RESOLUTION No. 16-06
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT TRAVEL EXPENSE CONTROL ACT
WHEREAS, the Illinois legislature recently enacted the Local Government ravel and Expense Control Act as a response to local governmental officials improperly passing on private entertainment expenses to the taxpayers to become effective January 1, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the Woodridge Public Library is committed to being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars and following the mandates of state lawmakers;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the President and Board of Library Trustees of the Woodridge Public Library as follows:
Section 1. Adoption: The following Library Reimbursement Policy shall be adopted and added to the Library Policies and shall state as follows:
"GENERAL POLICY: It is the policy of the Woodridge Public Library to comply with the Local Government Travel and Expense Control Act through the promulgation of these regulations.
1. DEFINITIONS:
"Entertainment" includes, but is not limited to, shows, amusements, theaters, circuses, sporting events, or any other place of public or private entertainment or amusement, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program or event.
"Travel expense" means any expenditure directly incident to official travel by employees, members of the governing board, and officers of the Library for a specific Library purposes.
2. TYPES OF TRAVEL FOR WHICH TRAVEL EXPENSES WILL BE ALLOWED: The Library will only approve travel expenses for employees or officers if the travel is necessary to complete official Library business, for the education of employees or officers, or necessary to obtain information for the betterment of the Library in some capacity.
3. TYPES of EXPENSES ALLOWED and PROHIBITED:
The actual cost of transportation is allowed (for example, airline tickets, train tickets, taxi fare and the like), as well as personal vehicle costs reimbursed at the current IRS mileage rate for business.
- The costs of lodging at a hotel or motel are allowed if an overnight stay is necessary.
- The costs of meals while traveling are allowed.
- The costs of conference fees, supplies and books for educational purposes are allowed.
- Entertainment expenses, as defined above, are NOT allowed and must be paid for personally by the traveler, and no costs for alcohol or liquor are permitted.
4. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE REIMBURSEMENT without BOARD ACTION:
Library employees and officers may receive reimbursement for travel expenses without specific Board Action as long as the expenses are under the Maximum Allowable Reimbursement as stated herein and the Procedure for Reimbursement below is followed.
1. The Board shall use the following overriding principals to determine the maximums:
a. Cost of travel shall be the actual expense incurred. Only coach flight expenses will be approved, any upgrades to first or business class will be at the expense of the traveler. Any personal automobile expenses will always be approved at the IRS rate for business travel if the traveler uses their own automobile (as opposed to a Library automobile).
b. Cost of food shall not include the cost of alcoholic beverages and should be reasonable and customary for the area.
c. Cost of lodging should be reasonable and customary for the area where the traveler is staying.
2. The total maximum for any travel for Library purposes allowed is $3,000.
3. In the event of an emergency or extraordinary circumstance, reimbursement may be approved over the $3,000 maximum reimbursement limit if approved by a majority of the Board at a properly noticed and regularly scheduled board meeting subject to a roll call vote.
4. All other expenses that do not fall within paragraphs 4.1, 4.2, or 4.3 are subject to the Library Director's approval.
5. PROCEDURE FOR REIMBURSEMENT: No expenses shall be reimbursed without a reimbursement request form (as included here) completely filled out with receipts or estimates attached. In the event that travel expense is prepaid, actual receipts must be turned in and attached to the reimbursement request form within 30 days of the completion of travel. Any amount paid in excess of the actual receipts filed must be repaid to the Library within 30 days.
6. EXPENSES INCURRED BY BOARD MEMBERS: Expenses may only be approved for reimbursement by the Board as a whole at a normally scheduled Board Meeting subject to a roll call vote."
Section 2: Should any portion of this Resolution be declared invalid, the remaining, severable portions, Shall, nonetheless, remain in full force and effect.
Section 3: This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after 10 days following its approval.
PASSED BY THE BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES OF THE WOODRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY, OF DUPAGE COUNTY, WILL, AND COOK COUNTIES, STATE OF ILLINOIS, THIS 161h DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2016.