§ 2-87. Travel expense reimbursement policy.

(a)

Introduction . The St. Martin Parish Government recognizes that parish council members are frequently afforded the opportunity to attend state, national, and local conventions which provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas, information, and data, all of which enhance the ability of parish council members to discharge the duties of their respective public offices. Participation at such events is, therefore, deemed to be official business of the parish. Consequently, the St. Martin Parish Council hereby adopts and implements the following policy pursuant to the dictates of R.S. 33:1234.

(1)

Travel outside St. Martin Parish but within the State of Louisiana . Parish council members shall be reimbursed reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties outside St. Martin Parish but within the State of Louisiana. When two or more persons travel in the same personally owned vehicle, only one charge shall be allowed for the expense of the vehicle. Furthermore, such transportation expenses shall be reimbursed for the driver only at the standard mileage rate as designated annually by the Internal Revenue Service.

Reimbursement for meals shall be $60.00 per day provided an entire eight-hour day is required in the "official business" endeavor. If less than an entire day is required, the following reimbursement schedule will prevail:

a.

Reimbursement for breakfast at the rate of $10.00;

b.

Reimbursement for lunch at the rate of $20.00; and

c.

Reimbursement for dinner at the rate of $30.00.

Breakfast shall be subject to reimbursement when travel commences on or before 6:00 a.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 9:00 a.m. on the last day of travel, and for all intervening days. Lunch shall be subject to reimbursement when the travel commences on or before 10:00 a.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 2:00 p.m. on the last day of travel, and for all intervening days. Dinner is reimbursable when travel begins on or before 6:00 p.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 8:00 p.m. on the last day of travel, and for all intervening days.

Should lodging be required, reimbursement therefor shall be the actual expense at a single occupancy rate, plus applicable taxes. Moreover, reasonable storage, parking fees, ferry fares, and road/bridge tolls shall be subject to reimbursement.

(2)

Travel outside the State of Louisiana . Parish council members shall also be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in attending to the official business of St. Martin Parish outside the State of Louisiana. Reimbursement shall be for each expense and at the identical rates set forth in subsection (1) above, except as otherwise provided for herein. However, should any parish council member travel by air, then reimbursement shall be for the air fare at the non-first class rate, plus any associated ancillary costs such as charges for luggage. Flight reservations may be handled through the clerk of the council, and requests therefor should be submitted to the clerk at least 30 days in advance of the travel date, if possible. In the event that St. Martin Parish Government secures flight or other travel reservations/arrangements for a council member who, without just cause, is unable to honor said reservations/arrangements, then the council Member shall be obligated to reimburse St. Martin Parish Government for all non-refundable expenses associated with the cancellation. "Just cause" includes death in the council member's immediate family, documented and unexpected major illness, and/or unforeseen employment demands which otherwise render prospective travel plans imprudent.

Reimbursement for meals shall be $90.00 per day for each eight-hour day required in the "official business" travel. Whenever less than an entire day is required, the following schedule will prevail:

a.

Reimbursement for breakfast at the rate of $20.00;

b.

Reimbursement for lunch at the rate of $30.00; and

c.

Reimbursement for dinner at the rate of $40.00.

Reimbursement for breakfast is permitted when travel begins on or before 6:00 a.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 9:00 a.m. on the last day of travel, and for intervening days. Reimbursement for lunch is permitted when travel begins on or before 10:00 a.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 2:00 p.m. on the last day of travel, and for all intervening days. Dinner shall be subject to reimbursement when travel begins on or before 6:00 p.m. on the first day of travel and/or extends beyond 8:00 p.m. on the last day of travel, and for all intervening days.

Moreover, the cost of public ground transportation shall be reimbursed, including, but not limited to, charges for buses, subways, airport limousines, and taxi services. Such reimbursement claims require receipts for the total amount claimed.

(3)

Non-reimbursable expenses . Under no circumstances shall any council member be entitled to reimbursement for non-public expenditures, including, but not limited to, the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages, receptions, and all expenses incurred for the benefit of a third party.

