Item 4
Staff Report Item 4
To: Ava Community Energy Authority
From: John Perkins, Legal Director and Deputy General Counsel Subject: Implementing a policy governing reimbursement of Board Members for expenses related to attendance of designated conferences.
Date: March 4 Executive Committee Meeting
__________________________________________________________________ Summary/Recommendation
This Staff Report proposes the implementation of a policy to authorize limited reimbursement of conference registration fees and reasonable related expenses incurred by members of the Board of Directors when attendance is reasonably related to the mission, programs, or governance responsibilities of Ava in order to standardize Ava’s handling of reimbursement requests and ensure transparency and legal compliance.
This is informational at this time and no action is required.
Financial Impact
Ava will budget annually to account for estimated costs, which will differ year to year based on conference location and registration fees.
Analysis and Context
Staff proposes establishing an event reimbursement policy for the Board of Directors to provide a consistent response to requests by Directors for reimbursement for their attendance of industry events. This is a question that has arisen periodically from Directors, and the draft policy takes into consideration California Government Code section 53232.2, which requires a local agency to adopt a written policy governing the reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses incurred by elected or appointed officials in the performance of official duties.
Item 4
In order to reduce the burden on both Staff and the Board, the draft policy proposes pre-approval of only two events, both of which are materially relevant to Ava’s mission:
• CalCCA Annual Conference
• CAISO Stakeholder Symposium
Ava will reimburse reasonable travel expenses provided that costs are in alignment with those available from the U.S. Government Services Administration. Ava will provide an online portal for the submission of requests and supporting documentation such as receipts.
Committee Recommendation
Staff is seeking input from the Executive Committee prior to bringing the matter to the full Board.
Attachments
A. Draft Conference Expenditures Reimbursement Policy for Ava Directors Attachment Staff Report Item 4A
1 Conference Expenditures
Reimbursement Policy for Ava Directors
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to authorize limited reimbursement of conference registration fees and reasonable related expenses incurred by members of the Board of Directors (“Directors”) of Ava Community Energy Authority (“Ava”) when attendance is reasonably related to the mission, programs, or governance responsibilities of Ava, and to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with applicable California law.
Governance
This policy is adopted pursuant to California Government Code section 53232.2, which requires a local agency to adopt a written policy governing the reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses incurred by elected or appointed officials in the performance of official duties.
Scope
This policy applies to all members of the Board of Directors of Ava.
Eligible Events
Reimbursement may be provided exclusively for reimbursable expenses associated with the following events:
● CalCCA Annual Conference
● CAISO Stakeholder Symposium
Reimbursable Expenses
Ava may reimburse only (i) conference registration fees, including mandatory materials included in the registration cost and (ii) reasonable costs of travel, lodging, and meals subject to the requirements of this policy. A cost shall be deemed reasonable if it aligns with the costs available from the United States General Services Administration (https://www.gsa.gov/travel as of the date this policy was adopted).
Attachment Staff Report Item 4A
2 Non-Reimbursable Expenses
Expenses that Ava will not reimburse include, but are not limited to:
● Personal expenses of any kind
● Expenses incurred by spouses, partners, family members, or guests Reimbursement Procedure
To receive reimbursement, the Director shall submit:
● A completed reimbursement request form; and
● Itemized proof of payment, such as receipts or other suitably corroborating documentation.
Reimbursement requests must be submitted no later than 60 days following the conclusion of the event via Ramp.com or such successor process as Staff may designate from time to time upon prior notice to the Board of Directors.
Budget and Fiscal Controls
All reimbursements under this policy are subject to:
● Availability of appropriated funds; and
● Compliance with Ava’s accounting and internal control procedures.
Nothing in this policy creates an entitlement to reimbursement.
Public Transparency
Reimbursements made pursuant to this policy shall be documented and disclosed in accordance with applicable open meeting, public records, and financial reporting laws.