Councillors here are putting a cap on employee spending out of town.
As part of Minto’s revised personnel policy, council has initiated new policies regarding travel expenses.
The first states that if an employee is required to travel overnight (or on a day off), Minto will grant that person a pay rate of $85 per half day or $150 for a full day (or time off in lieu), plus expenses for meals for the time the person is not already receiving wages or salary.
Staff are allowed one personal call per day from the hotel room – but are requested to keep such calls brief.
Further, “The town of Minto will not cover mini-bar purchases, dry cleaning, or movies in the employee’s room.”
As well, the town has revised its personnel policy to indicate how much employees are entitled for expenses while on training and development, conventions, and conferences. Until the passage of the policy, the town had no official policy stipulating spending limits for meals.
The recommendation of the senior management team is that “employees will be reimbursed for meals (food) while attending functions that are supported by the town.
Total amounts include taxes and gratuity.
– breakfast, $15;
– lunch, $25; and
– dinner, $35.
Further, the new policy stipulates “employee meals will be reimbursed when accompanied by a meal receipt, not just the Visa receipt.”
Initial questions came from councillor Rick Hembley, who asked for clarification when the per diem pay took effect. He said he thought staff were paid a regular salary when taking training.
Clerk Barb Wilson explained it would take effect if a person had to travel to Ottawa over a weekend or outside of regular working hours to reach the location where the convention or training is being held. She added the employee also has the option of taking time off in lieu of such travel.
Hembley also had questions on the limits imposed on meal expenses. While Minto did not have a previous policy, Works Superintendent Norm Fisk said the understanding was the town would pay for meals “as long as it wasn’t booze.”
Councillor Tammy Reimer had issue with the policy strictly outlining payment for food, but not beverages.
Hembley said he has no qualms with the men having a beer or two in their rooms at the end of the day. He asked what the difference is between a person having a beer or an expensive latté, which would likely cost more.
Wilson said one of the issues is where to draw the line; does the municipality pay for one beer or three.
If a certain dollar figure was made, “a person could have a grilled cheese and five beers,” Wilson said.
Deputy-mayor Judy Dirksen said, “The general feeling is that the taxpayer should not be paying for alcoholic beverages.”
Wilson added that it is also acting in the area of due diligence by the municipality.
As to what prompted this revision, Fisk said a couple of the work crew recently submitted Visa bills as part of an expense submission.
“When I asked for the bill, they said they did not have one,” he said. “Everyone gets a bill.”
Council passed both resolutions without further discussion.
