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Franklin staff brief committee on proposed travel, meal and phone-call policy changes
Summary
City staff presented Resolution 2025-42 to clarify required receipts, define travel meals and remove a $5-per-day phone-call reimbursement; the Committee discussed the proposal but did not vote because there was no quorum.
City of Franklin staff presented proposed changes to the city travel and expense policy, including clearer documentation requirements, a definition of travel meals tied to overnight travel and removal of a $5-per-day personal phone-call reimbursement, and the Budget and Finance Committee discussed the edits at its June meeting but took no formal vote due to lack of quorum.
The presentation said the policy would require itemized receipts and the names of attendees and dates for meals and conferences so records are auditable. "We are specifying what documentation is needed, for city records," staff member Margaret said. On travel meals, Margaret said the city will "clarify on what is considered a travel meal, and what is not a travel meal" and align the policy with IRS guidance that overnight travel qualifies as travel meals while local day trips do not.
The proposal also would remove a prior provision that reimbursed up to $5 per day for personal phone calls while traveling. "If somebody has to travel on business, we're taking that out," Margaret said, adding the removal reflects widespread cellphone ownership.
Committee members asked for clarification on classification: one committee member described a three-hour lunch trip to Murfreesboro and asked whether that expense would be payable; staff responded it would remain a city business expense but would not be classified as a travel meal under the updated rules. Alderman Peterson and others asked no further questions.
Because the committee lacked a quorum at the start of the meeting, no vote was taken on Resolution 2025-42. The item was discussed and staff presented the proposed language for future action when a vote can be scheduled.
The changes, as presented, are limited to administrative policy language: required documentation (itemized receipts and attendee/dates), a clarified travel-meal definition tied to overnight travel, and removal of the $5-per-day phone reimbursement.
Next steps: staff will return the item for formal consideration at a future meeting when the committee can vote.
