Chapter 2.44
COMPENSATION AND SALARIES

Sections:

2.44.050    Official duties—Defined.

2.44.060    Authorized reimbursements.

2.44.080    Procedure for reimbursement.

2.44.090    Use of city credit cards.

2.44.050 Official duties—Defined.

As used in this chapter, official duties includes attendance at conferences, meetings and schools incurred outside the city of Othello for purposes which generally promote, develop or publicize the city’s best interest and that of its municipal utilities. (Ord. 763 § 1, 1987).

2.44.060 Authorized reimbursements.

The city of Othello shall reimburse each official, officer or employee of the city for the following classes of expenditures incurred while in the performance of their official duties subject to having received prior written approval from the mayor or their designee or the appropriate department head as follows:

(a)    Transportation by means of a private automobile traveling outside of the city of Othello for mileage actually traveled in a sum not to exceed the per mile reimbursement rate for Washington State employees in effect on the date of travel computed on the basis of the shortest road distance between the points of travel;

(b)    Lodging;

(c)    Meals on the basis of actual cost so long as the cost is reasonable as determined by the finance officer;

(d)    Gratuities (commonly called tips) not to exceed eighteen percent of the meal cost;

(e)    Parking fees;

(f)    Required registration fees, tuition, and other educational supplies. (Ord. 1155 § 1 (part), 2003; Ord. 1004 § 1, 1997: Ord. 856 § 1, 1991: Ord. 828 § 1 (part), 1990: Ord. 763 § 2, 1987).

2.44.080 Procedure for reimbursement.

No claim for reimbursement authorized in this chapter shall be allowed unless the same shall be submitted on a personal expense reimbursement voucher and in the manner as prescribed by the division of municipal corporations in the office of the state auditor, which shall be provided by the finance officer, setting forth the date, place of travel, purpose of travel, and mileage incurred in personal vehicle during travel. The personal expense reimbursement voucher shall be accompanied by itemized receipts for the expenditures for which reimbursement is claimed, duly certified by the official, officer or employee submitting such claim. All such claims for reimbursement, properly submitted, shall be approved or rejected by the city council as other claims are processed. Meals that are reimbursed or paid for by the city but are not incurred during overnight travel will be added to the official’s, officer’s or employee’s W-2 form box 1. (Ord. 1155 § 1 (part), 2003; Ord. 763 § 4, 1987).

2.44.090 Use of city credit cards.

City credit cards may be used by the city officials, officers and employees, subject to Chapter 42.24 RCW and the following restrictions:

(a)    Any such credit cards obtained will be issued in the name of the official, officer or employee, as well as the city, and may not be used by any other person.

(b)    Before the official, officer or employee is issued a city credit card, they shall fill out the appropriate request for credit card usage form and sign for the same. The credit card usage form shall contain a statement that acknowledges that the official, officer or employee understands the limitations put on the use of the credit card and that any misuse thereof shall constitute a misuse of public funds.

(c)    The credit card may be used solely for covering expenses incident to authorized travel on official city business, pre-authorized purchase of goods, or in emergencies.

(d)    Any credit card obtained by the city is not for any personal use or the purchase of personal items by any official, officer or employee; it may not be used for personal purchases to be paid back to the city at a later date.

(e)    The official, officer or employee shall obtain an itemized receipt for each purchase made with the card, and shall submit the same, together with a fully itemized credit card expense voucher to the finance officer not less than five days after the credit card use or purchase. Any charges on the card which are not properly identified on the expense voucher, are not accompanied by an itemized receipt or which are disallowed by the finance officer or auditing authority shall be immediately reimbursed by the official or employee in the form of cash. If, for any reason, a disallowed or non-receipted charge is not repaid before the credit card billing is due and payable, the employee shall be charged interest on the amount of the disallowed or non-receipted charge at the rate charged by the credit card company. Nonpayment or delayed payments may constitute misuse of public funds and result in appropriate action.

(f)    No official, officer or employee who has been issued a credit card shall continue to use the card if any disallowed or non-receipted charge is outstanding, and shall be required to surrender the card upon demand by the finance officer, auditing authority or mayor. The city reserves unlimited authority to revoke use of any credit card issued to an official, officer or employee, and, upon notice of such revocation being delivered to the credit company, the city shall not be liable for any costs or charges incurred on said card thereafter.

(g)    Any credit card purchase for travel or the purchase of goods shall not exceed one thousand dollars without the written authorization of the city administrator. Any purchase in excess of one thousand dollars without written authorization of the city administrator shall be presumed to be for personal purposes and chargeable to the employee. (Ord. 1155 § 1 (part), 2003; Ord. 1059 § 1, 2000: Ord. 763 § 5, 1987).