(a) The following definitions shall apply in this section:
(1) “Credit Card” includes a gasoline Credit Card, telephone Credit Card, and a Credit Card issued by a financial institution or other issuer of Credit Cards.
(2) “Gasoline and Oil Expenses”, “Minor Motor Vehicle Maintenance Expenses” and “Emergency Motor Vehicle Repair Expenses” refer to only those expenses incurred for motor vehicles owned and leased by the Village.
(b) A Credit Card held by the Village shall be used only to pay work-related food, postage, office supplies, transportation, gasoline and oil, minor motor vehicle maintenance, emergency motor vehicle repair, telephone, lodging and internet service provider expenses.
(c) The Mayor and Fiscal Officer are hereby authorized to apply for a Credit Card issued by a financial institution, a Credit Card issued as a gasoline Credit Card and a telephone Credit Card, which Credit Card shall be held by the Village. The Credit Card, however, shall be issued in the name of the Mayor and the Fiscal officer during their term of office.
(d) The debt incurred as a result of the use of the Credit Card pursuant to this section shall be paid from monies appropriated by the Village Council for work related food, postage, office supplies, transportation, gasoline and oil, minor motor vehicle maintenance, emergency motor vehicle repair, telephone, lodging, and internet service provider expenses.
(e) The Mayor and Fiscal Officer may use the Credit Cards to pay for specific classes of the work related expenses listed in subsection (d), or use a specific Credit Card for any of those work related expenses listed in subsection (d), without submitting an estimate of expenses to the Village Council. Use of any Credit Card shall be limited to the amount appropriated and encumbered in a specific appropriation line item for the permitted use or uses designated in the authorizing Ordinance or Resolution and only to the extent the monies in such appropriations are not otherwise encumbered. In addition, no Credit Card purchase may be made for an amount that exceeds the spending authority of such officials.
(f) Any time a Village Credit Card approved for use is used for more than the authorized amount, the user of the card may request the Village Council to authorize the expenditure of any amount charged beyond the original authorized amount if, the Fiscal Officer certifies that sum of monies in the treasury or in the process of collection to the credit of the appropriation item or an item for which the Credit Card was used and is free from previous and then outstanding obligations or certifications. If the card is used for more than the amount originally authorized, the Village General Fund shall be reimbursed for any amount spent beyond the authorized amount by the officer using such Credit Card and such Village official is liable in person and upon any official bond such officer has given to the Village to reimburse the Village General Fund for the amount charged to the Village beyond the authorized amount.
(g) Any time a Village Credit Card authorized for use is used for more than the amount appropriated, the user of the card may request the Village Council to issue a supplemental appropriation, or make a transfer to the proper line item account to cover the amount charged beyond the originally appropriated amount. If the card is used for more than the amount originally appropriated and if for any reason that amount is not appropriated or transferred as permitted by this section, the Village General Fund shall be reimbursed for any amount spent beyond the originally appropriated amount by the officer using such card who shall be liable in person and upon any official bond the officer has given to the Village for reimbursing the Village General Fund for any amount charted on the card beyond the appropriated amount.
(h) Whenever any officer authorized to use the Credit Card held by the Village suspects a loss, theft or possibility of unauthorized use of the Credit Card the officer is authorized to use, the officer shall immediately notify the Fiscal Officer in the case of the Mayor, or the Mayor in the case of the Fiscal Officer and in either case the Village Marshal and follow up such notification with a written notice. If the Fiscal Officer or any other responsible Village official determines there has been a credit card expenditure beyond the appropriated or authorized amount as provided in this section, the Fiscal Officer, or in the event such expenditures are made by the Fiscal officer, the Mayor shall immediately notify the Village Council and Village Solicitor of this fact. If, within forty-five (45) days after issuance of said notice the General Fund is no reimbursed for the amount shown on the notice, the Village Solicitor shall recover that amount from the officer who is liable under this section by civil action in any Court of appropriate jurisdiction, unless the Village Council in the meantime has authorized the expenditure in accordance with this section.
(i) Use of a Village Credit Card for any use other than those permitted under this section is a violation of law for purposes of Ohio R.C. 2913.21.
(Ord. 06-14. Passed 8-3-06.)