-00-01, making provision for the
adoption of a travel policy by resolution;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SEBASTIAN, INDIAN RNER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. TRAVEL POLICY. There is hereby adopted a travel policy
pursuant to Section 2-78, City Code of Ordinances as amended.
Section 2. CONFLICT. All resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed.
Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This resolution shall take effect on April 1,
2000 to coincide with the effective date of Ordinance No. 0-00-01.
The foregoing Resolution was moved for adoption by Councilmember ��,1� •
The motion was seconded by Councilmember � and, upon being put
into a vote, the vote was as follows:
Mayor Chuck Neuberger
Councilmember Walter Barnes
Councilmember Joe Barczyk
Councilmember Ben A. Bishop
Councilmember Edward J. Majcher, Jr.
The Mayor thereupon declared this Resolution duly passed and Adopted this 9th day of
February, 2000.
ATTEST:
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. O'Halloran, CMC/AAE
City Clerk
CITY OF SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA
:
Chuck Neuberger,
Approved as to form and legality for the
reliance by the City of Sebastian only:
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Rich Stringer, City Attorney
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CITY OF SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA
TRAVEL POLICY AND PROCEDURES
L AUTHORITY
Florida Statutes, Section 112.061 and Division 3 of the City of Sebastian Code of Ordinances
II. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Travel Policy is to establish the policy and procedures for authorizing and obtaining reimbursement for
official travel by council members, charter officers and employees. It is the responsibility of each council member, charter
officer and employee to perform travel in the most economical manner and in the best interest of the City of Sebasrian.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Actual point of ori�in — The geographic location where the travel begins, which is other than the "point of origin" as
defined by this policy.
B. Citv Manager — means the City Manager of the City of Sebastian.
C. Class A travel — Conrinuous travel of more than 24 hours away from the City.
D. Class B travel — Continuous travel of less than 24 hours that involves overnight absences from the city. Travel of exactly
24 hours will be considered Class B travel and will be reimbursed for four quarters only, regardless of time of departure
and return.
E. Class C travel — Travel for short day trips where the traveler is not away from the City overnight.
F. Common canier — Includes train, bus, commercial airline operating scheduled flights, or rental car of an established
rental car firm.
G. Conference — The coming together of persons with a common interest or interests for the purpose of deliberation,
interexchange of views, removal of difference or disputes, or discussion of their common problems and interests. The
term also includes similar meetings such as seminars and workshops, which are large, formal group meetings that are
programmed and supervised to accomplish intensive research, study, discussion, and wark in some specific field or on a
governmental problem or problems. A conference does not mean the coming together of Departments or
interdeparhnental personnel.
H. Convenrion — The assembly of a group of persons representing persons and groups, coming together for the
accomplishment of a purpose of interest to a larger group or groups. A convention does not mean the coming together of
Departments or interdepartmental personnel.
I. Depariment — the City Department to which the council member, charter officer or employee is assigned.
J. Emergency norice — For purposes of Section 112.061(13), Florida Statutes, means notification of less than twenty-four
(24) hours prior to scheduled depariure. Such notification shall be written.
K. Emergency situation — Circumstances in which there is an immediate danger or a threat of immediate danger to the
public health, safety or welfare or of other substantial loss to the city requiring emergency action.
L. Meal allowance — The amounts autharized by Section 2-75(a) of the City of Sebastian Code of Ordinances for Class A
and Class B travel, as herein defined, and Section 112.061(6)(b), Florida Statutes for Class C travel, as herein defined,
for each meal during the travel period.
M. Most economical class of trans�ortation — The available class having the lowest cost.
N. Most economical method of travel — The mode of transportation (city-owned vehicle, privately-owned vehicle, common
carrier, etc.) designated by the City Manager in accardance with criteria prescribed by Secrion 112.061, Florida Statutes.
O. Nonbusiness dav — For an authorized person means a day on which such person is not scheduled to be performing
service or contributing time to the city.
P. Nonroutine travel — All travel that is not routine as defined in section DD.
Q. Per Diem rate — The amount authorized by Section 2-75(b) City of Sebastian Code of Ordinances.
R. Personal time — The time outside the regular work-hours of a business day, a nonbusiness day or a day for which the
charter officer or employee had prior approval for a leave of absence.
