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Home My WebLink About2008-02-06 PACKET 04.L.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # DATE 2/6/2008 � � , PREPARED BY: Finance and Administrative Services Ron Hedberg ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR ��.��..��,��,�� COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST: Consider adopting the resolution reaffirming the Travel, Training and Education Policy that includes elected officials. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the resolution. BUDGET IMPLICAT�ON: $ BUDGETED AMOUNT ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION: ❑ PLANNING ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ PUBLIC WORKS ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: �.. � $ ACTUAL AMOUNT FUNDING SOURCE REVIEWED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ APPROVED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ DENIED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ � MEMO/LETTER: Memo by Ron Hedberg and Joe Fischbach dated 01/22/2008 � RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS: .�_ a f � I� � City Administrator b Date ��.��,� r r COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ^�APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER /� �c�� c�-�� # ,�_ � _ • � TO: FROM: DATE: RE: Introduction: Honorable Mayor and City Council Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator Ron Hedberg, Finance & Administrative Services Director Joe Fischbach, Management Analyst, January 22, 2008 Travei, Training and Education Po(icy The Minnesota state legislature passed a new statute in 2005, MN Statute 471.661, which requires each city to adopt an elected official travel policy. it must include: 1. when travel outside the state is appropriate 2. applicable expense limits 3. procedures for the approval The City has had the Travel, Training and Education policy within the personnel policy for a number of years and it applies to all City employees as weli as elected o�ciais. Discussion The City already complies with the statute and has had the policy in piace for a number of years. Staff asks Mayor and Councii to review the current policy and reaffirm its content and procedures. As you recall Councii approved a few administrative changes at the last City Council meeting. Other than those changes the policy remains virtually the same as last year when Council reaffirmed the policy. Recommendation Staff recommends reaffirming the existing Travel, Training and Education Policy. Action Requested Adopt the attached resolution reaffirming the Travel, Training and Education Policy. RESOLUTION NO. 08-xxx A RE30LUTION REAFFIRMING THE TRAVEL, TRAINING AND EDUCATION POLICY THAT WCLUDES E�ECTED OFFICIALS WHEREAS, in compliance with Minnesota Statute 471.661, Out-of-state travel, the City Council adopted a Travel, Training and Education policy incorporated into the personnel policy, now THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, County of Washington, State of Minnesota, to reaffirm the Travel, Training and Education policy as follows SECTION 18. TRAVE�. TRAINING AND EDUCATION POLICY 18.1 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines and procedures to be used when individuals participate in Travei, Training, and Education (TT&E) events. This policy will be reviewed prior to December 31, 1999, to determine if changes are necessary. 182 TRAINING/EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY Through its commitment to PRIDE, the City will maintain a highly skilled, efficient, motivated work force which meets all required mandates and allows for career enrichment through training and education. This process will be administered in an economic fashion that maximizes the city's return for its budget training funds and will comply with all budgetary limits. It is expected that any training, travel or education funded by the City will be for a defined purpose to further organization goals. it is also expected that any expenditure will be for a valid business purpose. 18.3 TT&E PROGRAM DEFINITIONS Advanced Education: Any training or program participation that could result in a certification or degree from an accredited college, university or trade schooi. Comparabie Training: Any training or program substantiaily similar in content, or which meets similar criteria for certifications, licenses, or other required training. Established Safety Policies: The adopted safety policies and criteria established by the entire City or individuai departments relating to the expected and required safety conduct, responses, action or training. Organization Goals: Remaining current with changing legal or technical requirements, maintaining education requirements for various certifications, and researching best practices. Pnority 1 Training: Required and necessary training. TT&E participants receive training in the skills needed to pertorm the specific job function in his/her division/department. Required training is in association with state and federal licenses, City job description or City step plan. This would also include state or federal guidelines for mandatory requirements which, if they were not attended, would result in penalties or fines. These training opportunities are intended to meet all appiicabie standards, certifications, accreditations and licenses required of the positions held. Necessary training is an accreditation or certification from professional or trade organizations that enhance an individual's level of professional status and improve the quality of the City work force. Priority 2 Training: Desirable training for job enrichment that includes verbal or written skills, technology, and personal development and improvement programs. These opportunities may be provided by other departments within the City or by others outside the City. These "Priority 2" opportunities are subject to department head approval and to the availability of department training funds. PRIDE: Personal Service Responsiveness Innovation Dedication Effectiveness Training Officer. The City Administrator or his/her designee. Training Plans: Department Training Plan: A narrative document detailing a one-year pian for training, education and professional development that sets minimum standards and goals for each position, individual, or commission member within that department. Professionai Developmenf Plan: A narrative document detailing a defined action plan for professionai development for an individuai empioyee. Said plan shall list types of training, course work or degrees needed to compiete the pian and list of how the described training will benefit the City. TT&E Event: Any travel, training, education or business-related function that meets the eligibility approval criteria and is funded all or in part by the City of Cottage Grove. TT&E Locations: In-House Training: Training provided at City facilities or through City of Cottage Grove arrangements. Locai Training: TT&E events that take place in the seven-county metropolitan area. National Training: TT&E events that take place outside a 500-miie radius of Cottage Grove. Regional Training: TT&E events which take place outside the Twin Cities Metro Area (local training) but within a 50-mile radius of Cottage Grove. TT&E Partrcipant: All full- and part-time city empioyees, interns, Council members and affected Commission and Committee members participating in TT&E events. 18.4 TT&E PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY/PRIORITY The following criteria will be considered in reviewing TT&E requests: Required Criteria: • Funded in the budget • In compiiance with the travei, training and education policy • (n accordance with an Approved Departmentai Training Plan Additional Criteria: • Priority level of training (Priority 1 or Priority 2) • Training associated with established safety policies • Training associated with new trends, techniques, or technology utilized by the City • Training associated with equipment or machinery utiiized by the City • Training related to an established step advancement training program • In accordance with an approved Professionai Development Plan (Individual) 18.5 REVIEW PROCESS A. Training P(an Each department shaii develop a training plan by November 1st of each year for the following year. This plan shall achieve department training needs, address career development interests, guarantee certification requirements are achieved/maintained, and ensure that sufficient funds are availabie in the training budget. Training plans shall identify major job classifications and include a menu of courses that would be appropriate for each major job ciassification. Training plans and course menus (employee options for courses) shail be submitted to the City Administrator or his/her designee for review and approval. Approved training plans shall be returned to the departments for administration. B. Conference Policy As with aii TT&E events, TT&E participants interested in attending professional development conferences in or out of state must meet the TT&E program eligibiiity criteria. Attending programs offered within the state, and preferabiy the metro area, should be the practice whenever possible. C. TT&E Location Policy When evaluating training opportunities, requests shall be reviewed to ensure the most cost-effective option is selected based on the following critieria: • Training In-house • Training Locai . Training Regional • Training National Regionai or nationai training shaii not be approved if there is reasonable access to comparable training in the Iocal area within the same budget year. D. TT&E Request Procedures To attend a TT&E event, it is necessary to complete a Training/Travei Request form (must be submitted to a designee of the City Administrator) or an Educational ReimbursementApplication (see Section 16.11). Approval at Department Head (or Designee) �evel All Course requests that: • Meet the departmenYs approved training plan; and • Do not exceed $200.00 in non-labor costs or exceed one day of training; and • Do not involve overnight lodging; and • Sufficient budget amounts are available in the Department training budget Approval at City Administrator's (or Designee) Level All course requests that: • Exceed $200 in non-labor costs; or • Involve overnight lodging; or . Are not part of the approved department training plan E. Training Report A report of aii completed training shail be made to the City Administrator or his/her designee. 18.6 ALLOWABLE EXPENDITURES A. General • The City pays a TT&E participant's expenses incurred while attending a TT&E event, in accordance with policy guidelines. e The TT&E participant must pay expenses incurred by a spouse or guest attending a conference with a TT&E participant. If an employee registers for a training event and then canceis, helshe must reimburse the City for any fees that are not returned to the City upon cancellation. This does not apply if the employee's supervisor requests that the employee cancel the training event. B. Meals • If the TT&E event is more than one day in duration, there shall be a maximum per diem (including gratuities for meais only) of $30 per day. . For partial days, the meai allowance wiil not exceed the foilowing: Breakfast: $6.00 Lunch: $9.00 Dinner : $15.00 . Tips shall not exceed 15% of City reimbursed meal cost. • When an event encompasses a fu(i day, TT&E participants may spend the daily ailowance among the three meals, at their discretion, unless meals are included as part of the conference registration. In that case, the money ailotted for that meal couldn't be spent. • For local and regional area training or meetings, lunch will be reimbursed if not covered in the fee for the