Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve the Redistribution of Remaining Travel and Training Funds; and Accept the Year-End Report on Councilmember Travel and Training Expenditures
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The report provides information on the travel and training expenses incurred by City Councilmembers and the Mayor during the fiscal year. It details the allocation of funds, reimbursement processes, and the establishment of a pooled reserve of $15,012 for future use, within one fiscal year. This pooled fund aims to provide additional support for Councilmembers who may exceed their individual travel budgets, ensuring they have adequate resources for professional development and official duties.
Notably, the requirement for a detailed report on these expenditures was introduced in 2023 along with the requirement to pool unused funds, marking the Fiscal Year 2023-24 as the first year of its implementation and this the first fiscal year of reporting. Some accounts have an overage, which are absorbed by the total unspent funds to be pooled. To assist with avoiding future overages, City staff have implemented a system of monitoring with monthly status updates emailed to Councilmembers.
Staff recommend that the City Council accept the report and approve that unspent Fiscal Year 2024-25 funds be pooled and allocated evenly among all Councilmembers to serve as a reserve to support upcoming travel and training expenditures pursuant to the Councilmember Handbook.
BACKGROUND
Councilmembers and the Mayor are provided with an Advocacy, Training & Technology budget, and an apparel budget per fiscal year. City budgets are set by the City Council as part of the budget cycle. The aforementioned budgets for the Mayor and Councilmembers are set per account, the monies are non-transferrable, and cannot carry over from year to year, with the exception of the advocacy, training and technology budget. In the occurrence of a Council vacancy where a temporary appointme...
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