(a) Purpose.
(1) Village employees required to travel on Village business shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in accordance with the following criteria and procedures.
(2) Village employees are expected to use good judgement and to make related expenditures in a prudent manner.
(b) Definitions.
(1) Duty Related to Village, Intra-County and Adjoining County Travel. Travel within the Village, Logan County, or any adjoining county required in the performance of an employee's duties. Application for travel expenses not required.
(2) Duty Related Intra-State Travel. Travel within the State of Ohio required in the performance of an employee's duties. Application for travel expenses required for reimbursement costs other than mileage and parking must be submitted to the employee's department head.
(3) Duty Related Out-of-State Travel. Travel within the contiguous United States required in the performance of an employee's duties. Application for appropriation of travel expenses is required to be submitted to the employee's department head.
(4) Conferences, Workshops, Conventions, or Training Seminars. Travel to a sponsored event within the state of Ohio or within the contiguous United States required in the performance of an employee's duties. Application for the appropriation of travel expenses is required to be submitted to the employee's department head.
(5) Receipts. Must be provided for any expense greater than ten dollars ($10.00).
(c) Approval of Expenses.
(1) Prior to incurring any expenses for Village business, training, and travel, application for Appropriation of Travel Expenses must be completed and approved by the employee's department head. Application forms are available at the employee's department.
(2) The completed Travel Request Form shall be submitted to the employee's department head no less than two (2) weeks prior to the requested expenditure, and if approved the request will be forwarded to the Fiscal Officer for review of available funding.
(3) The Village Council retains the right to refuse any reimbursement of any expenses incurred without prior approval and reserves the right to deny any request should the they deem the travel request is without merit
(4) Failure to meet these approval requirements may result m the loss of expense reimbursement.
(d) Out of State Travel. Travel by an employee of the Village of West Liberty outside the State of Ohio shall be subject to the following limitations:
(1) Elected Village officials and heads of departments who utilize the travel policies as adopted by the Village of West Liberty may attend conventions, training events and seminars out-of-state if funds are sufficiently appropriated for such purpose. An alternate management staff person may be authorized to attend, with written justification, in lieu of the elected official or department head. Documentations of requirement to attend by funding agency must be submitted to the Fiscal Officer with the Travel Request Form.
(2) Department heads under the authority of the Mayor and Village Council who utilize the travel policy as adopted by the Village Council who are requested by state of federal funding grantors to be represented at training workshops may travel out-of-state provided the state or federal agency reimburse the Village for such travel expenses specific to the event.
An alternate management staff person may be authorized to attend, with written justification, in lieu of the elected official. Documentation of the request to attend, and the state or federal reimbursement of the travel expenses, must be submitted to the Fiscal Officer with the Travel Request Form.
(3) Necessary travel out of state by the Police Department for transporting prisoners shall be permitted with approval by the Chief of Police.
(e) Mode of Transportation.
(1) The method and class of travel selected shall be that which is most economical and in the best interest of the Village.
(2) The point of departure, in regard to personal vehicle mileage charges, is the office or individual's home, whichever is less. If traveling on a weekend or holiday an employee may use the mileage from their residence even if it is greater.
(3) Personal Vehicle Reimbursement.
A. Travel shall be reimbursed at the reimbursement rate authorized by the Internal Revenue Service.
B. Mileage eligible for reimbursement are those miles driven from the individual's home or department to the business destination or those miles driven from a hotel to the training location. No reimbursement will be made for miles driven to and from the hotel to restaurants, golf courses, etc.
C. Parking and highway tolls greater than ten dollars ($10.00) must be accompanied by a receipt in order to receive reimbursement.
D. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
E. Traffic and parking fines, towing and/or storage costs resulting from violations, shall not be reimbursed.
(4) Employees with access to departmental vehicles are expected to utilize said vehicles when practical.
(5) Rental Vehicle Reimbursement.
A. Rental car authorization is only permitted when necessary and economical.
B. Use of a compact rental car is encouraged; however, at no time will expenses for a rental car above a medium sized model be approved.
C. The employee whose name appears on the rental agreement shall be reimbursed for all rental car expenses, except personal miles driven.
D. Expenses claimed for rental cars must be supported by a copy of the rental agreement and invoice and shall include a statement regarding the necessity of incurring the expense.
E. Traffic and parking fines, towing and/or storage costs resulting from violations, shall not be reimbursed.
(6) Air, Train, and Bus Transportation Reimbursement.
A. Expenses are limited to coach fare and shall be further limited to most common and least expensive routing/ticketing.
B. All public transportation taken, i.e. buses, cabs, must be accompanied by a receipt (if greater than ten dollars ($10.00)) in order to receive reimbursement. These expenses shall only be reimbursed when necessary and economical.
C. The contracting of private limousine service is a non-reimbursable expense; however, the use of Uber or Lyft is allowed.
D. Gratuities shall not be reimbursed
(f) Meals.
(1) In Village, County and Adjoining County.
A. Meals are non-reimbursable regardless of whether business was discussed before, during or after the meal.
B. Exception: when the meal is part of the registration fee.
(2) In-State Travel.
A. No in-state meals will be reimbursed without an overnight stay. (Res. 08-0374)
B. In-State meal reimbursements are based on a forty-two dollars ($42.00) per day per diem and receipts are not required for reimbursements. Any meal that has already been paid for as a part of a conference registration fee will be deducted from the above reimbursement at the following rates: Breakfast seven dollars ($7.00); Lunch ten dollars ($10.00); Dinner twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
Employees shall only be reimbursed for dinner twenty-five dollars ($25.00) on the first day of travel and for Breakfast seven dollars ($7.00) on the last day of travel.
(3) Out of State.
A. No out-of-state meals will be reimbursed without an overnight stay
B. Out of State meal reimbursements are based on a sixty-five dollars ($65.00) per day per diem and receipts are not required for meal reimbursements. Any meal that has already been paid for as part of a conference registration fee will be deducted from the above reimbursement at the following rates: Breakfast fifteen dollars ($15.00); Lunch twenty dollars ($20.00); Dinner thirty dollars ($30.00).
Employees shall only be reimbursed for dinner thirty dollars ($30.00) on the first day of travel and for Breakfast fifteen dollars (15.00) on the last day of travel.
(g) Overnight Expenses.
(1) Employees will be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary lodging expenses at the single occupancy rate. Lodging expenses will be reimbursed for prior approved travel upon discretion of supervisor and Mayor.
(2) An original itemized receipt is required for reimbursement of lodging expenses.
(3) Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses include the following:
A. In-Room movies
B. Personal phone calls
C. Alcoholic beverages
D. Spouse/family members or guest expenses
E. Fines for traffic violations
(4) Each Village employee should request a government rate when making lodging reservations.
(Ord. 2023-13. Passed 9-11-23.)