AN ORDINANCE, amending Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 4.72 Travel Expenses and Chapter 4.14 Executive Recruiting.

WHEREAS, the City's Copernicus Project staff is in the process of redesigning existing procurement policies and procedures to align them more closely with Seattle City government's business objectives; and

WHEREAS, streamlining the City's travel policies and procedures is one part of that effort; and

WHEREAS, implementing Copernicus Project recommendations to streamline Citywide rules, policies and procedures will allow City employees to more easily apply those rules, policies and procedures; and

WHEREAS, the City's existing legislation regarding travel expenses is outdated and prevents the City from taking advantage of new and emerging technologies to help manage travel related expenses; Now Therefore,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Subsection A of Section 4.72.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368, is further amended as follows:

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Expenses Involving Travel Outside the City for Period of Less Than Twenty-four (24) Hours and Not Requiring Overnight Lodging. Reimbursement shall be made for actual expenses for:

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3. Meals, when travel outside the City is not a routine or normal part of an employee's job, provided that reimbursement shall not exceed the amount established by the City Finance Executive Services Director or his/her designee,by rule as hereafter authorized, and

4. Other reasonably necessary expenses incurred related to the conduct of City business including, but not limited to, writing materials, reading materials and telephone and telegraph communications telecommunications.

Section 2. Subsection B of Section 4.72.010 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368, is further amended as follows:

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Expenses Involving Travel for Periods Requiring Overnight Lodging. Reimbursement shall be made for actual expenses incurred for:

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Lodging, provided that the reimbursement shall not exceed the amount established by the City FinanceExecutive Services Director or his/her designee,by rule as hereafter authorized;

Meals, provide that reimbursement shall not exceed the amount established by the City FinanceExecutive Services Director or his/her designee,by rule as hereafter authorized; and

Other reasonably necessary expenses incurred related to the conduct of City business including, but not limited to, writing materials, reading materials and telephone and telegraph communications telecommunications.

Section 3. Subsection A of Section 4.72.020 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 118416, is further amended as follows:

Claims for reimbursement of expenses other than mileage and incidentals shall be accompanied by invoices and/or receipts showing payment of such claimed expenses, provided that the cost of air or railroad travel, and convention, seminar or other registration fees, may be billed directly to the appropriate City department. Invoices and/or receipts showing payment of overnight lodging expenses shall have clearly identified thereon the single occupancy rate for the accommodations utilized. Invoices and/or receipts shall be required for food expenses incurred within and outside the City. Upon written request and explanation stating sufficient reasons for failure to submit required invoices and/or receipts, the City Finance Director may waive such requirement. Claims for reimbursement of certain expenses will be permitted in accordance with the rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee.

..TX: Section 4. Section 4.72.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 107447, is further amended as follows:

No claim for reimbursement for expenses or any per diem allowance shall be paid unless approved by the appropriate department head: provided, that or his/her designee. claims by the Secretary and Chief Examiner of the Civil Service Department shall be approved by the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, claims by the Chief Librarian shall be approved by the Chairman of the Library Board of Trustees, claims by the Executive Secretary of the City Employees' Retirement System shall be approved by the Chairman of the Board of the retirement system, and c,, and c Claims by employees of the City's Boards and Commissions shall be approved by the Chairperson, Board of Administrators or his/her designee. C Claims by elected City officers shall be authorized and approved by each such officer.

Section 5. Section 4.72.050 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368 is further amended as follows:

SMC 4.72.050 Advance cash allowances When Allowed.

All officers and employees of the City may receive advance cash allowances covering anticipated reimbursable expenses to be incurred in the course of conducting City business involving travel outside the City. Such advance allowances shall be made upon the prior request of such officers and employees approved by the City Finance Director where the nature and duration of travel justifies such advance or failure to make such advance would result in economic inconvenience to such officer or employee. Requests for advances shall be made on such form as shall be prescribed by the City Finance Director who shall issue warrants therefor not more than five (5) days prior to commencement of the authorized travel, provided, that advances to officers and employees of the Lighting and Water Departments may be made by the respective heads of such departments from the appropriate revolving funds. Advance cash allowances for travel on City business will be permitted pursuant to rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee.

