The County Board recognizes, through a legal opinion from the Jersey County State’s Attorney, the following authority and limits of authority with regards to the monitoring of expenditures related to official travel and related expenses.
(A) The County Board holds the authority to establish budgets and public funds necessary for county officials and employees to attend training and seminars for the purpose of education in public policy or legally mandated certification required for the execution of responsibilities in the respective office functions.
(B) Once the budgets of county elected officials such as the Treasurer, Sheriff, Circuit Clerk, Coroner, County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds, the ETSB (911 System) or the Veterans Assistance Commission have been established by the County Board through a formal recorded vote, the County Board retains no authority over these autonomous elected officials and departments to expend funds over the course of a fiscal year for purposes deemed appropriate. The County Board does retain the ability to monitor and take note of travel related expenditures for the purpose of setting budget amounts in subsequent fiscal years.
(C) The County Board does have direct authority over the expenditures in the county offices and departments of appointed officials such as Animal Control, Board of Review, Highway Department, Supervisor of Assessments, Code Enforcement, as well as other positions the County Board creates and appoints through an advice and consent vote. In those departments and offices under the direct oversight authority of the County Board, the following policy shall be in effect.
(1) Meals shall be reimbursed for travel on official business during which the county official or employee has stayed overnight or away from home for a period of at least 12 hours or more. Meals shall be reimbursed with a maximum meal allowance rate of $50 per day while on official business.
(2) Reimbursement for meals shall be made via expense voucher, with the appropriate meal receipts attached, with reimbursement made to the official or employee within the $50 meal allowance rate, to include gratuities and tax. Liquor shall not be eligible for reimbursement.
(3) Overnight lodging shall be reimbursed based on the receipt attached to the expense voucher. Contained on the voucher shall be an explanation for the travel and overnight stay. In-room movie rental and amenities shall not be eligible for reimbursement. Single occupancy is allowed as a matter of policy for officials and employees on official business.
(a) No overnight stay will be reimbursed if mileage to event is less than 50 miles from home or office.
(b) Reimbursement for mileage accrued on personal vehicles is to be noted on an expense voucher form for round trip mileage from home to venue of official business. Reimbursement for personal mileage shall be at the rate currently set by the IRS at the time of travel.
(4) Members of the County Board are not eligible for meal reimbursement due to the meeting per diem allowed for attendance of meetings related to county business.
(Res. passed 6-14-2016)