A. Applicability: This chapter shall be and is hereby applicable to each member of the corporate authorities and/or other subsidiary commission, committee, or board of the village, as well as to all other village personnel, and, except as otherwise provided herein, this chapter supersedes any previous policies of the village relative to reimbursement for travel expenses.
B. Village Policy And Regulations:
1. Established: The village hereby establishes the village's "travel, meals, and lodging reimbursement policy" and regulations as set forth in this chapter for the reimbursement of travel expenses related to the official business of the village incurred by or to be incurred by members of the corporate authorities and subsidiary boards, commissions, and/or committees of the village, or by village elected officials, officers and employees (sometimes referred to herein as the "policy"), which policy shall be as set forth in this chapter.
2. Overnight Travel: All eligible travel that includes an overnight stay requires approval of the village administrator. Overnight travel shall be limited as much as possible by determining whether similar training or business events could be held locally to avoid overnight travel. Requests for overnight travel shall accompany a written request to the village administrator, including a description of the event requiring overnight travel, the reason(s) overnight travel is being requested and whether sufficient funds are available for this travel event.
3. Accompaniment By Family Member: Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the village will not reimburse village personnel for travel costs of family members traveling with village personnel on official village business. Should a family member accompany the village personnel for personal reasons, only those costs related to the village personnel's travel may be reimbursed.
4. Combined Business/Personal Travel: Whenever village personnel, for his or her convenience and/or enjoyment, travels to an approved event on official village business by an indirect route or interrupts village travel for personal travel or other reasons, any additional expenses incurred related to such personal travel are the responsibility of the village personnel.
5. Expense Payments: The village will pay in advance, as much as possible, for lodging, registration, per diem and airfare. Expenses not paid in advance, such as meals and mileage shall be reimbursed to the employee in the village's accounts payable system.
6. Expense Reporting: The travel and expense reimbursement report form ("the form") should be completed in accordance with the instructions noted on the form. Village personnel should provide as much detailed information as possible of all expenses itemized on the form, including the cost of registration, books, literature, meals, hotel, airfare, etc., regardless of whether such expenses were paid directly to a vendor (e.g., registration fees) or by credit card (e.g., hotel bill). Original receipts must be included with the form, except when it is impractical to do so or when specifically exempted by this travel policy (e.g., cost of public transportation, tips, parking meters, etc.).
7. Type(s) Of Travel For Which Reimbursement May Be Requested: An officer, elected official, or employee of the village may request reimbursement for the following type(s) of travel, lodging, and meals: travel, lodging, and meals incurred in regard to professional municipal association meeting(s) and conference(s), continuing education meeting(s) and conference(s), economic development meeting(s) and conference(s); attendance at meeting(s) and/or conference(s) of intergovernmental organizations, associations, and/or councils of government, including, but not limited to, their annual meeting(s), conference(s), dinner(s), and/or legislative event(s); and fact finding trip(s), legislative adjudication and/or administrative trip(s) to attend proceeding(s), hearing(s), and/or meeting(s) of other unit(s) of government, or meeting(s) with the members thereof, relative to matters directly or indirectly relating to official village business, village matters and/or activities, and/or impacting the village and/or its officers, employees, and/or residents (sometimes collectively referred to herein as "official village business") and/or travel permitted in an employment agreement.
Approval of these expenses shall be in advance and shall be based on the availability of funds, and importance of the event relative to the employee's essential job tasks.
8. Entertainment Expenses: The village shall not provide any reimbursement for entertainment expenses, as that term is defined herein.
9. Reimbursement Of Expenses Incurred By Or To Be Incurred By All Village Personnel, Other Than Members Of The Corporate Authorities:
a. Each person requesting reimbursement by the village of expenditures incurred, or to be incurred, for travel related to the official business of the village shall be required to complete a form of request for reimbursement, as may be amended from time to time, provided by the village and shall submit written evidence of all such expenses for which approval for reimbursement by the village is requested. The information required to be provided on said form shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) The name and job title, office or position with the village of the individual who received or is requesting reimbursement;
(2) The date(s) and the nature of the official village business for which such expenses were or are expected to be incurred;
(3) A written estimate of the expected cost of the travel, meals, or lodging for which reimbursement is requested.
b. Reimbursement to any village personnel (other than a member of the corporate authorities) for such travel expenses shall require the written approval by such employee's department head. If overnight stay is required, advanced approval is required by the village administrator.
10. Reimbursement Of Expenses Incurred By Or To Be Incurred By Members Of The Corporate Authorities Of The Village:
a. Each member of the corporate authorities of the village requesting reimbursement by the village of expenditures incurred, or to be incurred, for travel related to official village business as defined in this chapter shall be required to complete a form of request for reimbursement, as may be amended from time to time, provided by the village and shall submit written evidence of all such expenses for which approval for reimbursement by the village is requested. The information required to be provided on said form shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) The name, job title, or office with the village of the individual who received or is requesting reimbursement;
(2) The date(s) and the nature of the official village business for which such expenses were or are expected to be incurred;
(3) A written estimate of the expected cost of the travel, meals, or lodging for which reimbursement is requested;
(4) If reimbursement is being requested by a member of the corporate authorities of the village related to the attendance at an event by such member's spouse, the specific event or event(s) must be identified and the reason for such request must be provided in writing.
b. Reimbursement for members of the corporate authorities for all such travel, meals, and lodging expenses require the written approval by a roll call vote of the corporate authorities at an open meeting held by the corporate authorities.
11. Maximum Cost Of Expenses Which May Be Approved For Reimbursement: The maximum cost of expenses which may be approved for reimbursement by the village for any travel, transportation, meals, and/or lodging shall be as provided in this chapter, as amended from time to time, and/or section 5.5, "Training, Travel And Tuition Reimbursement", as amended from time to time, which is part of the village's personnel policy and which is hereby incorporated by reference as fully as if set forth herein.
12. Approval Of Expenses In Excess Of The Approved Maximum Cost(s) Or The Approved Estimated Cost(s):
a. Any request by village personnel for reimbursement by the village for costs incurred or estimated costs to be incurred for travel, meals, and/or lodging which are in excess of the approved maximum amount of expense for any such item or items shall require the approval by roll call vote of the corporate authorities of the village at an open meeting held by the corporate authorities of the village.
b. If an expense or expenses is or are incurred by any village personnel pursuant to an emergency or other extraordinary circumstance(s), as determined by the corporate authorities of the village, and exceed(s) the respective maximum amount(s) otherwise permitted by this chapter for reimbursement, such expense(s) shall require the written approval by roll call vote of the corporate authorities of the village at an open meeting held by the corporate authorities of the village.
13. Public Records: As provided in the act, all documents, including any forms and/or receipts submitted to the village for reimbursement are and shall be public records subject to disclosure under the Illinois freedom of information act 1 .
14. Village Travel Policy: Except as set forth in this chapter, the "training, travel and tuition reimbursement" provisions contained in section 5.5 of the village's personnel policy (the "travel policy"), as amended from time to time, is hereby made a part of this chapter by reference as if fully set forth herein, and said travel policy shall be and remain in full force and effect, provided, however, to the extent that such travel policy is inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail and control. (Ord. 2017-01-02, 1-11-2017)
Notes
| 1 | 1. 5 ILCS 140. |