Item 9-A
Council Meeting: May 19, 1998 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Proposed Council Rules Concerning Travel and Resources Available to Councilmembers
Introduction
This report presents for City Council consideration a resolution containing proposed Council rules concerning travel and resources available to councilmembers.
Background
As directed by the City Council on May 5, 1998, staff revised the resolution outlining rules regarding Council travel, staff assistance and resources. The revised resolution addresses the concerns about notifying fellow councilmembers when travel funds are shared, the eligibility of expenses for events that include a meal and are in lieu of reimbursement for a meal, the kind and quality of electronic equipment used by Councilmembers, clarifying the limit on the number of pieces of mail per distribution and receiving at least weekly mail deliveries. Each of these matters are addressed in the attached resolution (noted in bold and italics in Attachment A). Councilmembers also raised questions about the appropriateness of receiving City reimbursement for conferences and meetings within Santa Monica. One minor change to the resolution has been made to address the Councilmembers' concerns (Section IA). The City Attorney will be prepared to clarify provisions of the City Charter that apply to expense reimbursement for events that take place within the City.
Budget and Financial Impacts
There are no budget or financial impacts associated with the recommendation contained in this staff report.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council consider and adopt the attached resolution
Attachments (Available at the City Clerk's Office in Santa Monica City Hall or at any of the Santa Monica Public Libraries):
Attachment A: Strikeout Version of Resolution regarding Guidelines and Standards on Travel and Resources available to Councilmembers
Attachment B: Resolution for Adoption regarding Guidelines and Standards on Travel and Resources available to Councilmembers
RESOLUTION NUMBER (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
AMENDING AND EXPANDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 5532 (CCS) REGARDING
TRAVEL BY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL GUIDELINES AND
STANDARDS RELATING REGARDING TO COUNCIL TRAVEL, STAFF ASSISTANCE
FOR AND OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO COUNCILMEMBERS
WHEREAS, Section 602 of the City Charter of the City of Santa Monica provides that members of the City Council shall receive reimbursement for necessary travel and other expenses when on official duty out of the City on order of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to establish a policy in furtherance of this Section 602,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE THAT RESOLUTION NUMBER 5532 (CCS) IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Council Travel and Expense. It is the policy of the City to pay
actual and necessary expenses incurred by Councilmembers when they travel outside the
City while conducting official City business. In furtherance of this policy, the following
guidelines are established.
A. Councilmembers' attendance at conferences and meetings.
Councilmembers are hereby authorized to attend conferences,
conventions, meetings, educational seminars and other events
sponsored by those organizations in which the City holds
membership or sponsored by the City. Examples of such
organizations are National League of Cities, National Conference of
Mayors, California League of Cities, League of California Cities,
Local Government Commission, Independent Cities Association and
the Southern California Association of Governments.
All Any other travel by Councilmembers and all travel by outgoing
(post-election) Councilmembers shall must be approved at a duly
noticed Council meeting, by a simple majority of the members in
attendance.
B. Travel Budget. Each Councilmember shall receive an equal amount
of travel funds at the beginning of each fiscal year. In the event a
Councilmember is a member of the board of one of the above-mentioned organizations and is required to attend additional out-of-City meetings, the Council may consider an additional one-time
allocation of travel funds for this purpose during the annual budget
deliberations. For outgoing Councilmembers and those standing for
re-election, five-twelfths of the annual travel budget will be allocated
at the beginning of the fiscal year; for incoming Councilmembers
and those re-elected, seven-twelfths of the annual travel budget will
be allocated when the Councilmember is installed. Any travel funds
unspent by an outgoing Councilmember or those Councilmembers
not re-elected Councilmembers will not be re-allocated. Travel
expenditures by each Councilmember shall be are limited by to the
amount of funds in their his or her "trips and meetings" account.
One Councilmember may transfer funds from his or her own
account to that of authorize use of a portion of his or her allocation
by another Councilmember if authorization is made in writing to the
City Manager and copies are provided to the Council Council
Office staff with a copy to the City Manager.
Each Councilmember will be provided with periodic updates of his/her travel expenses compared to budget as expenses are incurred.
C. Expenses Reimbursed. Reimbursable expenses for authorized travel may include but are not limited to: registration fees; transportation (including rental vehicles at the meeting site if such is less expensive and more practical than other available transit); meals; events associated with the meeting or conference which includes a meal and is in lieu of reimbursement for that meal during a day of official travel; child care allowance of not more than $20 per day; and lodging. Administrative procedures regarding official travel contained in Administrative Instruction IV-2-1 are applicable to the Council.
Council Members are authorized to draw funds in advance of travel
to pay for all reasonable and necessary expenses including lodging
and meals. All funds drawn in advance of travel must be fully
justified upon return through presentation of receipts, paid bills, etc.
Expenses of less than $10.00 each need not be receipted if they are
itemized. Advanced funds not expended shall be returned to the
City Finance Officer.
Councilmembers who do not draw advance funds shall be
reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses upon
presentation of receipts, paid bills, etc. Expense items of less than
$10.00 need not have a supporting receipt if they are itemized.
D. Reconciliation of expenses. Councilmembers shall reconcile the expenses and cash advances for each trip or event within 30 days of the reimbursable activity.
E. Prohibited Expenses. Expenditures by Councilmembers for the following items are not eligible for reimbursement:
1. Travel expenses for a Councilmember's family or traveling companion, except those expenses for child care as provide in the applicable Administrative Instruction.