S. Disabled traveler — Any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life acrivity
such as hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, learning or working.
T. Point of origin — The geographic location of City Hall ar the geographic locarion where travel begins, whichever is the
lesser distance from the destination. In all cases of such designations, the location must be in the best interest of the city
and not for the convenience of the employee.
U. Privately owned vehicles — Shall include any vehicle, which is not publicly owned, whether or not title to such vehicle is
in the name of the traveler.
V. Council member, Charter officer or emplovee — An individual who is filling an authorized position and is responsible to
the city.
W. Routine travel - Travel, which is performed on a day-to-day basis within a specific geographical area as a part of the
employee's normal work assignment.
X. Traveler - A council member, charter officer, or employee, when perfomung authorized travel.
Y. Travel dav — A period of 24 hours consisting of four quarters of 6 hours each.
Z. Travel expense — Traveling expenses, necessary expenses while traveling, actual expenses while traveling, or wards of
similar nature, the usual ordinary and incidental expenditures necessarily incurred by a traveler.
AA. Travel period — The period of time between the time of departure and time of retum.
BB. T� — Is defined as continuous and uninterrupted Class A travel and is not restricted by the number of individual
destinations.
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CC. Vicinitv travel — Travel which is performed within 25 miles of city hall, or home when a traveler leaves directly from
home and does not depart from city hall. For the purpose of computing allowable mileage, vicinity travel also includes
official travel in the area of destination points, which exceeds point-to-point calculations.
IV. TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION AND PROCEDURES
Section 2-77, Travel Authorization, City of Sebastian Code of Ordinances, shall govern the authority to approve travel.
A. Persons authorized to approve travel should specify the mode of travel before travel takes place and ensure that it is the
most economical method and in the City's best interest (i.e. city-owned vehicle, privately-owned vehicle, airline and/or
rental car.) Factors to consider include:
1. The most efficient and economical means of travel considering traveler's time. Cost of transportation, and per diem
required.
2. The number of persons making the trip and the amount of equipment or material to be transported.
B. The City Clerk's office shall be responsible for all City Council travel arrangements and processing of Council
member's travel requests, travel advances (if any) and reimbursement requests.
V. RULES AND REGULATIONS
The City Manager shall prescribe such forms as may be necessary to effectuate the purpose of this policy. All personnel,
regardless of status, shall use the forms prescribed.
VI. TRAVEL ADVANCE
Eligible travelers may request travel advances of 80% of travel expenses by City Check through the Finance Deparhnent. In
order to qualify for a travel advance, all of the following conditions must be met:
A. The traveler must be a person authorized to incur travel expenses on city business.
B. The advance request should be for no less than $100. At an 80% advance rate, this would mean that estimated travel
costs (exclusive of common carrier costs) would have to be $125 or more before an advance would be approved.
C. The $125 minnnum travel cost requirement will be applied on a"per trip" basis. For example, if several trips were
planned during a month's time and the cumulative estimated travel costs for month exceeded $125 but none of the
individual trips exceeded $125, no request for travel advance should be made.
D. A traveler shall not have travel advances outstanding for more than one trip at any time without written justification of
circumstances, which necessitate an exception to this restriction.
E. The specific guidelines far requesting a travel advance are a follows:
1. The traveler requesting an advance shall complete a Travel Request and Expense Voucher form. This form shall be
properly executed and scheduled for payment using object code 115050. To ensure that advances are received
before travel begins, requests for advances should be submitted to the finance department no later than 14 days
before the travel period begins.
2. The travel advance request shall not exceed more than 80% of the estimated per diem reimbursement, mileage and
incidental expenses, which will ultimately be reimbursed to the traveler.