event. No other meals will be reimbursed unless prior approvai is granted. • Costs for alcoholic beverages shall not be reimbursed. . itemized receipts wiil be required for reimbursement upon return from the event, along with any unused portion of the meal allowance (if cash advance was received). Receipts must cleariy state date, location, and name of restaurant as well as specific food and beverages ordered and purchased. A representative of the City may occasionally be in the position of having to provide a meal for other persons who have official business with the City. The cost of providing such meals, including tax and a reasonabie gratuity, will be reimbursed provided the following conditions are met: 1) Expenditure must be approved by the City Administrator or designee prior to the event; 2) Name and official capacity of each person attending must be listed; 3) Pubiic purpose/benefit of the meeting must be described; 4) An itemized receipt (see above) must be provided; and 5) No aicohoiic beverages will be reimbursed. C. Lodging • Reimbursement for lodging expenses shai( be ailowed oniy for authorized TT&E participants. . TT&E participants should choose lodging based on reasonableness of cost and proximity to the conference, meeting, or training site. • Reimbursement will be made at the lowest standard single room rate of the chosen facility. . Each authorized person sha�l be ailowed an individuai single room. • Lodging costs shall be reimbursable only from the night preceding the conference through the night immediately following such event, unless an additionai evening's stay will decrease travel costs. Overnight stays within the Iocal training area are not permitted without the City Administrator or designee's approval in advance of the stay. D. Misceiianeous expenses • One (1) personal long distance call per day, in an amount not to exceed 15 minutes, wiil be reimbursed. • Costs for reasonable use of phones, copy and fax machines, or other approved business services when used to conduct City business will be reimbursed. E. Transportation Auto Rental Rental cars shall not be used as part of a TT&E event unless prior approval has been obtained from the City Administrator or designee. The cost reimbursed wiil be at the mid-size vehicie rate. Auto rentai must be requested on the Travel Request form, and justified as required for officiai business. Multiple quotes, including appropriate insurance and fees, shouid be obtained from a minimum of three (3) rental agencies and attached to the request form. If reasonable public transportation is available, or a less expensive means of transportation is available, a rentai car should not be requested. A car may be rented if the iocal transportation is impracticai, or more expensive, than renting a car for the period in question. City Vehicle and Personal Vehicle Usage: Transportation within the state shaii be by City vehicle. if a City vehicle is not available, TT&E participants may use a personal vehicle. Approved personai auto usage while attending a TT&E event is reimbursed at the current Internai Revenue Service per-mile rate. The City of Cottage Grove does not provide insurance on personai vehicies. When traveling from the normal work location to a TT&E event and back, the mileage allowance is the actuai work related miieage traveled. When traveling from a TT&E participanYs residence to a TT&E event, and then to a normal work Iocation, the mileage allowance is the excess miles traveled over those normally driven from the residence to the normal work location. When traveling from a norma� work location to a TT&E event, and then to the TT&E participanYs residence, the mileage allowance is the excess miles traveled over those normaily driven from the normai work location to the participanYs residence. When traveling from the residence to a TT&E event and then returning to the residence, mileage in excess of that normally driven to and from the normal work location is reimbursabie. If such travel occurs on a day that the TT&E participant is not scheduled to work, or involves travel to evening meetings outside the normal work hours, total mileage traveled is allowed. Personal use of any City vehicle is prohibited, other than commuting (for those TT&E participants required to commute in a City vehicle), or "de minimis" personal use. The City Administrator can approve take-home vehicles. Air-Related Travel Policies: Air travel by authorized TT&E participants must be the Iowest fare routing. Lowest fare routing is the lowest fare which: Requires no more than one interim stop or change of pianes each way Resuits in a layover not exceeding two hours each way. Every effort shouid be made, when practical, to book tickets early to take advantage of money saving offers At a minimum, airfare tickets must be purchased at least 20 days in advance. Frequent flier miles associated with TT&E travel are property of the City. If a TT&E participant wishes to drive, and the mileage allowance would be greater than the airfare, the traveler may be reimbursed "equivalent airfare" instead of the actuai miieage costs. This would include the cost of the airfare, pius shuttie service to and from the airport. The additional time required to travel by car will be the employee's own time. Shuttle Service and/or Parking: Costs for transportation to and from the airport are reimbursed at the least expensive mode available. Ground transportation may be reimbursed up to the fare from the TT&E participanYs normal work site to the appropriate airport. Mileage and parking will be reimbursed if the TT&E participant chooses to drive a personal automobile to the airport, only if the total cost of miieage reimbursement and parking is less than the round-trip ground transportation from the work site. Reimbursement of charges for taxis and airport limousines shall be made only if other