Matthew T. Summers | (213) 542-5719 | [email protected] 790 E. COLORADO BOULEVARD, SUITE 850, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91101-2109 | (213) 542-5700 GRASS VALLEY | PASADENA | SACRAMENTO | SOLANA BEACH | SONOMA 276761.1
March 7, 2022
VIA E-MAIL AND U.S. MAIL
Paul A. Courtney, Mayor
City of Barstow
220 East Mountain View Street
Barstow CA 92311
Re: Repayment Demand for Certain Mileage Costs Disapproved by the Barstow City Council
Dear Mayor Courtney,
This office represents the City of Barstow as its City Attorney. I write to demand that you repay the City of Barstow $1,064.58 in mileage costs disapproved by the Barstow City Council on February 22, 2022.
The City of Barstow’s Expense Reimbursement Policy, adopted by the City Council on December 3, 2018 as City Council Policy Memorandum No. 2018-16, requires separate City Council review and approval in advance, via the consent calendar, for any request for travel expenses for City Council Members and other elected and appointed officials. (Section 3-G.) The Expense Reimbursement Policy also requires submission of an expense reimbursement request and supporting receipts and other necessary documentation within 30 days of each expense being incurred. (Section 3-J.) Enforcing these policies, the City Council acted at its February 22, 2022 meeting, in a reconsideration of a prior vote on November 15, 2021 as requested at the December 6, 2021 Council Meeting, to disapprove your requests for mileage reimbursements for several trips taken in March 2021 through September 2021, totaling $1,064.58, paid to you by Check No. 1005. The City Council disapproved these seven invoices because you failed to submit any of these travel expense requests to the City Council for approval in advance.
The City Council further disapproved six of the seven invoices, for March 2021 through March 7, 2022
276761.1
August 2021, because you failed to submit these invoices within the required 30-day period.
The invoices at issue are as follows:
Invoice Number Description Amount
093021 September 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$86.57
101321 August 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$226.13
073121 July 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$195.44
063021 June 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$201.16
053021 May 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$4.03
043021 April 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$212.59
033021 March 2021 Mileage
Reimbursement
$138.66
Total: $1,064.58
The City of Barstow hereby demands that you repay these disapproved and disallowed mileage costs by check or money order in the amount of $1,064.58 payable to the City of Barstow, 220 East Mountain View Street, Barstow CA 92311 on or before March 31, 2022.
Very truly yours,
Matthew Summers
Barstow City Attorney
cc: City Council, City of Barstow
Willie Hopkins, City Manager