[Ord. No. 10516, 9-20-2018; Ord. No. 10681, 9-3-2020; Ord. No. 10776, 10-6-2022; Ord. No. 10803, 4-20-2023]
a. 
PURPOSE.
To establish a Uniform Policy for reimbursing City employees for travel outside the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area and related expenses incurred while conducting City business.
b. 
TERMS.
"Expenses" shall refer only to expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of the official business of the City.
"Employee" shall include all persons employed by the City and all elected and appointed officials of the City.
c. 
RESPONSIBILITIES.
The Assistant Chief Administrative Officer shall be responsible for promulgating any further Personnel Rules and Regulations regarding the Travel Policy. Further, the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer shall provide all departments with uniform travel and expense forms.
Any employee incurring any expense as defined herein and seeking reimbursement of same shall submit to the Director of Finance a voucher of such expenses which has been certified as being true and accurate. The Director of Finance shall then review such expense vouchers and shall reimburse the employee only for those expenses which have been properly incurred.
Each Department Head is also responsible for ensuring that expenses incurred for travel and other activities by employees under his or her supervision are essential to their functions and expenses are reasonable and justified. In order to maintain cost control, the Department Head shall:
1. 
Approve in advance each proposed trip or activity.
2. 
Obtain the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer for all out-of-town travel and training.
3. 
Review and approve all expenses reported for reimbursement in accordance with the specific provisions outlined below.
4. 
Review and evaluate these expenses as a guide for future authorization.
The City reserves the right to perform an in-depth audit of any expenses submitted by an employee for reimbursement. The Finance Department has the responsibility for performing such audits from time to time. Any findings of misrepresentation will be forwarded to the Department Head for appropriate action. It is the responsibility of the Director of Finance or his or her designee to:
1.
Ensure full compliance by all departments with the procedures set forth in this Policy.
2.
Have all expense reports reviewed for mathematical accuracy, required receipts, and authorized approval.
3.
Review reported expenses for reasonableness and to make inquiries as deemed appropriate.
4.
Return all expense reports that are not in compliance with this Policy or that require additional substantiation to the responsible Department Head for appropriate action/response.
Employees are required to submit expense reports within 10 days of the completion of any business trip or activity.
d. 
TRANSPORTATION.
Selection of the mode of transportation should be based on the distance, costs, time involved, and the purpose of the trip. Whenever the airfare (coach or economy) would be less than the mileage reimbursement for use of a personal vehicle, air transportation must be used. Air transportation expenses must be supported by documentation which reflects the destination, dates of travel, and cost.
On occasion, the employee may wish to drive a vehicle to his or her destination. The City has City-owned vehicles that may be used, or an employee may take advantage of an agreement the City has with a rental car company. If the employee wishes to use his or her personal vehicle for travel outside the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area in lieu of air transportation or use of a City vehicle or rental vehicle, the employee will only receive the "cash equivalent" for use of his or her personal vehicle; the "cash equivalent" will be based on the lowest cost of either the lowest airfare in effect 30 days prior to the employee's departure date, or the cost of the rental vehicle for the number of days the employee is involved on City business. Generally, a rental vehicle will be cheaper than mileage reimbursement for any trip involving more than 70 miles of travel per day. If the employee elects to use his or her personal vehicle or a rental vehicle when air transportation is more cost effective, driving time will be the responsibility of the employee (i.e., vacation time).
The use of buses, limousines, or taxis should be governed by the local ground transportation available between the airport and the hotel/motel and the most economical cost and/or availability; receipts should be obtained for these charges. Tips for taxi drivers, baggage handlers, etc., should be reported separately.
e. 
LODGING.
It is expected that all employees will endeavor to return to their permanent residence as soon as possible after the conclusion of the conference, business meeting, or other purposes of the trip. On one-day trips or at the conclusion of an extended trip, lodging will be reimbursed only in connection with travel which would preclude the employee from arriving home before 10:00 p.m.
The City expects its employees to stay in a hotel/motel which is reasonably close and convenient to the place where the conference, business meeting, or seminar is held and that such accommodations will be modestly priced for the local market. To the extent possible, lodging costs should be paid directly to the vendor by using a City procurement card. Lodging costs will be based at the "one person, one bed" rate. Receipts for lodging costs must be submitted to substantiate the cost.
f. 
MEALS.
The cost of all meals while away on City business will be reimbursed. In most situations, the maximum daily cost should not exceed $65. It is expected that employees will exercise good judgment when dining and such meals should generally meet the same standards as if the employee were bearing the cost. All meal costs must be supported by receipts.
On all travel beyond the local area (i.e., greater than a 50-mile radius from Kirkwood) reimbursement will be made on meals on the following basis:
1. 
When travel commences before 7:00 a.m., breakfast will be reimbursed.
2. 
When travel extends over the period 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., lunch will be reimbursed.
3. 
When travel extends after 6:00 P.M., dinner will be reimbursed.
No reimbursement will be made for meals which are provided in conjunction with air transportation or which are included in the conference/meeting cost.
The cost of snacks, beverages, etc., are not eligible for reimbursement.
As deemed appropriate by the Department Head, meal costs for local training may be eligible for reimbursement. The appropriateness and reasonableness of the expense will be reviewed by the Director of Finance.
g. 
REGISTRATION COSTS.
Conference registration costs will be paid directly to the sponsoring institution; the request for payment submitted to the Finance Department should include a copy of the completed registration form.
h. 
TRAVEL ADVANCES.
Travel advances should be limited to those items which cannot be pre-paid, such as meal costs and transportation costs, and for projected expenses which would pose a financial burden on the employee. Requests for travel advances must be submitted to the Finance Department at least two weeks prior to the employee's departure date. The Director of Finance may then advance payment of projected expenses if the projected expenses to be incurred by particular employees would pose a financial burden on such employees. If such advance is authorized, then the voucher for the expenses actually and necessarily incurred and the balance of the advance remaining after the expenditures shall be submitted to the Director of Finance within 10 days after such expenses are actually incurred.
i. 
COMMUNICATION CHARGES.
All telephone, interne and postage costs incurred during the travel which are necessary for City purposes are reimbursable. The employee should use the most economical means of communication.
j. 
PERSONAL ITEMS.
No reimbursement will be made for miscellaneous reading material, shoe shines, or items relating to personal hygiene. The cost of handling any clothes or equipment carried by an employee for personal enjoyment or activities are not reimbursable. Repairs to personal briefcases and luggage will not be reimbursed unless damaged when being used on City business and when the employee is not repaid by the carrier responsible for the damage. A copy of the damage claim and a copy of the refusal to reimburse for such claim must be submitted.