3. When the travel period has ended, the traveler shall submit a completed Travel Request and Expense Voucher form
to the finance department for processing as follows:
a. Funds Due Traveler: If a traveler is entitled to additional funds for a travel period, the traveler shall be required
to deduct on the face of the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form any travel advance made for the travel
period, and include the check number and date relating to the payment. This form must be signed and dated by the
traveler, Deparhnent Head (if applicable) and the City Manager and delivered to the fmance department within five
(5) working days of return to the City by the traveler.
b. Funds Due Citv: If a traveler was advanced funds in excess of the travel expenses allowed for a particular
travel period, the traveler shall submit a refund to the fmance department within three (3) warking days of the
traveler's return to the City. Finance will then prepare a cash receipt journal including as documentation the Travel
Request and Expense Voucher form.
c. Expenses Equal Advance: If the travel expenses equal the amount of the advance, the Travel Request and
Expense Voucher form shall be completed and submitted to the finance department within two weeks of the
traveler's return to the City for fmal processing.
4. If a Travel Request and Expense Voucher form has not been filed within forty (40) days of the conclusion of a trip,
the City shall not reimburse expenses, and in the case of undocumented advancements, shall have the right to deduct
the amount of said undocumented advances from future salary payments.
VII. COMPUTATION OF TRAVEL TIME
For purposes of calculating reimbursement for travel, the following methods are established:
A. Class A and B Travel
The traveler will be reimbursed one-fourth of the authorized daily rate of per diem for each quarter or fracrion thereof, of
the travel day included within the travel period if per diem is elected. Such travel will include any assignment on official
business outside regular office hours and away from regular places of employment where it is considered reasonable and
necessary to stay overnight and for which travel expenses are approved. The following are special considerations in
requesting reimbursement.
1. Travelers (Class A) who desire to claim reimbursement pursuant to Section 112.061 (6) (a) 2., Florida Statutes
(actual lodging at the single occupancy rate plus meal allowances), for some periods and pursuant to Section 2-75
(b), City Code of Ordinances (per diem), for other periods while on the same trip may only change methods on a
travel day basis (midnight to midnight).
2. For Class A travel, lodging expenses shall be calculated on a travel day basis beginning on the day of departure,
regardless of when such expenses are actually paid.
3. No traveler shall be reimbursed for more than one lodging expense during any travel day unless fully justified by the
traveler in writing.
4. No traveler shall be reimbursed for overnight lodging or per diem if the destination is less than a 75-mile radius
from the City, unless authorized and approved by the City Manager. Approval of exceprions will be based on a
determination that the cost of mileage reimbursements, overtime pay, and other related costs would exceed the
comparable cost of lodging or per diem, had the traveler been required to return to the City.
5. Lodging expenses shall qualify for reimbursement pursuant to Section 112.061 (6) (a) 2., Florida Statutes, only if
they are incurred at a duly established commercial lodging facility and are substantiated by itemized paid receipts or
bills.
6. A traveler claiming less than the full meal allowance or per diem authorized by Secrion 2-75, City Code of
Ordinances, shall include on his Travel Request and Expense Voucher form a statement that he/she understands that
he/she is entitled to the full meal allowance or per diem provided by law but has voluntarily chosen to claim a lesser
amount.
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B. Class C Travel
Class C travel will be allowable only when the traveler leaves the City of Sebastian and their destinarion is in excess of a
25-mile radius but less than 75 miles from the City. The traveler shall not be reimbursed on a per diem basis but will
receive subsistence for meals based upon the rime schedule and meal allowance listed in Section IX.
VIII. PER DIEM RATE
Council members, charter officers and employees have the option of receiving either:
A. $70.00 per diem (in accordance with Sec. 2-75, City Code of Ordinances); or
B. Meal allowance plus actual expenses for lodging incurred at a duly established commercial lodging facility at a single
occupancy rate to be substanriated by itemized paid bills.
IX. SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
A. Council Members, Charter officers and employees perfornzing Class C travel (short trips ar day trips where the traveler
is not away from the City overnight) shall be allowed subsistence in the following amounts.
Breakfast $3.00
Lunch $6.00
Dinner $12.00
B. Meal allowances are allowed only during the following time periods:
1. Breakfast — When travel begins before 6:00 am and extends beyond 8:00 am.
2. Lunch — When travel begins before 12:00 noon and extends beyond 2:00 pm.
3. Dinner — When travel begins before 6:00 pm and extends beyond 8:00 pm, ar when travel occurs during nighttime
hours due to an emergency special assignment.