No council member shall be entitled to reimbursement for any flight or other travel reservations/arrangements which he may have secured and subsequently cancelled without just cause. Additionally, no council member shall be entitled to reimbursement for any registration fees paid in connection with any seminar, conference, or training session when he is unable to attend same without just cause. "Just cause" includes the circumstances set forth in subsection (2) above.

(4)

Conferences and training sessions . As alluded to previously in this policy, the St. Martin Parish Council views attendance at seminars, conferences, and training sessions as serving the public function of facilitating the exchange of concepts, programs, and solutions to common public problems encountered by public officials holding same or similar positions. Examples, by way of illustration only and not by limitation, include attendance at the Louisiana Police Jury Association and the National Association of County Officials, as well as all affiliates thereof. Registration fees associated with attendance at all such conferences shall be, therefore, subject to reimbursement or payment therefor may be advanced by the St. Martin Parish Council. Should St. Martin Parish Government advance such registration fees on behalf of a council member who is unable to attend, without just cause, the conference for which the fees have been paid, then the council member shall be obligated to reimburse St. Martin Parish Government for all non-refundable registration fees associated with the cancellation. "Just cause" includes the circumstances set forth in subsection (2) above.

(5)

Budgetary provisions. The budget adopted by the St. Martin Parish Council for each fiscal year shall provide a line item for the expenditures associated with all travel and attendance at state, national, and local conventions as referenced in this policy. Each council member shall be entitled to reimbursement associated with such travel and attendance in the amount of one-ninth of the total amount budgeted for such travel expenses and registration fees incurred in connection with the exercise of the benefits accorded by this policy. To insure that the amount budgeted for each council member is not exceeded, the following procedures shall be followed:

A travel expense request for a council member shall be submitted to the clerk of the council, who will assist in developing a travel expense estimate. The clerk of the council, acting in consultation with the director of finance, will certify that the council member has not expended his pro rata share of the amount budgeted. If the pro rata share has been consumed, or if the amount remaining for that member's allotment is insufficient, the clerk of the council will so advise the council member and the chairperson of the council. The St. Martin Parish Council may, at a public meeting and by resolution, approve by majority vote of the council the appropriation of additional funds beyond the council member's one-ninth allotment to accommodate such travel and attendance.

Notwithstanding any provision of this policy to the contrary, in the event that a council member incurs expenses beyond the one-ninth allotment as a direct cause of an unforeseen event which occurs while in attendance at a state, national, or local convention, then the said council member shall be entitled to reimbursement for all expenditures incurred as a consequence thereof. "Unforeseen event" includes flight cancellations by the airlines, medical emergencies, death, and inclement weather.

(6)

Submission of reimbursement claims . To be entitled to reimbursement, parish council member(s) shall present a voucher, duly signed and dated, setting forth an itemized statement of expenses for which reimbursement is sought. The voucher shall have attached to it receipts for each expense, except the per diem allowed for meals. The voucher shall be in a format prepared for and approved by the parish council.

(7)

Waiver of right to seek reimbursement . Any council member shall be entitled to reimbursement for properly authorized voucher expenses as set forth herein and under the circumstances referenced herein. However, this right of reimbursement shall be solely at the option of each individual council member. The failure, however, to seek reimbursement within 60 days from the end of the month in which the expenses were incurred shall be deemed a waiver of the right to seek such reimbursement.

(8)

Duplication of expenses prohibited . Should any council member be entitled to any compensation or expense reimbursement by another source in attending to the official business of the parish, then no expense reimbursement shall be due from the St. Martin Parish Government. Such situations include, but are not limited to, those expenses associated with the attendance by a council member at the meetings of the governing bodies or committees of professional organizations such as the Louisiana Police Jury Association and National Association of County Officials, as well as all affiliates thereof.

(Ord. No. 15-01-1084-OR, 1-6-2015; Ord. No. 15-06-1093-OR, 6-2-2015)