Agenda - Council - 08/08/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CONSIDER RESOLUTION AMENDING THE PERSONNEL POLICY By: Givonna Reed Kone, Human Resources Manager Background: In April 2006, the City Council adopted a revised personnel policy. At the time of adoption, staff indicated that there would be periodic updates to the personnel policy. At this time, the City Administrator is requesting that the City Council consider an amendment to Section 10.1, Travel Policy, of the personnel policy. Section 10.1 of the personnel policy states the following regarding meal reimbursement: The maximum reimbursement rates for meals and tip are as follows: Breakfast $ 7 Lunch $11 Dinner $18 The City Administrator occasionally takes developers, staff members, consultants, city council members and others to lunch to discuss City business. Prior to the adoption of the personnel policy language indicated above, there were no limits on how much the City Administrator could be reimbursed by the City for business lunches. Continued reimbursement of the City's Administrator's business meals would be outside the City's current meal reimbursement policy; therefore, the City Administrator is requesting discretion in seeking reimbursement for business meals. The League of Minnesota Cities' memorandum on public purpose expenditures states that there must be a public purpose for expenditures and there must be a specific or implied authority for the expenditure in statute or in the city's charter. The public purpose in allowing reimbursement for business meals would be projects that result in development that increases Ramsey's tax base and bring jobs to the City, for example. Staff is not aware of specific or implied statutory or Charter authority for reimbursement of business meals, however, as is the case with other City employees, a resolution adopted by the City Council providing for reimbursement for business meals may be sufficient. In addition, Section 12, Professional Development, of the City Administrator's employment agreement provides for this type of expense: The CITY agrees to budget and to pay for travel and subsistence expenses of EMPLOYEE for professional and official travel, meetings, and occasions, adequate to continue the professional development of EMPLOYEE and to adequately pursue necessary official functions of the CITY. Ica -407—