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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-092-10/01/2002-ADOPTING A TRAVEL, CONFERENCE, AND TRAINING POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2002-092 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING A TRAVEL, CONFERENCE, AND TRAINING POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the City of Fort Collins participate in several organizations that provide educational seminars and conferences about the efficient operation of municipal corporations; and WHEREAS,the Mayor and Council may need to travel to various locations in able to attend meetings of such organizations; and WHEREAS, during the course of travel, the Mayor and Council incur expenses, including but not limited to lodging, transportation, meals, and educational materials; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins has recently adopted travel, conference, and training expenses policies("Travel Policies")for City employees which are attached hereto and incorporated by this reference; and WHEREAS,the Council wishes to adopt the same travel,conference, and training expense policies to guide its own expenditures on such items. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the Council hereby adopts the Travel Policies contained in Exhibit "A," attached hereto, for application to the travel expenses of the Mayor and Council. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held..this 1 st day of October, A.D. 2002. ` 74/ , Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk EXHIBIT "A" TRAVEL, CONFERENCE,AND TRAINING POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL OVERVIEW City Council members (this includes the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and City Council members) travel both within and outside of the State of Colorado for the purpose of representing the City at meetings and professional associations, as well as for training to enhance their knowledge and skills related to their position in city government. The citizens of Fort Collins receive both tangible and intangible benefits having representatives not only at formal meetings but also by providing the opportunity for those in municipal service to participate in forums through which informal networking and information exchanges may occur. The quality of life for the citizens is improved through an informed and educated elected body and the expense of such training, including the associated travel, is an appropriate expense for the City to bear. Each year,members of City Council identify the conferences and training events they plan on attending. Generally, each City Council member attends two or three major conferences (such as the Colorado Municipal League,National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors) and one or two other conference or training events in any one year. Travel to and attendance at conferences is based on the availability of budgeted funds. City Council members often have a variety of reasons for why they must travel or attend an event. A good benchmark about the appropriateness of traveling to an event at the expense of the city is whether attendance will benefit the city, is congruent with the responsibilities of being a City Council member; and is apolitical. For most occasions, City Council members travel for the following reasons: • To obtain or comply with federal or state grant programs or contracts. • To review projects and programs in other cities. • To attend meetings as an officer of a regional, state, or national professional organization. • To present papers on activities in Fort Collins to other organizations. • To participate in training and educational programs related to municipal policies and operations. • To provide information to and discuss pending policy issues with State and Federal Officials. 1 GENERAL STANDARDS The basic standard that should always prevail is to exercise good judgment in the use and stewardship of the City's resources. City Council members are responsible for exercising good judgment in requesting, arranging and making a trip. Personal business should not be mixed with City business if it will be a monetary cost to the City or if it harms the City's interest in any way. The City expects to reimburse City Council members for all reasonable costs they might incur on behalf of the City. Consistent record keeping also demonstrates accountability to the taxpayers and public. The City has a responsibility to accurately account for and report travel, conference and training expenses. Inaccurate travel reporting and reimbursement can also lead to tax liability situations and fines from the Internal Revenue Service. Determination of the tax status of advance and reimbursement payments and subsequent tax reporting are the responsibility of the Finance Department payroll function. Records are sent to the IRS on both a quarterly and annual basis. If travel advances and reimbursements are not adequately documented,the official's W2 statement may contain a figure of taxable income that increases the tax liability for the officials. The policies and guidelines for City Council are generally the same as those applicable to City employees. Definition of Travel For the purposes of this policy, the word"travel"is used to denote activities of City Council members in connection with attendance at conferences, meetings, seminars, and training related to City business including necessary transportation to and from the activity locations. Travel Guidelines: Contact the City Manager's Office for Travel Arrangements Prior notification of out-of-town travel shall be given to the contact person in the City Manager's Office whenever possible. A Travel Request Form should be filled well in advance of the trip. Furthermore, all registration and travel arrangements should be made well in advance so that the City can take advantage of reduced fares and early registration fees. Staff shall assist City Council members in making transportation and lodging arrangements and arrange to have expenses billed directly to the City; contractors shall be chosen by staff, and not by City Council members. LOCAL EXPENSES What are local expenses: Local expenses include those incurred while representing the City Council on a committee, attending meetings, attending local seminars or conferences, attending local 2 special events, or meeting with groups or individuals to discuss City matters. Expenses that are paid by the City include meals, conference registration, transportation and necessary incidental expenses. Receipts If receipts are not available, a written description of expenses signed by the City Council member must be submitted along with the Travel Request Form. Forms shall be available from the City Manager's Office. Petty Cash Expenses under$50 can be reimbursed out of the petty cash fund in the City Manager's Office. Receipts request The City Manager's office coordinates the details, including forms and documents, for preparing and completing City Council members' travel, conference and training activities. It is the responsibility of the traveler to collect and turn in all necessary receipts and documents of travel and conference related expenses. Out of Town Expenses Out-of-town expenses include those incurred while attending City-related conventions, conferences,training seminars, or meetings. Expenses that are paid by the City include fees for seminars or conferences; transportation to, from, and at the destination; and lodging,meals, and incidental expenses that are necessary to conduct City business. Overseas Travel If any member of City Council wishes to attend a conference or make a City Council business-related trip to a destination oversees, this request shall be made in writing well in advance and shall be placed on the consent calendar for approval by the City Council. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES For each trip, the City Council members must abide by specific city requirements and guidelines. These policies are in place to provide staff with greater flexibility and notice to best prepare the details of the trip, and ensure proper reporting and accounting of City funds. The Requirements and Guidelines can be broken down into 8 separate topics: 1. Planning 2. Advances 3. Use of City-Designated Travel Providers 3 4. Airline Reservation and Travel 5. Lodging 6. Vehicle Rentals 7. Meal Reimbursements for Out-of-Town Traveled 8. Prohibited Travel Expenses 9. Reporting Expenses 1. Planning Effective planning by the City Council member provides a key benefit to both the Council members and the city. The key to effective planning is to have as much information as possible regarding anticipated travel expense needs (number of days, meals, registration fees). The further in advance travel is planned, the more likely staff can take advantage of reduced registration and travel costs. At the initial stage of trip planning, the City Council member must submit a Travel Request Form. The Travel Request Form is intended to be the form of documentation for all travel and is available from the City Manager's Office. 2. Advances A City Council member may request for a cash advance for travel purposes. It is recommended that a request for a cash advance be made prior to the date of departure. The Travel Request Form must be used to request the cash advance. The City provides the advance the week before the travel is to occur. 3. Use of City-Designated Travel Providers The City has selected certain travel agencies to assist the City in making travel plans. City Council members must use these designated travel agencies, unless reduced travel fares or lodging rates can be identified through other means. The City is trying to achieve a trip that is as inexpensive as possible, yet does not compromise the ability of the City Council member to obtain the full benefit of attending the event. 4. Airline Reservation and Travel For any travel by plane, City Council members are encouraged to pursue all travel measures that might reduce costs. These measures include: a) Booking tickets 21-30 days in advance or earlier if possible to take advantage of lower pricing options. b) The airline fare should be coach, leisure, discount,promotional or other low cost airfare unless the City Council members reimburse the City for the difference between the lower fare and the more expensive fare. The City will not reimburse first-class travel. 4 c) The City Council member should consider adjusting travel dates and times in order to take the flight with the lowest cost airfare. For example, staying over a Saturday evening often saves a substantial portion of the airfare, even when additional lodging and per-diem is incurred. d) All airline travel must require ticketing documentation, either a hard copy ticket stub or written confirmation of an electronic ticket. e) The City recommends the use of airport shuttle services as the most cost- effective mode of travel to Denver International Airport (DIA). Though not the preferred mode,private vehicle travel to and from DIA may be reimbursed at the IRS mileage rate. The maximum daily reimbursement for parking at Denver International Airport is established by the Finance Department. 5. Lodging Standards City Council members must use low or moderate cost lodging for the area to which they are traveling unless they reimburse the City for the difference between the lower rates and the more expensive rates. If a conference or event-provides multiple lodging choices, the City Council Member must select low to moderate cost choices whenever possible unless they reimburse the City for the difference between the lower rates and the more expensive rates. If government rates are available and provide-a savings, they must be used. 6. Vehicle Rentals Usually, car rentals are considered a luxury. To use a rental vehicle,the City Council member must demonstrate why other low-to-moderate cost methods of transportation (shuttle, taxi,bus, subway) are not feasible or cost effective. All costs related to rental vehicles (gas,parking, and repair)must be documented if they are to be reimbursed. The standard for vehicle size is lower to mid-size. Any additional insurance coverage on rental cars will be the expense of the City Council member. Standard Vehicle Guidelines would be: a. Premium rentals or limousine service are not appropriate except when several City Council members are traveling in a group. In this case, a limousine or large vehicle may be most cost efficient. b. City Council members may use department or Fleet Services vehicle when available. C. If a City Council member's private vehicle is used, mileage will be reimbursed using the mileage rate set by the IRS. The most direct route 5 will determine the total mileage. The maximum amount that will be reimbursed is equal to the cost of the lowest airfare available 21 days prior to travel. 7. Meal Reimbursement for Out-of-Town Travel When Council members travel out-of-town, their meal expenses will be typically reimbursed. 8. Travel Expenses Not Allowed In addition to the items listed under Sections 4 and 6 of this policy(airline reservations and travel and vehicle rentals), there are expenses that the city will not reimburse. These expenses are: a. Meals or other expenses for sales people, spouses, family members or other persons not affiliated with the City. b. Liquor,movies, or entertainment (including in-room movies). C. Concerts, theater, sporting events and similar activities; d. Laundry, dry-cleaning or shoe repair; e. Personal phone calls, including connection and long distance fees; f. Computer connections (unless required for City business); or g. Other personal expenses not directly related to City business. 9. Reporting Expenses Absent extenuating circumstances outside of the individual's control, the City Council member must complete and submit the Travel Request Form to the City Manager's Office within 10 working days of his or her return. The form must include all expenses, including all credit card changes made. 6