Section 6. Section 4.72.060 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 106525, is further amended as follows:

Cash allowances advanced pursuant to Section 4.72.050 shall be accounted for and/or repaid within ten (10) days following the completion of travel, and failure to do so shall render the officer or employee receiving such advance personally liable for the full unpaid amount plus interest at ten percent (10%) per year until repaid. No advance shall be made to any officer or employee who is delinquent in accounting for or repaying a prior cash advance. Under no circumstances shall any cash advance be considered as a personal loan to any officer or employee and any unauthorized expenditure of any such advance shall be deemed a misappropriation of public funds Repayment of advance cash allowances for travel on City business will be subject to the rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee.

..TX: Section 7. Section 4.72.070 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368, is further amended as follows:

SMC 4.72.070 Disallowed expenses Exceptions. Allowable and disallowable expenses.

No reimbursement shall be authorized or allowed for:

Fines, penalties, and/or forfeitures;

Tobacco, alcoholic beverages, entertainment, clothing, sundries, gratuities except as hereafter provided, personal telephone calls or telegrams, or other like personal items;

Meals or lodging in lieu of other meals and/or lodging the expense of which is included in a convention or other registration fee.

First-class travel accommodations unless coach or economy accommodations were not available, provided that upon written request and explanation stating sufficient reasons therefor, the City Finance Director may waive this limitation;

Meals in lieu of other meals or food service provided during periods of travel by a carrier and included in the fare charged; and

Meals sponsored by business, community or service organizations.

B. Exceptions. Gratuities: Payment for table service at restaurant, commonly known as a "tip" not to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the restaurant price of the meal, including applicable taxes, is reimbursable as a reasonable and necessary part of the cost of a meal. ..TX: Allowable and disallowable expenses shall be determined pursuant to the rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee.

Section 8. Subsections A, B, C, and D of Section 4.72.080 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368, are further amended as follows:

The City Finance DirectorExecutive Services Director or his/her designee is authorized to promulgate rules, policies, and proceduresand regulations, consistent with this chapter. and the City's Administrative Code (Chapter 3.02, Seattle Municipal Code; Ordinance 102228, as amended), establishing standards and procedures for effectively carrying out the requirements of this chapter. In establishing reimbursement rates for meals and lodging, the City Finance Director shall be guided by the following principles: The rules, policies, and procedures promulgated by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee shall be made available from his/her office or from other identified locations.

Rates of reimbursement for meals and lodging shall be determined by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee and shall be identified in the rules, policies, and procedures promulgated by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee. Rates of reimbursement for meals and lodging shall be based upon and not exceed, the average cost for meals and lodging (single occupancy) reflected in a national comparative cost index, such as the Runzheimer Meal Lodging Cost Index or the Federal Per Diem Index,, for the city visited by the officer or employee requesting reimbursement. If such indices do not list a particular city or other locale, the City Finance Director shall establish reimbursement rates based upon listings for cities or other locales having comparable cost-of-living rates or other accepted comparative economic indices.

If the hotel or other lodging facility serves as the location for a convention, seminar or similar event which is the purpose of the City business, or if the event sponsor arranges lodging at a hotel or other lodging facility for event participants, the allowable reimbursement per diem for lodging shall not exceed the cost of lodging arranged by the sponsors of such eventWhen the State Legislature is in session, in lieu of reimbursement for meals and lodging in accordance with the rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee, claims approved for employees in the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, shall receive an amount equal to the per diem established for the Washington State Legislature pursuant to RCW 44.04.080, as now or hereafter amended or succeeded. No portion of such funds may be used for promotional hosting.