C. No allowance will be made for meals when travel is confined to the City of Sebastian, home if travel originated there, or
immediate vicinity (destination(s) within a 25 mile radius of the City or home.)
X. ALLOWABLE INCIDENTAL EXPENSES
The following documentation shall be attached to the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form, when the traveler is
claiming reimbursement for incidental travel expenses authorized by Section 112.061 (8) (a), Florida Statutes.
A. Taxi Fare
Receipts are required for fares over $10.00 on a per fare basis.
B. Ferrv Fares and Bridge, Road and Tunnel Tolls
Receipts are required for all tolls.
C. Storage or Parking Fees
Receipts are required for all fees. Such fees are not allowed on a weekly basis for privately owned automobiles unless it
can be established that such method results in savings to the city.
D. Communicarion Expenses (Telephone/Tele�raph)
A statement that communicarion expenses being claimed was far official city business only. In addition, the actual bill
associated with the expense must be attached for any reimbursement. Communication expenses to contact the traveler's
family or other nonbusiness putposes are not eligible for reimbursement.
E. Re,gistration Fees
Registration fees for a convention or conference to which the traveler is authorized to attend are allowed. If ineals are
included in the registration fee, a separate subsistence allowance is not allowed, regardless if the traveler partakes in the
meal or not, and any per diem claim must be reduced by the rate established in Section 2-75, City Code of Ordinances
for Class A or B travel or Section IX of this policy, whichever applies, for meal allowances.
F. Tips and Gratuities
Reasonable tips and gratuities may be reimbursed per the following:
1. Actual tips paid to taxi drivers shall not exceed fifteen percent of fare.
2. Actual amount paid for mandatory valet parking which shall not exceed $10 per occasion and which was incurred in
the performance of city business. Non-mandatory valet parking for disabled or handicapped employees shall be
reimbursed at the same rate above.
3. Actual portage charges paid which shall not exceed $1 per bag, or a total of $5.
G. Other incidental travel expenses may be reimbursed upon presentation of receipts and approved by the City Manager for
employees and City Council for Council members and Charter Officers, as applicable, provided they were incurred in the
performance of city business.
XI. EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
A. When an authorized traveler is required to travel because of emergency situations, such charter officer or employee may
be reimbursed travel expenses incurred by him in traveling from his actual point of origin to his point of destination,
which may be City Hall, as required by the City Manager ar City Council. If because of personal circumstances it is
necessary for the authorized traveler to return to the actual point of arigin rather than returning to or staying at the City of
Sebastian, the traveler may be reimbursed his travel expenses to return.
1. The traveler's request for reimbursement of travel expenses claimed from an actual point of origin shall contain an
explanation of the emergency, which necessitated his travel from such point.
2. In the event the traveler returns to or stays in the City, he shall detail the cost that he would have incurred and net
such cost against his actual cost of returning.
3. Requests for reimbursement of travel expenses pursuant to this subsection shall be presented in writing to the City
Council in the case of Charter Officers for approval or to the City Manager for all employees prior to being paid by
the finance deparhnent.
B. In the event a charter officer ar employee has made plans for his personal rime and has incurred certain costs in
conjuncrion with such plans and is unable to carry out such plans due to an emergency situation, such costs, which are
not recoverable, by such person may be reimbursed by the city. Request for reimbursement of costs pursuant to this
subsection shall be presented in writing to the City Council in the case of Charter Ofiicers for approval or to the City
Manager for all employees prior to being paid by the finance department. Such requests shall detail the circumstances of
the emergency situation, which prevented such person from carrying out his plans, and shall clearly document the
unrecoverable costs incurred by the person.
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XII. EXCEPTIONS TO REIMBURSEMENT RATES
A. When lodging or meals are provided, the traveler shall be reimbursed only for the actual expenses of lodging or meals
but not to exceed the maximum provided for in this policy.
