Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Cass County, MO
 
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (6) Index
[Previous Amendments to Cass County Order No. 96-09, 5-29-1997, 1-14-1999, 1-24-2000; Cass County Order No. 96-09 §§A--G, 1-11-2001; Cass County Order No. 12-02, 1-20-2012]
A. 
Business And Travel Expenses. Employees shall exercise restraint and keep the best interests of the taxpayers in mind when incurring travel expenses to be paid by the County. Elected officials are responsible for authorizing business and travel expenses and for ensuring that employees comply with established polices. Prior to traveling, employees are encouraged to review the most recent revisions to these policies.
Elected officials are responsible for documenting and substantiating the business purpose of all expenses to be charged to the County and should be prepared to provide such documentation upon request. Travel expenses incurred by an employee for personal benefit or personal preference shall not be charged to the County. Travel expenses incurred by a family member or friend who may accompany an employee in authorized travel shall not be charged to the County.
Travel expenses are generally paid one (1) of three (3) ways (Refer to "Method of Payment" Section below):
1. 
Payment is made directly to the vendor (i.e., registration, lodging, airfare, etc.)
2. 
Expenses are reimbursed to the employee upon filing a Claim for Reimbursement (i.e., mileage, meals, parking fees, shuttles, etc.).
3. 
A cash advance is paid to an employee (restricted use only).
B. 
Allowable Expenses.
1. 
Meal and incidental expenses. Cass County will reimburse employees for meals and incidental expenses incurred while traveling away from home to perform official County business. "Travel away from home" is defined as overnight travel or travel such that:
a. 
The employee's duties require them to be away from the general area of their home substantially longer than an ordinary day's work (must be in travel status twelve (12) hours or more); and
b. 
The employee needs to sleep or rest to meet the demands of their work while away from home.
Meals that are included as part of registration such as banquets, buffets, plated meals, boxed lunches, etc., shall not be reimbursable.
The maximum reimbursement allowable per meal per day, which includes fifteen percent (15%) for tips, is as follows:
(1) 
Breakfast — $10.00
(2) 
Lunch — $15.00
(3) 
Dinner — $20.00
No reimbursements are allowed for alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.
Elected officials and/or employees may request reimbursement based upon actual expenses, not to exceed the allowable per diem (forty-five dollars ($45.00) a day includes tip). Elected officials or employees are required to submit all receipts to justify meal expenses.
2. 
Mileage, airfare, or other commercial transportation. When official travel is authorized, an employee's private car may be used and mileage reimbursement may be paid at the maximum rate authorized by the County Commission.
For out-of-State travel, the elected official is responsible for selecting the mode of travel most economical and appropriate for the County. An employee may use an alternate means of transportation (such as driving his/her personal vehicle), if approved by the elected official. In this event, transportation reimbursement paid to the employee for costs incurred for the alternate means of transportation shall not exceed the amount that would have otherwise been paid for the most economical and appropriate mode of travel.
Whenever an employee is granted permission to use an alternate means of transportation for out-of-State travel, documentation of the amount that would have otherwise been paid for the most economical and appropriate mode of travel must be provided in order to claim reimbursement for travel expenses. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, travel fare price quotes (net of all usual and customary discounts such as advance booking discounts), quoted parking fees, and quoted taxi services or shuttle services that would have been incurred if the usually acceptable commercial transportation had been used. For airline travel, the quote should reflect the cost of coach class.
Employees traveling in a County car should submit receipts for refueling the County car.
**Mileage rates for Cass County shall be forty-seven and one-half ($.475) cents per mile driven for County business as of July 1, 2008.**
3. 
Rental car, cab fares, shuttle, or other transportation fees. Employees may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses such as shuttle service, cab fares, limousine service, bus rides, rental car fees, and other forms of transportation required for business purposes. The employee shall, at all times, attempt to secure the least costly form of transportation. Employees must provide a written explanation for car rental and/or unusual transportation fees.
Employees may be requested to provide written justification that the selected transportation was the most suitable and economical means of transportation available.
4. 
Room accommodations. The County pays for single rate occupancy for overnight lodging pertaining to official County business. Employees should inquire about applicable discounts, such as conference rates and government rates.
If motel or hotel accommodations are located in Missouri, a Missouri Tax Exemption Form must be used either at time of reservation or when paying the bill upon checkout. The Tax Exemption Form should be obtained from the Human Resources Department. The County will not pay or reimburse Missouri sales tax.
5. 
Registration fees for seminars, conferences and other training. The County will pay the costs for registrations pertaining to authorized training. Employees are encouraged to take advantage of all available discounts.
C. 
Methods Of Payment.
1. 
Pre-payment of travel expenses directly to vendor. Elected officials may request advance payment for registration, travel fare, meals and incidental expense and room accommodations. Requests for payment should include documentation, consisting of, but not limited to, original invoices, official registration forms and confirmations, or official fax or e-mail confirmations. All pre-payments will be made payable to the respective agency, organization, airline, travel agency, or hotel; checks for these expenses will not be made payable to the elected official or employee. However, the checks may be returned to the elected official or employee for personal delivery, if requested.
2. 
Reimbursement to employee. Employees requesting reimbursement for mileage and/or other types of travel or food expenses should use the Mileage/Reimbursement Form. This form should be completed in its entirety and all receipts attached to form. The form should be signed by the employee and the elected official.
3. 
Travel cash advance(s) paid to employee. A request for a travel cash advance must be approved and signed by the responsible elected official and is restricted to situations where the elected official believes non-payment of a travel cash advance will impose a financial hardship on the employee. Travel cash advance will not be made for expenses that could have been handled as a pre-payment of travel expenses (see above). Supporting documentation justifying the need for the requested amount must be attached to the requisition. Any unused portion of the travel cash advance must be promptly returned to the Cass County Treasurer. A copy of the approved Request For Employee Travel Advance Form must be attached. These documents should be signed by the elected official and submitted to the Auditor's office within ten (10) days of return from travel. Failure to file the necessary documents may result in a payroll withholding for the amount of the travel cash advance.
D. 
Association Dues. No reimbursement shall be considered for payment for employee association dues that are not unique to their employment with Cass County.
[Cass County Order No. 01-05, 11-8-2001]
A. 
This Commission, on behalf of Cass County, Missouri, an employer under the Missouri Local Government Employees' Retirement System, hereby elected the following:
1. 
To adopt no change in the contributions from covered employees, keeping the requirement of no contributions from covered employees in accordance with the provisions of Sections 70.705 and 70.730, RSMo., 1986, as amended by RSMo. 1988 Supp.
2. 
To adopt no change in the method of determining a member employee's final average salary, keeping a thirty-six (36) consecutive-month period for determining a member employee's final average salary in accordance with Sections 70.600 and 70.656, RSMo., 1986, as amended by RSMo. 1988 Supp.
3. 
To adopt a change in the Benefit Program of member employees, changing to Benefit Program L-6 (2.0%).
4. 
To adopt no change in the Benefit Program of member employees, keeping member employees' option of retirement upon attaining minimum service retirement age.
B. 
The Clerk shall certify this election to the Missouri Local Government Employees' Retirement System within ten (10) days hereof. Such election shall be effective on the first (1st) day of January, 2002.