C. If notice of City business was not adequate to allow the officer or employee to find lodging at the rate established by the City Finance Director, reimbursement for lodging may exceed such reimbursement amount up to ten percent (10%).

D. When the State Legislature is in session, employees occupying the positions of Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator and State Legislative Advocate, or successor position comparable thereto, shall receive, in lieu of reimbursement for meals and lodging in the manner and at the rates provided above, an amount equal to the per diem established for the Washington State Legislature pursuant to RCW 44.04.080, now or hereafter amended or succeeded. No portion of such funds may be used for promotional hosting. D.

Section 9. Section 4.72.090 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 116368, is hereby repealed.

The City Finance Director shall annually prepare and provide to the Mayor and the City Council a report regarding expenditures authorized by this chapter.

Section 10. Section 4.72.180 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as established by Ordinance 95244, is hereby repealed.

As authorized by Chapter 116, Laws of Washington 1965, such officers and employees of the Lighting Department as may be designated in writing from time to time by the Superintendent of Lighting may, in lieu of other methods of reimbursement authorized by law, be reimbursed for meals, lodging and other related expenses incident to the performance of duty on the following per diem basis:

Where such expenditures are incurred within or without the City, but do not require overnight lodging: Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) per day or any portion thereof]

Where such expenditures are incurred and require overnight lodging: Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) per day or any portion thereof.

..TX: Section 11. Section 4.72.190 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as established by Ordinance 95244, is hereby repealed.

The per diem rates for reimbursement authorized in Section 4.72.180 shall be in addition to reimbursement for actual expenditures for transportation, registration fees and similar purposes.

Section 12. Section 4.14.100 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 117258, is further amended as follows:

When the appointing authority of an employing unit deems it necessary for the successful recruitment of qualified persons for key positions in the service of the employing unit, he or she may, upon the approval of the Budget Director and the filing of a claim therefor, authorize payment of reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by applicants from out of the City for traveling to and from Seattle for the purpose of being interviewed for employment by the City in that unit. All authorized travel expenses are subject to the rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee. Payment of authorized expenses may be made in advance by the employing unit for the applicant(s), or the applicant(s) may be reimbursed for authorized expenses paid out of pocket. Authorized expenses shall include lodging, meals, incidentals, and transportation from such applicant's place of residence to Seattle and return to such place of residence, or mileage in accordance with the mileage reimbursement rate established in SMC Chapter 4.70, provided that payment for mileage shall not exceed the round-trip airfare of a common carrier. and provided further that no payment shall be authorized for: No payment shall be authorized for expenses deemed disallowable pursuant to rules, policies, and procedures established by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee.

..TX: Fines, penalties, and/or forfeitures;

Tobacco, alcoholic beverages, entertainment, gratuities, personal telephone calls and telegrams, or other like personal items;

First-class travel accommodations unless coach or economy accommodations were not available, or

Meals in lieu of other meals for food service provided during the period of travel by a carrier and included in the fare charged.

Section 13. Section 4.14.120 of the Seattle Municipal Code, as last amended by Ordinance 117258, is further amended as follows:

Authorized claims for payment of expenses other than for mileage and incidentals shall be submitted to the City Finance Director or his/her designee by the employing unit in accordance with the rules, policies, and procedures set forth by the Executive Services Director or his/her designee authorized to make the payment and shall be accompanied by invoices and/or receipts showing payment of such claimed expenses. Invoices and/or receipts showing payment of overnight lodging expenses shall have clearly identified thereon the rate for the accommodations utilized.

Section 14. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.

Section 15. Any acts consistent with and prior to the effective date of this Ordinance are hereby ratified and confirmed.

Passed by the City Council the _____ day of _______________, 1999, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _______________, 1999.

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President _____________of the City Council

Approved by me this _____ day of _______________, 1999.

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Paul Schell, Mayor

Filed by me this _____ day of _______________, 19____.

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City Clerk

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