B. When an employee is working at a locarion away from the City at the close of business on one day and is required to be
at or near the same location on the following day, the decision whether to return to the City for the night would be based
on the relative expenses involving round trip mileage or common carrier expense and in such cases may not exceed the
per diem rate. However, as indicated in Section VII. A. 4., no traveler shall be reimbursed for overnight lodging or per
diem if the destination is less than a 75-mile radius from the City.
C. When absent from official duty while in a travel status (included sick leave, weekends and holidays), the exact hours of
beginning and ending such absence must be shown on the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form. Per Diem rate
will not apply during these time periods.
XIII. ATTACHMENTS TO TRAVEL REQUESTS AND EXPENSE VOUCHER FORMS
Employee participation in conferences, seminars, training programs or any other form of travel is at the sole discretion of the
City Manager. Written approval to incur travel expenses will be recorded on the Travel Request and Expense Voucher
forms. The following information and provisions apply to all travel requests and shall be attached or accompany the Travel
Request and Expense Voucher form:
A. Justification
A statement of the benefits accruing to the city by virtue of such travel will be included on the Travel Request and
Expense Voucher form.
B. A�enda
A copy of the program and/or agenda for the training program itemizing the registration fees and any meals or lodging
included in the registration fees will be attached to the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form. If the program or
agenda is not available priar to the travel, it will be attached to the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form at the tnne
submitted far reimbursement. If a program and/or agenda is not attached to the Travel Request and Expense Voucher
form, there shall be no advances issued for travel.
C. Emplovees Attending Same Conference
No more than three employees from a department and/or division will be pernutted to attend the same training program.
If special justificarion exists for more than three employees to attend, the justification will be included in the explanation
of benefits accruing to the city for each employee attending on the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form.
D. Puipose of Trainin P�rogram
Before travel will be approved, it must meet each of the following criteria:
1. The main purpose of the training is in connecrion with the official business of the city and is directly related to the
individual(s) duties and responsibilities.
2. The training program will provide a direct educational or other benefit supporting the official duties of the
individual.
3. The duties of the council member, charter officer or employee seeking to attend such training or meerings are
comparible with the objectives of the particular meeting or training program.
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4. Exception — An employee requested by a sponsoring organization to participate in the program of a conference or
convention may be reimbursed by the sponsoring organization.
E. Separate check requests shall be submitted with the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form for lodging,
registration/education fees, and mode of travel if other than Privately-owned or City vehicle.
F. It is the traveler's sole responsibility to make all appropriate arrangements for travel. It is the traveler's further
responsibility to provide information on the check requests, such as, hotel confirmation numbers, due date of checks, etc.
to insure that funds expended are in the best interest of the City and not for the convenience of the traveler.
XN. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABLED TRAVELERS
General Requirements
If a disabled traveler needs special travel accommodations, such request shall be evaluated and handled in accordance with
the city's reasonable accommodation procedure.
When a disabled traveler incurs travel expenses in excess of those ardinarily authorized pursuant to the travel law and these
rules, and such excess travel expenses were incurred to accommodate the safe travel of that disabled traveler, those excess
expenses will be rennbursed by the city to the extent that the expenses were reasonable and necessary to accommodate the
safe travel of the individual and do not impose an undue hardship on the city. All such claims for reimbursement of excess
travel expenses shall be submitted with sufficient documentation to pernut a proper audit.
XV. TRANSPORTATION
A. Route of Travel
All travel must be by a usually traveled route. If a person travels by an indirect route for personal convenience, any extra
costs will be at the traveler's expense.
B. Method of Travel
Persons authorized to travel must use the most economical method of travel, i.e. city owned vehicle, privately owned
vehicle, public transportation (common carrier). The following conditions must be considered in determining the
method of travel.
1. The nature of business.
2. The most efficient and economical means of travel (considering time of the traveler, cost of transportation and per
diem or subsistence required).
3. The number of persons making the trip, and the amount of equipment or material to be transported.
If a traveler cannot justify the use of a method of travel that is not the most economical, any extra costs will be bome by
the traveler.
C. Commercial Air Travel
It is the responsibility of authorized travelers to obtain the most economical fares available.
1. Commercial air travel will be by the most economical class (tourist or coach class). Any upgrades will be bome by
the traveler.