2. Meal or other expenses incurred prior to or after the end of the official travel (with the exception that meals while traveling directly to and from are permitted);
3. Parties and entertainment which are not officially sponsored by the City except as noted in Section IC of this resolution.
4. The cost of alcoholic beverages.
5. Portions of official travel hosted or paid for by other entities.
6. Mileage traveled using a personal vehicle while not on official travel status.
SECTION II. Hosting Events for Visiting Dignitaries. The City may host social events intended to welcome dignitaries visiting the City in their official capacity as an elected or appointed official of a governmental entity, foreign or domestic. Within the constraints of the Council Office budget (public entertainment line item), the following procedures and/or policies apply:
A. A Councilmember shall place an item on the City Council agenda to request advance approval for hosting and paying for the event. The request should include identification of the guests to be invited, a "not to exceed" cost of the event, the official purpose of the visit and any written itinerary from the visiting dignitaries.
B. All Councilmembers shall be invited to attend any approved event for visiting dignitaries.
C. All guests invited to attend an approved event shall have an official purpose for attending the event or shall be the spouse or companion of a City official or visiting dignitary.
SECTION III. Resources Available for Conducting City Business. Certain resources are required by Councilmembers to conduct City business. Within the constraints of the budget and upon request from the Councilmember, the following resources will be made available:
A. A key to City Hall and the Council Office to be returned when a Councilmember leaves office.
B. A reasonable amount of Office supplies (including stationery), photographic portraits of the Councilmember and business cards for official City use.
C. Reimbursement for the cost of telephone calls made which are related to City Council business.
D. Electronic equipment including, but not limited to, a portable cellular
telephone, a pager and a personal computer system including a
printer and a facsimile machine. A group of not more than 3
Councilmembers should periodically review and affirm the
electronic equipment to be provided to each Councilmember.
Electronic equipment will be consistent with the kind and quality
provided to City staff and shall be returned to the City when a
Councilmember leaves office.
E. Installation of one telephone line to be used with the electronic equipment as well as reimbursement of reasonable incidental expenses incurred to support the electronic equipment.
F. Information Retrieval/Research by City Staff. A Councilmember may directly request routine, easily retrievable information from a staff member regarding an issue pending before the Council, an issue which the Councilmember intends to bring to the Council or an issue previously established as Council policy. Such direct requests should be made with the knowledge of the City Manager, City Clerk or City Attorney as appropriate and within departmental or administrative policies.
G. Responses to Citizen's Complaints by City Staff. Complaints about with the administrative affairs of the City should be directed by the Councilmember to the City Manager or to the appropriate Department Head with a copy or appropriate notification to the City Manager. Councilmembers may request that staff respond directly to the constituent or back to the inquiring Councilmember so that he or she may personally contact the complainant.
H. Assistance of Staff in Speech and Correspondence Preparation. Councilmembers are entitled to a reasonable amount of staff assistance for speech and correspondence preparation related to City business. The City Manager will evaluate the request and assign appropriate staff resources. When available, an outline of issues to be covered as well as available supporting material is to be provided by the requesting Councilmember. Requests should be limited to a speech or correspondence that reflects adopted Council policy or relates to matters that have been or will be considered by the Council. Councilmember correspondence shall be limited to 200 pieces of mail per distribution unless the correspondence is responding to numerous constituent requests or inquiries.
I. Intergovernmental Assignments. Reasonable staff assistance will be provided to Councilmembers serving on or seeking appointment to a nonpartisan intergovernmental body when the Council has approved appointment of a member to that body or, in the case when the Council is not the approving body, if the Council has consented to that member sitting on that body. For purposes of this policy, intergovernmental bodies are broadly defined to include committees of intergovernmental agencies or organizations. Use of staff shall be consistent with the following guidelines:
1. If the intergovernmental body has its own professional staff, such staff should be used to the greatest practical extent, rather than City staff.
2. City staff may attend the intergovernmental meeting if the Councilmember requests such attendance with the approval of departmental and City management.
3. The primary responsibility of staff is to review issues before the intergovernmental body as they may affect the City and advise and assist the Councilmember in presenting issues before the full Council or representing Council's position before the body.
J. Routine Support Services. The Council Office staff provides routine support services to Councilmembers including the following:
1. Preparation of correspondence relating to official City business within the resource restraints of the adopted budget and the limitations noted above. Each of the Councilmember will be given equal consideration. City resources will not be made available for correspondence to or for political organizations, in support of a Councilmember's pursuit of an elective or partisan office, in support of or opposition to a ballot measure, or in support of someone else's pursuit of an elective or partisan office.
2. Assistance in scheduling meetings concerning City business and making logistical and travel arrangements for official meetings. This includes but is not limited to arranging for meeting room. The fee for the room shall be consistent with the fees charged to City staff and may be charged to the City Council Office budget.
3. Assistance in securing single copies of official records.
4. Unless otherwise requested by a Councilmember, Council mail will be opened daily and if of a non-urgent nature, distributed with the agenda on Thursday and before Council meetings on Tuesday evening. If there is no council meeting scheduled during a two week period then mail will be delivered to the Councilmember's home at least once a week. Councilmembers may pick up mail at City Hall at any time.
5. Response, at a Councilmember's request, to telephone inquiries.
SECTION IV. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
MARSHA JONES MOUTRIE
City Attorney