Joint Special Council/BFPD
08/1/22 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Other
Doc ID: 5101
AGENDA ITEM
AGENDA MATTER:
CONSIDERATION OF NEXT STEPS RELATED TO ACCOUNTS PAYABLE EXPENDITURES FOR CHECK #1005 RELATING TO TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS SOUGHT BY MAYOR
COURTNEY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
City Council Members Silva and Rose placed this item on the City Council agenda to discuss the next steps regarding Mayor Courtney’s response to the City Attorney’s demand letter related to repayment of funds related to checks #1005 for travel expense reimbursements sought by Mayor Courtney. As of July 27, 2022, the Mayor has not repaid the City the $1,064.58. Staff asks the Council to receive and consider public comment and any information from the Mayor and provide direction.
DISCUSSION:
At the December 6, 2021 Council Meeting, Council Members Rose and Silva requested that accounts payable expenditures for checks #1005, #1006, and #85773 be reconsidered for approval and ratification.
At its February 22, 2022 meeting, the City Council reconsidered the accounts payable item for Mayor Courtney’s mileage reimbursement and recommended to only approve any expenses incurred within 30 days in accordance with Expense Reimbursement Policy No. 2018-16 and directed the City Attorney to send Mayor Courtney a demand letter for repayment of any ineligible expenses. The letter demanded repayment of $1,064.58 in disallowed travel expense reimbursements, disallowed as the reimbursement requests were not submitted to the City Council in advance and as the reimbursement requests were not submitted within the required 30-day period after each instance of travel.
Previously the Rules and Policy Committee recommended that the City Council adopt a proposed resolution and two revised expense reimbursement policies.
On May 2, 2022, the City Council unanimously adopted the resolution and revised expense reimbursement policies. The two expense reimbursement policies are updates of the City’s previous expense reimbursement policies. The key change was that the proposed policies create two separate policies for expense reimbursements for the City’s elected and appointed officials and for City employees.
The Mayor and City Council are subject to the expense reimbursement policy adopted by the City Council at its May 2, 2022 meeting, and were subject to the prior expense reimbursement policy embodied in City Council Policy Memorandum No. 2018-16, approved by the City Council on December 3, 2018.
At the June 20, 2022 meeting, Council Member Rose motioned, and Council Member Silva seconded, to have the City Attorney bring back an item for the City Council to discuss next steps since the Mayor has not, as of then and as of the date of this report on July 27, 2022, repaid the mileage reimbursement as required by the Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Expenses conform to City purchasing policies and the budget approved by resolution of the Council.
Accordingly, sufficient funds were budgeted for these checks. The fiscal impacts of collection efforts will depend on the City Council’s direction.
Joint Special Council/BFPD
08/1/22 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Other
Doc ID: 5101
AGENDA ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
The City Council receive and consider public comment and any information from the Mayor and provide direction regarding further steps related to Mayor Courtney’s repayment of funds related to checks #1005.
Exhibit A - 2018 City of Barstow Expense Reimbursement Policy Exhibit B - 2022 City of Barstow Expense Reimbursement Policy for Elected Officials Exhibit C - February - Feb22, 2022 Staff Report (Reconsideration of Accounts Payable Expenditures for Checks #1005 and #85773) and Attachments
Exhibit D - March 7, 2022 Letter from City Attorney to Mayor Courtney