(A) Definitions. As used in this chapter, the terms below shall have the following meanings:
“ADMINISTRATOR.” The Kentucky League of Cities City Officials Training Center.
“EXCESS HOURS.” Credit hours earned beyond 15 during a single calendar year.
“QUALIFYING COURSE.” Any training, seminar, educational or learning event that provides instruction or information that is relevant to the duties and functions of city government and city officials.
“TRAINING UNIT.” Fifteen clock hours of attendance or participation in qualifying courses during a calendar year.
(B) Adoption of a city officials training program; application. In accordance with House Bill 119 of the 2011 General Assembly, as codified in KRS Ch. 64, the City of Auburn hereby adopts and establishes a City Officials Training Program to make available incentive payments as specified by this ordinance to the elected city officials, including the mayor and all members of the city council, and non-elected officers listed in KRS 83A.080 including the city clerk and chief of police, for obtaining education and training as required under the provisions of this ordinance.
(C) Incentive payment amount; required training participation.
(1) Each city official eligible for participation in the city officials training program shall receive payment of $500 for each calendar year that he or she completes a training unit. Provided that the city official shall not be awarded more than one training unit per calendar year and shall not receive payment in any single calendar year for the accumulation of more than one training unit.
(2) The total training incentive payment shall be made to the city official presenting proof of completion of a training unit for a calendar year within 30 days of the conclusion of the calendar year.
(3) The city official may receive the maximum training incentive payment of the base training incentive amount for each year provided that the officer continues to earn a training unit each subsequent calendar year.
(4) The failure of a city official to obtain a training unit during any calendar year shall disqualify the officer from receiving any training incentive payment for the calendar year.
(5) Any city official earning excess hours during a calendar year shall not be permitted to carry forward hours to apply to the earning of the training unit in the following calendar year.
(D) Policy regarding payment or reimbursement for training courses. Subject to the constraints and the appropriations established by the city's annual budget, the city shall consider paying the cost of attendance or participation in advance of a city official's attendance or participation in the qualifying course if proper application is made to the mayor and City Clerk. Alternatively, and subject the constraints and appropriations established by the city's annual budget, the city shall consider reimbursing a city official for the cost of attendance or participation in a qualifying course upon presentation of proof to the mayor and City Clerk that the official has received credit for the course.
(E) Administration of city officials training program.
(1) The city officials training program for the City of Auburn shall be administered by the Kentucky League of Cities City Officials Training Center, which shall be responsible for approving courses as qualifying under the terms of this ordinance, shall maintain records of attendance and participation, and shall notify the city when a city official earns a training unit applicable to each city official.
(2) The administrator shall evaluate and approve courses as qualifying for credit based on the relation of the course to the operation of city government. In addition to other courses which may be approved as qualifying courses by the administrator, courses that provide instruction on the statutory duties of cities and city officials, intergovernmental relationships, municipal finance and budgeting, municipal taxation, ethics, open records, open meetings, economic development, or municipal police powers shall be approved as qualifying courses under this ordinance. The administrator shall require the submission of the course or conference agenda, curriculum, name of the provider, and other course materials to determine whether a course should be approved as a qualifying course.
(3) A city official shall submit proof of attendance or participation in a qualifying course to the administrator. A city official shall submit the course name, date, location, name of the instructor or provider, and sufficient proof of attendance or participation in the qualifying course before the administrator shall award credit. The administrator shall not award credit to a city official for attendance or participation in a qualifying course that is not, in the administrator's opinion, substantially different from another course the city official attended or participated in during the same calendar year.
(4) The administrator shall maintain records that reflect each of the courses and hours completed by the city official and shall provide it to each city official upon request. The administrator shall, within 30 days of the close of the calendar year, provide written or electronic certification to each participating city official of completed courses and hours, and shall, if applicable, certify the completion of a training unit. Upon receipt, a city official shall present a copy of the certification of the completion of the training unit to the city in order to receive his or her training incentive payment.
(F) Status of incentive payments.
(1) Training incentive payments do not constitute wages under KRS Ch. 337, creditable compensation under the County Employees Retirement System under KRS Ch. 78, or compensation for the purposes of setting maximum compensation or modification of compensation under KRS Ch. 83A, and may be repealed or modified by the city at any time.
(2) The base training incentive payment amount established in the ordinance shall not be adjusted by any index reporting changes to consumer prices or any other method to account for inflation.
(Ord. 2019-02, passed 2-11-19)