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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.f. Public Purpose Expenditure PolicyAGENDA ITEM: Public Purpose Expenditure Policy AGENDA SECTION: Consent PREPARED BY: Emmy Foster, Assistant City Administrator AGENDA NO. ATTACHMENTS: Updated City of Rosemount Public Purpose Expenditure Policy APPROVED BY: OW RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to approve the Updated Public Purpose Expenditure Policy 'JC ROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL City Council Meeting: March 18, 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ISSUE The issue before the City Council is the approval of the updated Public Purpose Expenditure Policy. The policy addresses expenditures made by the City regarding employees, group and elected officials. It clarifies which expenditures the City Council considers to be appropriate. BACKGROUND At the March 11th City Council Work Session, Council was presented with and discussed the proposed document which updates the existing policy relating to Public Purpose Expenditures. Periodically our policies are reviewed and updated. The City Council officially adopted this policy and must approve any revisions. The City Council last approved this policy on April 3, 2003. SUMMARY Staff recommends approval of the updated Public Purpose Expenditure Policy for the City of Rosemount. CITY OF ROSEMOUNT POLICY TITLE: EFFECTIVE DATE: POLICY NUMBER: PROPOSED BY: DATE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL: PUBLIC PURPOSE EXPENDITURE POLICY ADMINISTRATION POLICY Pursuant to the statutes and laws of the State of Minnesota which permit, and require the expenditure of public funds for public purposes, the Rosemount City Council believes it necessary and appropriate to provide assistance and guidance to the officials, employees and representatives of Rosemount to aid in the determination of when public funds may be spent for a public purpose. To provide that assistance and guidance, the Rosemount City Council adopted these public purpose guidelines for the establishment of operating policies and procedures and the appropriate expenditures of public funds. Based on these guidelines, the City Council authorizes the City Administrator, elected officials and appointed department heads to establish administrative policies and procedures that are consistent with these guidelines and the adopted City policies that implement these guidelines. Definition: A public purpose expenditure is one that relates to the purpose for which the City of Rosemount exists and the duties and responsibilities of Rosemount, its elected and appointed officials, employees and other representatives. PUBLIC PURPOSE GUIDELINES Training and development programs for Rosemount employees and its official representatives serve a public purpose when those training and development programs are directly related to the performance of the employees' and the officials' job- related duties and are directly related to the programs /services for which the City is responsible. 2. Payment of employee work related expenses, including travel, lodging and meal expenses, serves a public purpose when those expenses are necessarily incurred by Rosemount employees and its official representatives in connection with their actual work assignments or official duties and those expenses are directly related to the performance of the governmental functions for which Rosemount has responsibility. 3. Appropriate safety and health programs for Rosemount employees serve a public purpose because they result in healthier and more productive employees and reduce certain costs to the City and the taxpayers of Rosemount, including various costs associated with workers compensation and disability benefit claims, insurance premiums, and lost time from employee absences. 4. Public expenditures for appropriate Rosemount employee and volunteer recognition programs serve a public purpose because formally recognizing employees and volunteers who make significant contributions and demonstrate their commitment during the performance of their duties result in higher morale and productivity among all Rosemount employees and volunteers, and therefore help the City to fulfill its responsibilities efficiently and more cost effectively. 5. Public expenditures for food and refreshments associated with official Rosemount functions serve a public purpose when the provision of food or refreshments is an integral part of an official Rosemount function and the provision of food or refreshment is necessary to ensure meaningful participation by the participants. 6. Public expenditures for appropriate community and customer outreach and similar activities serve a public purpose when those expenditures are necessary for Rosemount to ensure the efficient operation of its programs /services, promote the availability and use of City resources, and promote coordinated, cooperative planning activities among and between the public and the private sectors. SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND EXPENDITURES Every City of Rosemount expenditure must be valid based upon the public purpose for which it is purchased. The following items are deemed to meet the Council definition of public purpose expenditures. EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM The City of Rosemount City Council recognizes the hard work and service performed by the employees of the City of Rosemount through a formal Employee Recognition Program. The City Council believes the benefits of attracting, retaining and motivating employees through an Employee Recognition Program support employee job satisfaction, which in turn impacts cooperation and productivity. The result is to provide excellent public and customer service to better serve the interests of the citizens of the community. The Employee Recognition Program is considered "additional compensation" for work performed by employees but is entirely dependent on receiving funding from year -to -year. No provisions of this policy, or its administration, shall be subject to review under the grievance or arbitration provisions of any collective bargaining agreement. 2 The Program will include: 1. Annually the City will sponsor an Employee Recognition Luncheon for City employees. The City may also sponsor an annual employee picnic or a Holiday Party. 