2. Advance reservations shall be made whenever possible to maximize available discounted fares.
3. To ensure proper credit, all unused portions of airline tickets will be attached to the appropriate Travel Request and
Expense Voucher form when submitted for payment.
4. No group tickets or group charges are to be made. Each traveler must have his own ticket.
5. All passenger receipts for employees will be attached to the appropriate Travel Request and Expense Voucher form.
6. In instances where common carrier tickets are purchased and used, and no per diem or subsistence will be
reimbursed, or requested, a Check Request form with the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form attached will
be completed and submitted in a timely manner as they are required to pay common carriers.
7. An employee traveling on official city business and wishing to alter travel plans for personal business or pleasure
must pay the additional cost of transportation directly to the commercial carrier at the time of purchase and will not
charge such additional transportation to the city.
8. If a traveler, due to overbooking incurs additional costs by an airline and the traveler chooses to have such costs paid
directly or indirectly by the city, then any compensation, in whatever form, received by the traveler from the airline
for his inconvenience, shall accrue to the benefit of the city. In such instances, if the traveler is allowed to elect the
form of compensation, his decision shall be based on the best interest of the city. In deternuning whether additional
costs have been incurred in such situations, the compensation of the traveler, if applicable, as well as travel costs,
must be taken into considerarion. If no additional costs are incurred or the additional costs are borne by the traveler,
then such compensation for the traveler's inconvenience shall accrue to the traveler.
Penalties for cancellarion of discounted airline tickets, generally referred to as "super saver" tickets, may be paid
from city funds only if the cause for cancellarion is in the best interest of the city. If the ticket is canceled for the
convenience of the traveler, the cancellation penalty will be paid ar reimbursed from city funds only if a trip is
canceled because of the illness of the traveler or the illness or death of a member of the traveler's immediate family,
far which an employee is authorized to use sick or administrative leave. Although the savings realized from the use
of such tickets may be considerable, city staff shall also keep in mind that the penalties for cancellation of the tickets
are generally substantial. Travelers shall carefully evaluate the circumstances and risk of cancellation prior to the
purchase of each such ticket in order to avoid or at least minimize the cancellation penalty on these tickets. When it
is in the best interest of the city to cancel a"super saver" ticket and pay the cancellation penalty, justification must
be included in the voucher submitted for payment of the cancellation penalty detailing the circumstances
necessitating payment of the penalty from city funds.
10. Common carrier charges may be billed directly to the city, by use of a city credit card or charged to a travel agency
account, or the traveler may pay for his common carrier charges and request reimbursement on his Travel Request
and Expense Voucher form.
a. Requests for payment of common carrier charges billed directly to the city shall be vouchered separately in
favor of the vendor, and shall also reflect the traveler's social security nuxnber, name and cost of each traveler's
transportation by common carrier. The voucher shall have as documentation attached copies of the airline
tickets or rental car invoices.
b. Common carrier charges, which are paid directly by the traveler, shall be included on the Travel Request and
Expense Voucher form. A copy of the airline ticket or the rental car invoice shall be attached to the traveler's
reimbursement request.
D. Private Aircraft
A traveler may be reimbursed for the actual amount charged and paid for his/her fare when traveling by private aircraft
up to the cost of commercial airline fare for the same or a comparable flight.
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E. Private Vehicle
The use of privately owned vehicles for official travel in lieu of city owned vehicles or common carrier may be
authorized. Request for reimbursement for such mileage must be submitted on a Travel Request and Expense Voucher
form.
1. If a private vehicle is used, the reimbursement rate is $0.29 per mile.
When travel by public (common carrier) transportarion has been deternuned to be more cost effecrive, the traveler,
for good reason, may request authorization to travel by privately owned vehicle. If approved, reimbursement will be
for the amount that would have been expended for public transportation. An exception will be made for disabled
travelers requiring the use of their personal vehicles as a reasonable accommodation. In such cases, the city will
reimburse all the travel expenses even if they exceed the cost that would have been incurred utilizing a common
carrier.
