Pursuant to RCW 42.24.120, et seq., there is hereby created and established a revolving account to be known as the “advance travel expense account.” Such account shall be used solely for the purpose of making advance payments for the travel expenses of elected officials and City employees in excess of $100.00.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 1)
There will be an initial transfer within the General Fund #001 in the amount of $2,000 to the advance travel expense account. From time to time, as the account is depleted by advance payments for travel expenses, the account will be replenished by check or budgetary transfers from the appropriate City department.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 2)
The finance director shall be the custodian of the account and responsible for supervising all transactions thereof. All advances made from the account shall be made in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the State Auditor's Office and the rules authorized to be established by this chapter. The advance travel expense account shall be maintained in the City bank account and advances to elected officials or City employees will be by check made payable to the official or employee.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 3)
Whenever it becomes necessary for an elected official or City employee to travel and incur expenses in excess of $100.00, that person may request a reasonable amount of funds in advance of said expenditure. The request for advances shall be made on forms prescribed by the finance director.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 4)
On or before the fifteenth day following the close of the authorized travel period for which expenses have been advanced to any official or employee, that person shall submit to the finance director or city manager (for city council members) a fully itemized claim expense voucher for all reimbursable items legally expended, accompanied by vendor receipts and the unexpended portion of such advance, if any. Any advance made for this purpose, or any portion thereof, not repaid or accounted for in the time and manner specified herein shall bear interest at the rate of 10 percent per year from the date of default until paid. No advance of any kind shall be made to any official or employee at any time when that person is delinquent in accounting for or repaying a prior advance authorized under this chapter.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 5)
To protect the City from any losses on account of travel expense advances, the City shall have a prior lien against a right to withhold any and all funds payable or to become payable by the City to any official or employee to whom such advance has been given up to the amount of such advance and interest at the rate of 10 percent per year until such time as repayment has been made.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 6)
A travel expense advance shall be considered as having been made to an elected official or City employee to be expended as an agent of the City and for the City's purposes only, and specifically to defray necessary costs in the performance of official duties. No such advance shall be considered as a personal loan to such official or employee and any expenditure thereof, other than for official business purposes, shall be considered a misappropriation of public funds.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 7)
In the event of termination of the advance travel expense account, any balance remaining in the account at the time of termination will revert to the general fund.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 8)
The finance director is authorized to adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the operation and management of the advance travel expense account and to prepare appropriate forms for transactions involving such account.
(Ord. 01-0112 § 9)