2. An employee will receive an award for service at the Employee Recognition Luncheon. New employees receive a City Pin and employees completing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service receive a gift certificate for a designated amount. The recognition year runs concurrently with the calendar year (January 1 to December 31 of the current year). In addition to awards, employees shall receive a "Certificate of Recognition" for the number of years being recognized. Awards given are as follows: New Employee City Pin 5 years $25.00 10 years $50.00 15 years $75.00 20 years $100.00 25 years $150.00 30 years $200.00 35 years $250.00 Retirement Wooden Plaque Recognition awards will go to all full -time and permanent part-time employees based strictly upon longevity and will in no way be connected to performance. The award will be based on "continuous" service with the City from the employee's initial start date whether it be part-time or full -time. The recognition will be based on the concept of peers honoring peers. 3. The City will also send flowers if one the following occurs: Death or serious accident or illness, including surgery, of a current employee; Death of a former employee. Birth or adoption of a child to a current employee; Death or serious accident or illness of an immediate family member of a current employee including spouse, sibling, parent /in -laws, child, grandparent or grandchild. Death of a prominent citizen who contributed substantially to the community as determined by the Mayor or any two council members. 4. The City will provide a cake or comparable food item when a permanent City employee in good standing leaves City employment. 5. The City supports other events that are planned and paid for by employees with the approval of the City Administrator. 6. The City supports recognition plaques in recognition of long -time service or retirement. Amounts expended on these items shall be reasonable in nature considering the normal costs of good and services. The cost of the elements of the Employee Recognition Program will be included as a separate line item in the City of Rosemount Budget. This line -item will be 3 approved annually by the City Council as a part of the overall budget approval process, which includes a public hearing on the proposed budget. EMPLOYEE SAFETY PROGRAMS The City Council recognizes the importance of employee health and safety as it relates to the overall work and life satisfaction of the employee and the overall impact on the City's insurance programs. The Employee Safety Program is funded by the departmental budgets. The City supports programs created by the Safety Committee to promote and retain and safe work environment. MEETING FOOD/MEALS The City Council recognizes that situations in which City business needs to be discussed can and do occur during meal hours (e.g. luncheon meetings). In addition, there are public and employee meetings and events in which reasonable refreshments may add to the success of the meeting and /or event and create a more productive work force. The following items are deemed to meet the Council definition of public purpose expenditures in regards to food and meals. 1. Meals and refreshments are allowed at City meetings and events that have a purpose of discussing City issues. These meetings would normally have a pre planned agenda. 2. Meals and refreshments are allowed at employee meetings and events that have a purpose of discussing City issues or are a part of an employee training. These meetings would also normally have a pre planned agenda. These meetings could include new employee receptions to introduce new employees to existing employees, provide an orientation to the City, and promote teamwork and cooperation. This does not include routine staff meetings. 3. Meals and refreshments are allowed when they are part of a breakfast/lunch /dinner meeting for official city business when it is the only practical time to meet. Usually these meals involve meeting with City Council members, Committee /Commission members, or local business /fraternal organizations. Payment for fees relating to a special event, such as a Chamber of Commerce event may also be allowed where approved by the City Administrator and when attendance is deemed to meet the public purpose guidelines for community or customer outreach and marketing of the City. 4. Meals and refreshments are allowed during official meetings of the City Council, council committees, advisory boards /commissions, and taskforces. 5. Travel expenses for employees are outlined in the Rosemount Personnel Policy. 6. Meals and refreshments are allowed where employees or volunteers are participating in a City- sponsored special event, participating in an outside event 4 as an official representative of the City, or working additional hours and where the department heads deem meals or refreshments appropriate as recognition of efforts above those normally required. Because emergency personnel are often called to perform for extended periods of time and duties where refreshments are important to duty performance, emergency response personnel may be provided refreshments or food when it is deemed appropriate by the City Administrator or Department Head to assure the delivery of quality emergency response service. 7. No purchase of alcoholic beverages is allowed. The cost of these meals or fees is included in the departments' travel /conferences line -item in the Rosemount Operational Budget. These line -items are approved annually by the City Council as a part of the overall budget approval process which includes a public hearing on the proposed budget. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES The City Council has determined that the City will fund memberships and dues (individual or organization) in professional organizations and City social and community organizations when the purpose is to promote, advertise, improve or develop the City's resources and advantages and not personal interest or gain. The cost of memberships /dues is included in the departments' dues and subscriptions line -item in the Rosemount Operational Budget. These line -items are approved annually by the City Council as a part of the overall budget approval process, which includes a public hearing on the proposed budget. EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT The City of Rosemount Personnel Policy contains guidelines for an education reimbursement program. Job related advanced education meets the public purpose guidelines of this policy. The amount available for this program shall be considered annually. The cost of this program is contained in the Rosemount City Council budget. CLOTHING AND OTHER SUNDRY ITEMS Employees may receive T- shirts, and other sundry items of nominal value ($5.00) when these items are made available to the general public or if these items are determined by the City Administrator to be important to the successful involvement of employees in special city- sponsored or city- supported events (e.g. National Night Out, Safety Camp, etc.). Employees may be supplied with uniforms, clothing, boots and other gear necessary for the performance of their job. CONCLUSION The Rosemount City Council has determined that the above expenditures are valid expenditures and serve a public purpose. 5