(a) 
The city shall pay reasonable expenses which are incurred from authorized official travel. The following uniform rules are hereby established to govern expense allowances to be granted city employees, councilmembers, and board and commission members.
(b) 
Prior approval is an integral part of the travel expense procedure. All travel on city business must be approved by the city manager to ensure that sufficient budgeted funds are available.
(c) 
Prepayment of registration fees and advances for expenses should be made by the city prior to the expected departure. Therefore, request for travel authorization must be made in sufficient time to allow processing of the registration fees and advances. The following schedule shall be used for computing the applicable expenses to the city:
(1) 
Registration fees.
Conference and/or training registration fees will be paid in full by the city.
(2) 
Transportation.
City vehicles are to be utilized to the maximum extent practical for official travel. In cases where personal vehicles are used, the city will advance at a mileage rate equal to the rate allowed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for business travel at the time. This advance will be based on the most direct route from the point of departure to the point of destination. Where public transportation is used, the city will pay the entire cost of the ticket. The city manager shall determine, on a case-by-case basis, what type of transportation is to be used.
(3) 
Lodging.
Reservations should be made in advance so the lodging costs can be predetermined and, if desirable, prepaid by the city.
(4) 
Meals.
The city will pay for actual meals and gratuity at a reasonable rate to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(d) 
In cases where prepayment of fees and advances is not possible, reimbursement will be made in accordance with subsection (c) above.
(e) 
Exceptions to the policies outlined above are to be made only in exceptional circumstances and when the best interests of the city are clearly manifest.
(2004 Code, art. 9.02)
(a) 
The city manager shall designate an employee of the city as city secretary with the confirmation of the city council.
(b) 
The city secretary shall attend meetings of the city council, and keep accurate minutes of the proceedings thereof in a book to be provided for that purpose, and engross and enroll all laws, resolutions and ordinances of the city council, keep the corporate seal, take charge of and preserve and keep in order all the books, records, papers, documents and files of the council, countersign all commissions issued to city officers, and licenses issued by the city, and keep a record or register thereof, and make out all notices required under any regulation or ordinance of the city. He/she shall draw all the warrants on the treasurer and countersign the same and keep an accurate account thereof in a book provided for the purpose. He/she shall be the general accountant of the corporation and shall keep in books regular accounts of the receipts and disbursements for the city, and separately, under proper heads, each cause of receipt and disbursement, and also accounts with each person, including officers, who have money transactions with the city, crediting accounts allowed by proper authority and specifying any particular transaction to which such entries apply. He/she shall keep a register of bonds and bills issued by the city, and all evidence of debt due and payable to it, noting the particulars thereof, and all facts connected therewith, as they occur. He/she shall carefully keep all contracts made by the city council, and he/she shall perform all such other duties as may be required of him by law, ordinance, resolution or order of the city manager.
(c) 
The city manager shall designate an employee of the city as assistant city secretary with the confirmation of the city council. The assistant city secretary shall discharge the duties of the city secretary in the absence of the city secretary.
(2004 Code, sec. 9.03.002)