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Council withdraws per diem authorization for Mayor Beltran's Fresno COG Washington trip
Summary
An earlier approval for a per diem related to the mayor's Fresno COG trip to Washington, D.C., was withdrawn after staff confirmed Fresno COG covers meals and will reimburse with receipts; the mayor asked the council to remove the item from the agenda.
The Parlier City Council on Feb. 20 removed from the agenda a previously approved authorization to pay a per diem to Mayor Alma Beltran for a Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) Washington, D.C., delegation trip after staff confirmed Fresno COG would cover the mayor's meals and reimburse expenses with receipts.
Staff (Berta and city clerk Megan) told the council that the prior conditional approval had been based on the understanding that Fresno COG would not provide a per diem. Staff confirmed Fresno COG does not issue an advance per diem check but does pay for meals directly or will reimburse participants who save receipts. Because the mayor is not seeking the city per diem and Fresno COG covers meals, the council agreed to withdraw the expenditure authorization and not move funds into the education account to cover the per diem.
City clerk Megan recommended withdrawing the agenda item; the mayor had asked that it be pulled. Council agreed and the item was withdrawn with no expenditure authorized.
Staff noted that the earlier council approval had been made in good faith under a condition (no Fresno COG per diem), and that if funds were later required, the council could revisit appropriate budget transfers. No vote to expend funds occurred on the record; the matter was removed from the agenda.