3. Mileage
a. All mileage must be shown from point of origin (City Hall or point of deparhzre, whichever is the lesser
distance from the destination) to point of desrination and return and must be computed on the basis of an official
state road map published by the Departrnent of Transportation. Time of departure and time of return must be
shown. Mileage estimates shall be used for advance requests and actual point-to-point mileage shall be used for
additional reimbursements or amounts due to City, when travel is completed.
b. When an individual is in travel status, vicinity mileage necessary for conduct of official business is allowable.
Mileage is allowed from office or home to the airport when perfomung authorized travel, whichever is less.
c. Vicinity mileage to conduct official business in the local area of the City will be reimbursed at a rate not to
exceed $0.29 per mile when authorized by the approving authority.
F. Chartered Vehicles
Transportation by chartered vehicle when traveling on official business may be authorized by the City Manager when
necessary or when it is to the advantage of the city. The cost of such transportation may not exceed the cost of
transportation using a privately owned vehicle.
G. Rental Cars
1. Rental cars charged to the city are to be used only for official city business. The traveler will make arrangements for
rental cars in advance. Rental car agreements should reference business address and not personal addresses.
2. Rental cars should only be used when it is more economical than to have a city car available or being picked up at a
destination. A copy of the rental car agreement will be attached to the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form.
3. Employee insurance liability related to the use of rental cars is covered through the City's Insurance Policies. When
signing the rental agreement, the employee will refuse Collision Damage Waiver and Personal Accident Insurance.
If the employee does not refuse this option, the cost will be deducted from the reimbursement amount or the
reimbursable amount to the City on the Travel Request and Expense Voucher form.
4. In instances where cars are rented and no per diem or subsistence is to be reimbursed, a Travel Request and Expense
Voucher form will be completed and processed in a rimely manner to ensure prompt payment to the vendor.
5. The City requires the use of compact cars (Class B vehicles) whenever practical. Rental invoices submitted far
payment of a vehicle rate higher than Class B must be accompanied by a statement by the traveler of the
circumstances that necessitated the more expensive class vehicle, such as the number of passengers or the amount of
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materials made the use of a compact class of vehicle impractical. To ensure that Class B vehicles are reserved, they
should be requested by vehicle class rather than by vehicle make and model.
H. Complimentarv Travel
No traveler will be allowed either mileage or transportation expense when another traveler who is entitled to mileage
gratuitously transports him or her. The traveler should still show how and with whom he/she traveled on his/her Travel
Request and Expense Voucher form.
XVI. AUDITS OF TRAVEL REOUEST AND EXPENSE VOUCHER FORMS
The City's Finance department shall be responsible for auditing Travel Request and Expense Voucher forms submitted for
initial and fmal processing. Errors and omissions shall be reported to the departrnent heads (if applicable) or charter officers
far correction.
XVII. Councilmember Accountable Plan — Chapter 2-34, City Code
Pursuant to Chapter 2-34, City Code of Ordinances, the Mayor shall be paid $75 and each Councilmember shall be paid $50
in advance per month for incidental travel and meals within the vicinity of the City while on official business of the City.
The following rules shall govern these advances.
A. The advances to the Mayor and Councilmembers shall be made under an accountable plan. Advances shall be made at
the begixuiing of each month, unless that day shall fall on a weekend or holiday, in which case the payment shall be made
on the day immediately following the weekend or holiday.
B. An accountable plan —
1. requires Councilmembers to maintain a log of mileage and meals in support of the advances.
2. These logs shall be routed through the City Clerk's office and turned in to Finance for audit.
3. If no mileage or meals have been claimed, an empty log shall be turned in to maintain continuity of the plan.
4. Failure to maintain a log or turn in a log shall be construed as no mileage or meals and will result in immediate
reimbursement of any advances made.
C. Travel advances shall be on a fiscal year basis. Any portion of the advances not used on a monthly basis shall be carried
over to the next month.
D. At the end of the fiscal year, a final accounting shall be made and a deternunation made of any amounts due from each
Councilmember. A bill shall be prepared and delivered via mail to the Councilmember.
E. If an elected official is not returned to office, a final accounting and deterxnination of any amounts due shall be made
with respect to any advances. Any amounts due shall be billed to the former Councilmember in accordance with these
rules.
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