7984-08
..
ORDINANCE NO. 7984-08
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CLEARWATER,
FLORIDA, AMENDING CODE OF ORDINANCES
CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE IV, DIVISION 4, RELATING TO
TRAVEL BY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; AMENDING
SECTION 2.321, DEFINITIONS; AMENDING SECTIONS
2.322, 2.325, 2.326, AND 2.328, REGARDING
PROVISIONS ON AUTHORITY TO INCUR TRAVEL
EXPENSES, SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE, ROUTE AND
METHOD OF TRAVEL, AND USE OF PRIVATELY
OWNED VEHICLES; REPEALING SECTION 2.327,
TRAVEL BY COMMON CARRIER WHEN PAID FOR BY
TRAVELER; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLEARWATER,
FLORIDA:
Section 1. That Code of Ordinances Chapter 2, Article IV, Division 4, Travel, is
hereby amended as follows:
DIVISION 4. TRAVEL
Sec. 2.321. Definitions.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this division, shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a
different meaning:
IIgoncy ~nd public 3goncy City mean~ the city and any officer, department, agency,
division, subdivision, board, bureau, commission, authority and any other separate unit
of government of the city.
/\goncy h03d ~nd h03d of tho 3goncy me~n the highest policy m~king ~uthority of 3
public ~goncy.
Authorized person means:
(a) A person other than a public officer or employee, whether elected or not, who is
authorized by ~n ~gency he~d the city manaqer or department director or their
desiqnees to incur travel expenses in the performance of his/her official duties;
(b) A person who is called upon by an agency the city to contribute time and services
as consultant or advisor;
(c)A person who is a candidate for an executive or professional position.
Authorized travel means travel on official business of the city, including but not limited to
travel to a convention or conference serving a direct public purpose for the benefit of the
public agency city, when approved by the ~gency head city manaqer or department
director or their desiqnees.
* * * * *
.
Employee and public employee means an individual other than an officer a public
official or authorized person who is filling a regular or full-time authorized position and is
responsible to an agency head the city manaaer or department director.
* * * * *
Sec. 2.322. Authority to incur travel expense.
(1) All travel must be authorized and approved in advance by the respective
department director or desianee in his/her absence. Additionally. all travel outside of the
State of Florida and travel by department directors must be approved in advance by the
city manager or designee assistant city manaaer.
(2) The uniform travel authorization form will be used by all public officers. employees
and authorized persons when requestina travel authorization.
(~~) Travel expense shall be limited to those expenses necessarily incurred in the
performance of a public purpose authorized by law to be performed by the agency city
and must be within the limitations prescribed by this section.
(~~) Travel expense of public employees for the sole purpose of taking merit system or
other job placement examinations, written or oral, shall not be allowed under any
circumstances, except that upon prior written approval of the city manager or designee,
candidates for executive or professional positions may be allowed such travel expense
pursuant to this section.
* * * * *
Sec. 2.325. Rates of subsistence allowance.
* * * * *
(d) Reimbursement. No traveler shall be reimbursed for any meal or lodging included
in a convention or conference fee or otherwise paid by the city. If a traveler cannot take
advantaae of a provided meal due to public purposes or the meal does not meet the
dietary requirements of the traveler, the traveler will be reimbursed at the lesser of actual
cost or the GSA rates for M&IE. Receipts are required for reimbursement for the
substituted meal
Sec. 2.326. Route, method of travel.
(1) All travel must be by a usually traveled route. When it is by an indirect route for the
traveler's personal convenience, any extra cost is to be borne by the traveler and
reimbursement for expense shall be based only on such charges as would have been
incurred by a usually traveled route.
(2) The agency head department director or desiqnee shall designate the most
economical method of travel for each trip, keeping in mind the following conditions:
(a) The nature of the business;
(b) The most efficient and economical means of travel, considering the time of the
traveler, cost of transportation and per diem or subsistence required;
(c) The number of persons making the trip and the amount of equipment or material to
be transported.
Sec. 2.328. Use of privately owned vehicles.
(1) The use of privately owned vehicles for official travel in lieu of publicly owned
vehicles or common carriers may be authorized by the agency head city manaQer or
department director or their desiQnees if a publicly owned vehicle is not available.
Whenever travel is by privately owned vehicle, the traveler shall be entitled to a mileage
allowance at a fixed rate not to exceed the standard mileage rate currently permitted by
the Internal Revenue Service. Except for the mileage allowance, tolls and parking fees,
reimbursement for expenditures related to the operating, maintenance and ownership of
the vehicle shall not be allowed when privately owned vehicles are used on public
business.
(2) All mileage shall be shown from point of origin to point of destination and, when
possible, shall be computed on the basis of the current state road department map.
(3) Monthly private auto allowance may be given to employees under certain
circumstances.
* * * * *
Section 2. Section 2.327, reading as follows, shall stand repealed and shall be of
no further force and effect:
Sec. 2.327. Travel by common carrier when paid for by traveler.
Transportation by common carrier when traveling on official business and paid for
personally by the traveler shall be substantiated by a receipt therefore. Federal tax shall
not be reimbursable to the traveler, except when unforeseen circumstances require that
travel arrangements must be paid for by employees, and then only after approval of the
city manager.
Section 3.
This ordinance shall take effect October 1, 2008.
PASSED ON FIRST READING
September 4. 2008
PASSED ON SECOND AND FINAL
READING AND ADOPTED
September 18, 2008
._~~A,~K~
Frank V. Hibbard
Mayor
Approved as to form:
Attest:
Leslie K. Dougall-Si e
Assistant City Attorn