modes of transportation are impractical. When attending an event or business meeting where parking is iimited, or where parking decks are expensive, a parking meter may be used. The TT&E participant will need to document the amount spent for a parking meter on a form, as required by the Finance Department. Cash Advance for, and/or Pre-payment of, Travel Expenses TT&E events requiring overnight accommodations or extended time away shali be eiigible for a reasonabie cash advance. Upon prior approvai by the Training Officer a travel advance may be obtained from the Finance Department. The request must be submitted by the deadiines estabiished for check payments. Advancing money for travei does not constitute approvai of spending the entire advanced sum. Monies not spent must be returned to the City. Pre-payment of travel expenses (for example, registration fees) may be made upon application and approvai of voucher by the City Administrator or designee. 18.7 REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURES Only approved, actual, and necessary expenditures qualify for reimbursement, and must have receipts. In addition, to receive reimbursement the following criteria must be met: • Within 30 days of returning from an approved TT&E event, the participant must submit a mileage and expense report form. . Receipts for the payment of transportation, lodging, and other business expenses shall be attached to the expense report. • Tips shall be noted on the meal receipt. . All receipts must be dated and in chronologicai order. • Any unused portion of a cash advance will be returned to the City. • If the billing is for �oint occupancy, the lodging cashier should indicate the single room rate for the room occupied. It is the TT&E participanfs responsibility to obtain this. • TT&E participants shali be required to submit an itemized lodging bill showing both charges and payments for reimbursement. • TT&E participants submitting receipts for parking fees shall be reimbursed in the amount noted on the receipt. . When two or more TT&E participants travel to the same destination by the same vehicie, mileage and parking fee reimbursement will be made to oniy one person. A significant, unexplained discrepancy beiween the estimated cost as requested on the TT&E request form and the expense report form may result in a request for additional justification. 18.8 FO�LOW-UP PROCEDURE It is expected that all participants in TT&E will receive a documentabie benefit from attending a TT&E event. It is a goal of the TT&E program that participants share that benefit with an appropriate audience. Therefore, upon return from a TT&E event participants are required to somehow communicate the gained benefit. Acceptabie mediums for this reqwrement, which should be chosen based on appropriateness, include, but are not limited to: • Written report to supervisor, co-workers, or others who would gain from knowledge; • Verbai discussion at a staff or department meeting; • Distribution of materials obtained to other employees who may benefit; and • Discussion with supervisor. The TT&E participant shall provide the Training Officer with a rating of the TT&E event, as well as documentation of the follow-up procedure, on a form availabie from the Personnel office. Information will be maintained in the training database. 18.9 COMPUTING WORK TIME WHILE IN TRANSIT In order for the City to assess the obligations for paying travel time, the determining factor is whether or not the travel invoives an overnight stay in another city. If a non-exempt employee is staying overnight in another city, travel occurring during the normal working hours, regardless of the day of the week, must be considered hours worked. if a TT&E participant is directed to travel to another city, but returns home that evening, all travel time, less the TT&E participanYs normai commute, will be considered time worked. The employer can direct when the TT&E participant should travel. This may sometimes involve a cost-benefit analysis. For exampie, it may be cheaper to pay travel time on a Saturday if the cost for the airtare is less for staying over on a Saturday night. This travel time may be overtime if the TT&E participant is eligible per the appropriate labor agreement/personnel policy. The empioyer can change work hours for non-union TT&E participants in order to schedu(e around a TT&E event. For bargaining unit empioyees, the applicable labor agreement should always be reviewed. Exempt employees wiii be paid their normal salary. Travel time outside the normal work schedule is not paid, under any circumstances, to exempt employees. 18.10 EXCEPTIONS Exceptions to this policy may be allowed, with prior approvai of the Training Officer and the City Administrator, for unique circumstances, cost saving alternatives, or to provide for reasonable accommodations for the physical or medical needs of a TT&E participant. 18.11 EDUCATION POLICY Any employee who is interested in pursuing further job related training and education opportuniYies couid independentiy pursue these opportunities under the city's education poiicy. An empioyee can take a course at an accredited coilege/vocational school, and apply for reimb�rsement for tuition costs per the policy. In addition, these courses would be taken on the employee's own time. Tuition/Book Reimbursement: The City encourages its employees to participate in continuing education in order to improve job performance in their present positions, and to prepare for advancement within the City through self-development. In furtherance of said goal, the City will reimburse an employee for the payment of tuition and the purchase of books when ail of the following conditions have been met: a) The course can be taken at an accredited college or university, an accredited vocational institution, or at an approved adult education program; b) The