(A) Any elected or appointed municipal officer, deputy, assistant, or employee of the city, or member of a legally constituted board or commission, may attend any conference, convention, school, seminar, workshop, or other training or educational function relating to his/her duty assignment, or other function of municipal concern, if authorized or directed by competent authority as defined in division (H) of this section; and if funds have been lawfully appropriated for that purpose. The person shall be reimbursed for his/her reasonable and necessary expenses so incurred, including registration fees and tuition, except in those cases excluded under provisions of division (C) of this section, providing proof of expenditure for such expenses is submitted along with claim for reimbursement. Where travel is directed, and if the person shall travel by privately owned vehicle, he/she shall be reimbursed at the current mileage reimbursement rate authorized in writing by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States government effective on the date of travel. The person shall also be entitled to reimbursement for other travel expenses including meals as outlined in division (B) of this section, lodging, gratuities, common carrier fares, vehicle parking, tolls, and all other reasonable and necessary expenses incident to the travel when accompanied by a receipt. The customer's copy of a credit card charge record is not a receipt within the meaning of this section; expenses incurred and charged on credit cards must be supported by itemized receipts. No reimbursement shall be made for alcoholic beverages, personal long-distance telephone calls, expenses of entertainment, or expenses incurred on behalf of any other individual for any reason.
(B) Except in the case of the Mayor, reimbursement is authorized for meals provided that the employee is on authorized travel outside the limits of the city. Reimbursement is authorized for meals and expenses provided by the Mayor whether inside or outside the limits of the city so long as the expenses are incurred for city business and/or city public relations purposes. * All meal expenses must be reasonable and supported by itemized receipts.
* Items to be given away cannot be personalized to promote any individual.
(C) Reimbursement of expenses will not be allowed in cases involving attendance at non-job-related seminars, workshops, schools, conventions, or conferences, and any such attendance will be in a non-duty status. Reimbursement of expenses will be allowed for courses or programs voluntarily taken for educational credit as part of non-degree or degree related programs only when such courses or programs are job related. All such reimbursement is subject to the following additional conditions:
(1) To be eligible for any such reimbursement the person must have been employed by the city for a minimum of two years.
(2) Such reimbursement shall not be allowed for more than six semester hours or nine quarter hours in any one calendar year.
(3) Any reimbursement is to be applied to instructional fees (tuition) only and not to include other general fees, travel, or books.
(4) Reimbursement (tuition) will be applied only to accredited educational institutions and not to non-accredited educational institutions and correspondence courses.
(5) Instructional fees (tuition) will not be reimbursed at a rate in excess of corresponding charges at Bowling Green State University.
(6) Any courses or programs so reimbursed must be taken on the employee's own time and not during the hours of his/her normal employment.
(7) Employees will be reimbursed only for those courses where a grade of “C” or better is earned.
(D) Lodging for one person authorized to travel under this section shall be allowed at a rate which is established as the single room rate which is current at the place of meeting.
(E) If a privately-owned vehicle is used on any approved trip outside the limits of this state, reimbursement shall not exceed coach air fare to the point of travel and return. When reimbursement for mileage in lieu of air fare is claimed, no allowance will be paid for lodging or meals or other expenses en route that would not have been incurred if commercial air transportation had been used. If destination is not served by air, airfare to the nearest terminal will be authorized and round trip by automobile to and from the nearest terminal to the destination will be allowed. Mileage reimbursement will be in accordance with the current mileage reimbursement rate authorized in writing by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States government effective on the date of travel.
(F) Mileage allowance for the use of privately-owned vehicles will be authorized only within this state, or, if outside this state, when it is the lowest available travel fare, or for the convenience of the city as determined by the Municipal Administrator or his/her designated representative.
(G) If commercial ground transportation (bus or train) is used, reimbursement will be made for the lowest available fare.
(H) The Mayor and Municipal Administrator may authorize, deny, or direct attendance and travel for city employees generally, and for members of boards and commissions. This authority may be delegated to department heads listed in the administrative code for employees under each department head's respective jurisdiction. The President of Council and chairperson of the Finance Committee may authorize the attendance and travel by members of Council and by the Clerk of Council. The Mayor may authorize his/her own attendance and travel.
(1980 Code, § 33.29) (Ord. 3715, passed 4-3-1978; Am. Ord. 4339, passed 8-15-1983; Am. Ord. 4779, passed 7-7-1987; Am. Ord. 5297, passed 6-3-1991; Am. Ord. 7547, passed 4-17-2006; Am. Ord. 9182, passed 5-6-2024; Am. Ord. 9211, passed 8-5-2024)