The City recognizes that there are certain purchases that must be made through mail order, internet or local retailers that require posting to a credit card. To make such a purchase, the City employee must have prior approval from the Department Head or the Mayor for any purchase as required by Section 115.02.
(a) Any credit card purchase must be pre-approved by the Department Head or the Mayor. The Department Head or the Mayor should verify that the line item budgeted will support such transaction as evidenced by the issuance of a purchase order authorizing the goods or services to be purchased.
(b) No City credit card will be used for any of the following transactions:
(1) Cash Advances;
(2) Personal Services:
(3) Purchase of alcoholic beverages;
(4) Any purchase of a non-public, personal nature or not related to City business; and
(5) Refreshments not connected with City business use.
(c) City credit cards used on City travel are governed by the Travel Expense Policy in Codified Ordinance Section 157.10.
(d) Authorized Credit Cards.
(1) The Finance Director or the Finance Director's designee will maintain control and authority of all City credit cards when not in use. The Director or the Finance Director Designee shall create and maintain a sign-in/sign-out sheet to track usage and possession of said card.
(2) Due to the nature of the "round the clock" operations of the Police and Fire Departments, the Police Chief and Fire Chief or their designee will be responsible for maintaining control and authority of all credit cards assigned to those departments when not in use. The Police Chief and Fire Chief or their designee shall maintain a sign-in/sign out sheet, in the format designed by the Finance Director, to track usage and possession of said credit cards.
(3) City credit cards shall have a maximum limit of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) unless the Finance Director determines that a lesser amount is appropriate.
(e) When the purchase is complete, the credit card must be returned to the designees of the Finance, Police or Fire Departments by the end of the business day if possible or by 10:00 a.m. the following day. It is understood that there are emergency situations which dictate that the return of the credit card will not be made until the next day. Every attempt shall be made to return the credit card as soon as physically possible.
(f) When returning the credit card to the appropriate designee all City employees utilizing the credit card for purchasing shall also provide the original receipt from the vendor for the purchase for review and approval by the employee's department head and for verification by the Finance Department.
(g) The loss of a City credit card shall be reported immediately to the Director of Finance and to the Mayor.
(h) All City employees are required to submit a State of Ohio Department of Taxation Sales and Use Exemption Certificate when making a City purchase.
(i) City employees to whom credit cards have been assigned shall immediately surrender any credit card assigned to the employee upon termination of the employee's employment.
(j) Misuse of a City credit card by a City employee shall subject the employee to discipline up to and including suspension or termination of employment as determined by the employee's Department Head and approval by the Mayor.
(Ord. 2023-027. Passed 4-27-23.)