[Amended 8-24-2018; 1-27-2020 by Ord. No. 3-2020]
A. 
Policy. City employees shall be reimbursed for approved travel expenses in a fair and equitable manner, and City taxpayers shall not be burdened by excessive travel expenses.
B. 
Procedure.
(1) 
Prior to incurring any travel expense totaling over $50, a travel request form (see Appendix A)[1] shall be completed by the employee and approved by the City Manager.
[1]
Editor's Note: The travel request form (Appendix A) is on file in the office of the City Manager.
(2) 
An approved advance payment of the estimated total travel expense may be requisitioned and obtained from the City Comptroller no earlier than one workday prior to the first travel day.
(3) 
Employees should take care to obtain receipts for all travel-related expenses. It is recognized, however, that there will be times when it will be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain receipts (e.g., some taxi trips, group meals, etc.). In such cases the expense should be explained in detail on the voucher. Under no circumstances will alcohol be reimbursed. In no event will meal expenses in excess of $77 per day be reimbursed in 2020, unless included under an "American Plan." Each meal will be reimbursed based on the following schedule, with no allowance for the total $77 to be used at one meal. Rates for subsequent years will be established by the City Comptroller.
Meal Reimbursement Schedule
Meal
Allowance
Breakfast
$11
Lunch
$22
Dinner
$44
(4) 
In January of each year, the City Comptroller is hereby authorized to adjust the above-mentioned figures by the consumer price index (CPI) as of the previous October [United States Bureau of Labor Statistics-Urban Wage Earners/Clerical Workers (CPI-W), National].
(5) 
Employees shall be expected to use the least expensive means of travel available, consistent with the need to minimize nonproductive travel time.
(6) 
A mileage allowance for the use of privately owned automobiles will be paid at the per mile rate equal to the rate used by the Internal Revenue Service. City-owned cars should be used whenever possible. The rate will be $0.57.5 per mile for 2020. Rates for subsequent years will be established by the Internal Revenue Service and dictated by the City Comptroller.
A. 
Although personal calls during work hours are not encouraged, the City recognizes the need for these on an occasional basis. City employees should make every effort to keep personal calls to a minimum and to restrict their use for essential purposes only.
B. 
Telephone calls to radio talk shows, games and other recreational uses are strictly prohibited.
C. 
The City further recognizes the occasional need for long distance personal calls. However, all long distance personal calls must be paid for and accounted for by the employee. The department head has full responsibility to account for all non-work long distance calls.
D. 
The City Controller shall not pay for any non-work long distance calls until the attached form[1] has been signed by the department head.
[1]
Editor's Note: The non-work long distance telephone form is on file in the office of the City Manager.
Employees may, with the approval of the City Manager, have professional organization dues payments made by the City, provided that:
A. 
The membership aids the employee in completing assigned duties and responsibilities.
B. 
The professional dues payment is not of a career licensing or certification nature, such as professional engineer, registered nurse, bar association and similar situations.
C. 
There is an existing budgetary appropriation.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this regulation is to save money by prohibiting the use of City-owned vehicles for personal use and to improve the City's public image and to increase the visibility of City-provided services.
B. 
City logo. All City-owned vehicles, except police cars and fire apparatus, will be clearly identified by the City logo, which shall be applied to both sides of the vehicle. Vehicles that may be used in police undercover work are exempted from this regulation.
C. 
Use of City-owned vehicles.
[Amended 10-22-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012]
(1) 
All City-owned vehicles shall remain at a City work site or garage facility at the close of the business day.
(2) 
Except as otherwise provided by Council-approved contractual terms, City-owned vehicles shall only be used for City work-related transportation, except as listed below:
(a) 
Personnel who are regularly assigned the use of a City-owned vehicle may use the vehicle to go on coffee or meal breaks, provided that they remain in contact with their offices or dispatcher for immediate recall, and provided that they do not travel 500 feet beyond the City limits.
(b) 
Subject to supervisory discretion and control, City-owned vehicles may be used to pick up coffee or food supplies for City employees who cannot leave their work site, provided that the vehicle is not used outside the City.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to ensure that all accidents involving City-owned vehicles are properly and thoroughly recorded.
B. 
All motor vehicle accidents involving City-owned vehicles shall be reported to the Ogdensburg Police Department, and a police accident report shall be taken. The department to which the vehicle is assigned shall be notified by the dispatcher as to the location of the accident and the vehicle involved.
C. 
On all accidents occurring outside the City, the operator shall notify the police agency having jurisdiction and file an accident report. As soon as possible, the Ogdensburg Police Department shall be notified as to the location, date and time of accident and the police agency which took the report.
D. 
In the event of extensive property damage or injury, measurements shall be taken and a not-to-scale drawing shall be submitted with the accident report. Copies of the accident report, photos and diagrams shall be submitted to the Chief's office for review and distribution.
E. 
In addition to the above, any police officer involved or the dispatcher shall notify the supervisor (on-duty Sergeant or officer in charge) that a police vehicle has been involved in a motor vehicle accident. The supervisor shall respond to the scene to ensure that the proper reports are made.
(1) 
The officer involved shall, as soon as possible, submit a written report to the Chief of Police concerning the circumstances of the accident, along with a complete file of all reports concerning the accident.
(2) 
The supervisor shall submit a written report to the Chief containing his observations of the accident scene and his opinion as to the preventability of the accident.
(3) 
Officers involved in preventable accidents may be subject to verbal or written reprimands and, if circumstances warrant, departmental charges.