City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Lisa Roos, City Clerk & Finance Director
Date: 05/09/2023
Subject: Credit Card Policy - Update
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This resolution amends the City of Ripon’s Credit Card Policy to add a credit card for the Police Department, in the name of the Police Chief, to use for training purposes only.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council first approved for the City Administrator to have a credit card in 1983 with a limit of $1,000. In 1996, a Credit Card Policy was adopted and Council Members and the City Clerk were authorized credit cards in addition to the City Administrator. Since then, the Public Works Director has been authorized to carry a credit card.
The Credit Card Policy was last updated in 2004 and the following people are authorized to have City Credit cards with the following credit limits:
Position Credit Limit
Council Members $1,000
City Administrator $5,000
City Clerk $10,000
Public Works Director $5,000
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The Police Department schedules trainings and hotel rooms for all of its employees. In the past, check requests would be made and checks were mailed to the organization providing the training and Police Department personnel brought the check payable to the hotel with them when they checked in.
More recently, we are able to pay these training and hotel expenses by credit card, which is very convenient. The Police Department uses the City Clerk’s credit card to pay for these trainings.
However, these costs can add up quickly with the other credit card charges that take place on the City Clerk’s credit card. There are many months when multiple payments have to be made against the balance in order to keep enough available to cover charges and ensure that funds are available when Police Department personnel are checking into hotels. In addition, due to the Police Department being staffed 24 hours a day, there are times when the City Clerk is not available for her card to be used.
Staff is recommending that the Police Chief be added to the Credit Card Policy with a credit limit of $5,000 to be used for the Police Department trainings and expenses that go along with the trainings including hotels or other travel arrangements.
Attached is a final version and a redline version of the Policy, which shows the changes from the current adopted Policy to the proposed amended Policy.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Attachments:
1. Credit Card Policy 2023.05
2. Credit Card Policy 2023.05 - REDLINE
RESOLUTION NO. 23-20
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RIPON AMENDING THE CREDIT CARD POLICY AND
RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 04-71
WHEREAS, the City of Ripon is desirous of amending the Credit Card Policy to add a credit card for the Police Department, in the name of the Police Chief, to use for training purposes only; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Credit Card Policy is to establish a set of guidelines by which the City credit cards can be used; and
WHEREAS, the Credit Card Policy establishes that the City credit cards shall be used for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred during the performance of City business and in emergency situations; and
WHEREAS, the Credit Card Policy authorizes and empowers the City Administrator, City Clerk, Public Works Director, Police Chief, and City Council members to charge goods and services with the City credit card. Said charges are permitted for City-related expenses only. No personal uses shall be permitted.
WHEREAS, the Credit Card Policy establishes the following credit limits for those individuals authorized to carry and use the card:
Position Credit Limit
Council Members $ 1,000
City Administrator $ 5,000
City Clerk $10,000
Public Works Director $ 5,000
Police Chief $ 5,000; for training expenses only
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is now in the best interest of the City to rescind the prior Credit Card Policy and Resolution 04-71, which passed that Policy.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Ripon does hereby rescind Resolution 04-71.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Ripon does hereby adopt the Credit Card Policy attached hereto in Exhibit “A”, as well as any other documents necessary to carry out the provisions of the Credit Card Policy and the intent of the City Council.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Ripon this 9th day of May, 2023, by the following vote:
RESULT: ADOPTED BY CONSENT VOTE [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Leo Zuber, Vice Mayor
SECONDER:Gary Barton, Council Member
AYES: Michael Restuccia, Leo Zuber, Gary Barton
ABSENT: Daniel de Graaf, Dean Uecker
THE CITY OF RIPON,
A Municipal Corporation
By ________________________________
MICHAEL RESTUCCIA, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: ___________________________
LISA ROOS, City Clerk