empioyee shall submit an Education Reimbursement Application form to his/her Department Head rip or to the commencement of the course. c) The request for approval shail state, at a minimum: • The name of the coilege, vocationai institution, or aduit education course being attended; • The starting date of the course; • The estimated completion date of the course; • An inciusive description of the course, its educationai content, and the manner in which this course relates to the employee's current position, or an immediate promotional position to which the employee may advance; . The identification of availability and source of other assistance which the empioyee is eligibie to receive by virtue of enroliing in this educational program; • The number of credits for which the course has been approved; • Whether the course wili be taken at a time other than the employee's reguiar work hours, or whether the employee wili need to use leave in order to attend the course; and • Once the form has been approved, it will be returned to the empioyee. Only after the form is returned and signed, is the employee authorized to proceed. The empioyee shail return the form, along with receipts and grade reports, upon completion of the course. The above information can be provided on the Education Application form or attached to the form. d) Ali courses approved for tuition and book reimbursement must be job related; e) The Department Head shall forward the employee's request to the City Administrator or designee; f) Within 3� days following receipt of the request, the City Administrator or designee shali respond to the request, inciuding whether the request is approved or denied. Reasons for denial shall be specified, and may include, but not be limited to: unavaiiability of funding, the course or program is not reasonabiy related to the empioyee's job performance or knowiedge, or does not develop skills reasonably necessary for his/her position, g) Upon receiving a C or better for the course, and presentation to the City of a paid receipt for the cost of tuition and books, the City shall reimburse to the employee those amounts for which he/she has not already received reimbursement through another source as specified in item b), above. The employee shall submit documentation showing the grade obtained for the course, receipts showing payment for the cost of tuition and books, a voucher for reimbursement, and the original approved Education Reimbursement application form. If the employee is approved for a pass/fail course, reimbursement will be processed upon documentation of passing the course; h) No reimbursement wili be made, under any circumstances, for the cost of supplies, student memberships, student health coverage, activiry fees or costs, transportation to or from school, parking, or any other charges for which the employee became liable while attending schoof; i) Ali tuition and book reimbursement is subject to the availability of budgeted funds; j) No employee may receive in excess of $1,500 tuition/book reimbursement in any one calendar year. The Clty Council may waive this limitation in unusuai circumstances where it is determined that there is a justifiable City need for an employee to take additionai schooling; and k) Empioyees who receive tuition/book reimbursement, and who do not complete at least two (2) years of empioyment with the City after such reimbursement, will be required to repay the reimbursement on a pro-rated basis for the two (2) years. The pro-ration schedu�e for repayment will be as foilows: • Up to 6 months after course ends, fuii repaymen± • 6 to 12 months after course ends, 75% repayment • 12 to 18 months after course ends, 50°10 repayment • 18 to 24 months after course ends, 25% repayment • After 24 months--no repayment Educational Leave Time: Where an empioyee is engaged in advanced education, the employee may request approval of his/her Department Head in order to use compensatory leave, or annual leave, time in order to attend a course given during the employee's regular working hours. 18.12 BUSINESS TRAVEL AND EXPENSES (NON-EDUCATIONAL) AND AUTOMOBILE FRINGE BENEFITS M�scellaneous Expenses: An empioyee shall be reimbursed for his/her actual out-of-pocket expenses expended for approved purchases on behaif of the City. Such expenses wili be subject to the guidelines established in Section 16 Automobile Fringe Benefits: Department Heads issued cars are required to commute to and from work in the City vehicle. Other authorized use of city vehicles is defined as travel to and from city- related meetings, seminars, or other City functions. Income will be determined according to IRS guidelines, and will be considered taxabie income and reported on the W-2 for any personai benefit, inciuding commuting. Monthly aliowances and per-mile aiiowances are considered taxabie income and wii� be inciuded on the W-2 form. It is the employee's responsibiiity to maintain records for any deductions from this income due to miles driven, gas purchased, or expenses incurred. Cieariy marked police and fire vehides are considered exempt under IRS guidelines and, therefore, wi(I have no additional income for automobile fringe benefits derived from the use of City-owned vehides. The City considers automobile fringe benefit income paid monthly, and must withhoid state and federal income taxes from this income. 18.13 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP Employees who are considering participation on a committee for a professional organization, or some other work-related task, shall notify the Training Officer prior to accepting appointment to the committee. The Training Officer shaii aiso be notified if an employee is considering becoming a Board member of a professionai organization. Passed this 6th day of February, 2008. Sandra Shiely, Mayor Attest: Caron M. Stransky, City Clerk