(a) This policy applies to all (i) payment cards, checks or other payment instruments associated with a credit account issued by a financial institution or a retailer, and (ii) payment cards related to the receipt of grant funds. All such cards and instruments are referred to herein as "credit cards".
(b) This policy does not apply to procurement cards (P-cards), or to gas cards or other payment cards that are capable of use only for the purchase of certain limited types of goods.
(c) The City of Columbiana will not obtain or maintain any debit cards.
(d) The Director of Finance will work with the appropriate financial institutions that issue credit cards to determine the best type of credit card accounts for the city, and also to determine which store credit card accounts the city will utilize.
(1) The Director of Finance is responsible for working with the issuing financial institution to determine the dates when credit cards expire and the re-issuance of replacement cards.
(2) The Director of Finance is responsible for determining, when necessary, the need to cancel a credit card account and any adjustment to credit limits on the credit cards.
(3) The Director of Finance is responsible for notifying the issuing financial institution of a lost or stolen card.
(e) Credit cards will be established in the name of the City of Columbiana and the specific name of an individual with a maximum credit limit for each set by the city.
(f) (1) Credit cards may be issued to:
(a) City Manager with a credit limit up to $5,000.
(b) Director of Finance with a credit limit up to $5,000.
(2) The City of Columbiana as a whole was approved for a credit limit of $100,000, in 2018, with individual cards for the above named officials approved for a credit limit of $5,000.
(3) A credit card may not be used by anyone other than the individual to whom it is issued.
(g) Prior to initial receipt of a credit card, each individual must agree to and sign the Credit Card Responsibility and Use Procedures.
(h) City Council authorizes the use of city credit cards for use in connection with Council-approved or city-related activities and for only those types of expenses that are for the benefit of the city that serve a valid and proper public purpose shall be paid for by credit card. Credit cards will be used primarily for travel expenses to conferences and/or workshops and pre-payment of materials when required by a vendor. In any event, credit cards may be used only for expenditures that are within the applicable budget and departmental guidelines.
(i) For each purchase made using a credit card, an itemized receipt indicating the amount paid, the vendor, and the goods/services purchased must be submitted to the Director of Finance promptly following the purchase.
(j) Use of a credit card for personal expenditures, for expenditures in excess of the applicable credit limit, or otherwise in violation of this policy constitutes a misuse of the credit card. Any city personnel engaging in misuse of a credit card will be responsible to reimburse the city for any unauthorized expenditures and may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
(k) The City Manager will appoint a Compliance Officer to review all credit card accounts every six months, including: the number of accounts and issued/active cards, account expiration dates and credit limits. The Director of Finance may not also serve as the Compliance Officer.
(l) The Compliance Officer may use a credit card only with the prior authorization of the Director of Finance, except that the City Manager serving in the role as Compliance Officer may use a credit card as otherwise authorized in this policy.
(m) The Compliance Officer may not authorize City personnel to use a credit card, except that the City Manager serving in the role as Compliance Officer may authorize such use in accordance with this policy.
(n) If a credit card is lost or stolen, or if city personnel become aware of unauthorized or fraudulent use of any of the city's credit card accounts, the same must be reported immediately to the Director of Finance and Compliance Officer.
(o) All monthly credit card statements and other correspondence associated with the credit card accounts will be sent to the City of Columbiana. Payment of the monthly statements must be made in a timely fashion so that finance charges and late payment fees are not incurred.
(p) If the Compliance Officer is authorized to use a credit card, on a monthly basis, the Director of Finance (or the Director of Finance's designee, who may not be the Compliance Officer) will review the credit card statements and will sign an attestation to such review.
(q) On an annual basis, the Director of Finance (or the Director of Finance's designee) will submit a report to the City Council regarding all credit card rewards received by the city.
(Ord. 19-O-2993, passed 1-15-2019)