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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 05 Approval of Resolution Relating to City Commission Non-Local Travel Reimbursement Policy City of Ocoee ▪ 1 N. Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761 Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org STAFF REPORT Meeting Date: January 17, 2023 Item #: 5 Contact Name: Scott Cookson Department Director: Scott Cookson Contact Number: 407-581-9800 City Manager: Robert Frank Subject: Approval of Resolution Relating to City Commission Non-Local Travel Reimbursement Policy. (City Attorney Cookson) Background Summary: During the 2022 budget hearings, the City Commission requested that the City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy be revised to exclude reimbursement of travel expenses by spouse. Attached hereto is a Resolution revising the travel policy. Issue: Should the Honorable Mayor and the City Commissioners approve a Resolution to exclude the reimbursement of travel expenses by spouse? Recommendations: Staff respectfully recommends that the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners approve a Resolution to exclude the reimbursement of travel expenses by spouse. Attachments: 1. Resolution Financial Impacts: None Type of Item: Consent Page 54 of 656 -1- RESOLUTION NO. 2023-___ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 2002-21 AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY COMMISSION NON-LOCAL TRAVEL POLICY; PROVIDING FOR ELIMINATION OF REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR SPOUSES; PROVIDING FOR OTHER UPDATES TO THE POLICY; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Ocoee desires to amend Resolution No. 2002-21 in order eliminate reimbursement of travel expenses for spouses of the Mayor and City Commissioners and to make other updates to the City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1.Authority. The City Commission of the City of Ocoee has the authority to adopt this Resolution pursuant to Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Florida and Chapter 166, Florida Statutes. SECTION 2.Amendment to Resolution No. 2002-21. Resolution No. 2002-21 is hereby amended by deleting Exhibit "A" thereto in its entirety and replacing said exhibit with Exhibit "A" to this Resolution. All references in Resolution No. 2002-21 to the City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy shall hereafter refer to Exhibit "A" attached to this Resolution. Additions to the City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy are denoted by underlined text and deletions are denoted by strikethrough text in the new Exhibit "A" attached hereto. SECTION 3.Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Resolution is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of Page 55 of 656 -2- competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion hereto. SECTION 4.Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED this ____ day of _______________, 2023. Attest: Melanie Sibbitt, City Clerk CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA Rusty Johnson, Mayor (SEAL)ADOPTED THIS __ DAY OF _________________, 2023, UNDER AGENDA ITEM NO. _____ FOR USE AND RELIANCE ONLY BY THE CITY OF OCOEE. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY THIS __ DAY OF ____________, 2023. SHUFFIELD, LOWMAN & WILSON, P.A. BY: Scott Cookson, City Attorney Page 56 of 656 -3- EXHIBIT “A” CITY COMMISSION NON-LOCAL TRAVEL POLICY (AS AMENDED, BY RESOLUTION NO. 2023-___) This City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy is adopted for purposes of regulating non- local authorized travel, meals, registration fees, and other expenses which are incurred by the Mayor and City Commissioners for business purposes on behalf of the City. These individuals will be identified throughout this policy as the "traveler". The City shall pay certain expenses to the traveler in order that the traveler may attend non-local meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops and similar events which serve a public purpose and are considered to be in the best interest of the City. The need for City travel for which reimbursement may be claimed by the travelers named above on behalf of the City of Ocoee is acknowledged as serving a public purpose and being in the best interests of the City. All such persons are eligible to travel for the conduct of City business or to attend non-local meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops and similar events for the benefit of the City, at City expense, pursuant to proper authorization prescribed in these regulations. (1)A Travel Expense Report issued by the Finance Department, which shall be used by all travelers using a City issued credit card or requesting reimbursement for authorized non-local travel expenses, shall be completed. The report will be filed within thirty (30) working days after completing the authorized travel, but in no event later than October 10 of each year for any report related to authorized travel in the previous fiscal year. For the purposes hereof, "authorized travel" or "authorized non-local travel" is non-local travel which has been approved by the City Commission as part of the annual budget and for which funds are available and non-local travel otherwise approved by the City Commission and for which funds are available. (2)Non-local transportation expenses will be reimbursable as set forth below. All non-local travel must be by a usually traveled route. If a person travels by an indirect route for his/her own convenience, any extra costs shall be borne by the traveler, and reimbursement for travel expenses shall be based only on such charges as would have been incurred by a usually traveled route. Air travel, if necessary, shall be by upgradeable coach class, when practicable, and a receipt shall be required for all such air travel; provided, however, that the traveler may, at the traveler's expense, upgrade to business or first class in which case the City will reimburse for the cost which would have otherwise been incurred for air travel by upgradeable coach class. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City will reimburse a traveler for business or first class travel if required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Travel by private car when a City vehicle is not used will be reimbursed at a rate per mile established by the City. When travel or local transportation Page 57 of 656 -4- (at non-local functions) is by rental car, all rental car fees and charges are reimbursable when substantiated by receipts. Local travel (at non-local functions) by airport limousine is reimbursable when substantiated by receipts. Taxicabs and parking fees are reimbursable and receipts for such expenses should be obtained whenever possible. Travelers who are assigned a city vehicle shall be reimbursed for gas only and not mileage; however, a gas receipt must be submitted to receive reimbursement. (3)Reimbursement for lodging will be on the basis of actual cost of a single occupancy. Double occupancy rate will be reimbursed if no single room is available or if traveling with the traveler's spouse. No reimbursement will be provided for expenses charged for in-room movies or in-room food/beverage bars. An itemized receipt shall be provided for all lodging expenses. (4)If a traveler is out of town for longer than one day, the traveler shall be allowed one personal telephone call reimbursed per day providing that the time limit of that call is reasonable. All calls which are related to City business shall be reimbursable to the traveler. Travelers are expected to use their cell phones for all phone calls and not seek reimbursement for personal or business related land-line long-distance phone calls. (5)Gratuities (tips) are recognized as a legitimate part of the cost of travel and a proper charge against the City, when such expenses are necessary. (6)Registration fees, including meals and other programmed affairs and activities, are reimbursable upon presentation of receipts. Receipts are not required for any activities included in or on the registration form for the event when a City check is issued for direct payment of such fees and charges. Registration fees may include social activities which are part of the program for the event. Expenses for social events and entertainment which are not part of the program shall not be reimbursable except as provided in Section 12 below. (7)All travelers will be reimbursed for the actual meals expenses, except for alcoholic beverages which will not be reimbursable. A receipt for meals will be provided whenever possible. (8)If a traveler accompanies a city employee or City official who has an authorized City credit card and the credit card holder other than the traveler pays for meals and other expenses with the City credit card, then the traveler shall not be eligible for reimbursement for those expenses paid by the credit card holder other than the traveler. The credit card holder who pays any expenses for a traveler will be reimbursed for such expenses provided the credit card holder lists all such expenses incurred on the Travel Expense Report and the names of the traveler for whom the expense was incurred. (9)Any other necessary expense not otherwise provided, incurred for the benefit of the City, together with receipts whenever possible and explanations thereof, should be claimed on an individual basis by completing the necessary travel form and should be signed by the traveler. Page 58 of 656 -5- (10)Travelers may obtain travel advances when requested through the Finance Department only for expenses which cannot be charged to the City credit card issued to the traveler. The necessary travel form must accompany the request and must be signed by the traveler. All advances shall be accounted for completion of a Travel Expense Report within thirty (30) working days after completion of the authorized travel, but in no event later than October 10 of each year for advances made in the previous fiscal year. (11)The City will reimburse for travel, meals or expenses for the spouse of the traveler when the spouse accompanies the traveler, the event includes activities which may be attended by the traveler’s spouse, and the attendance of the traveler’s spouse is otherwise in the best interests of the City considering the nature of the event, the role of the traveler with respect to the event and the attendance of other spouses at the event. The City will not reimburse travel, meals or expenses of the spouse of the traveler or other family members of the traveler. (12)Entertainment expenses incurred by the traveler which serve a valid public purpose will be reimbursed to the traveler. The Travel Expense Report of the traveler must include the nature of the entertainment, those present, and a brief summary of the business discussed. Receipts must be provided for all entertainment expenses. (13)All Travel Expense Reports must be completed as stated above. Expenses associated with travel by a spouse shall be included on the report if the traveler seeks City payment or reimbursement of such expenses. (14)Any travel by a traveler which is reimbursed under this Non-Local Travel Policy is subject to the availability of budgeted funds for such purpose. (15)The travel policy set forth above does not apply to local expenses as described in Section 1 of this Resolution. (16)If the traveler has been issued a City credit card, then any such card shall only be used for expenses which are reimbursable under this Non-Local Travel Policy. If the City pays the expenses charged to any such credit card, then the traveler shall not be reimbursed for such charges, but will complete a Travel Expense Report as stated above. (17)If the traveler has been issued a City credit card, the Finance Director is directed to deduct from the traveler’s next monthly stiped expenses charged to such credit card if any of the following circumstances occur: (a) If the traveler fails to submit a Travel Expense Report within the required timeframe, then all expenses related to the late Travel Expense Report shall be deducted; (b) If the traveler fails to provide required supporting documentation with respect to such expenses, then all such undocumented expenses shall be deducted; or (c) If the traveler charges expenses to the City credit card which are not entitled to reimbursement under the City Commission Non-Local Travel Policy, then all such expenses shall be deducted. If deductions are made pursuant to (a) or (b) as aforesaid, then the traveler may seek reimbursement by filing a Travel Expense Report accompanied by required supporting documentation; provided, however, that the traveler Page 59 of 656 -6- shall not be entitled to reimbursement if such report and documentation is submitted after October 10 with respect to trave and expenses in the previous fiscal year. (18)Prior to making a deduction from a traveler’s monthly stiped, the Finance Director shall provide the traveler with at least ten (10) days prior notice of the intent to make such deduction, which notice will include the amount proposed to be deducted along with a copy of the City Credit card bill. (19)If the amount to be deducted as provided in Paragraph 17 above exceeds the traveler’s monthly stipend, then the remaining amount owed shall be deducted from the next installment payment of the traveler’s annual salary. (20)The Finance Director shall, on a monthly basis, provide the City Commission with a report regarding any deductions made from a traveler’s monthly stiped and/or annual salary. Page 60 of 656