Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Committee discusses P‑card, travel policy changes; staff to return with consolidated revisions
Loading...
Summary
Members reviewed an updated purchasing card (P‑card) policy and travel policy language, including reconciling cardholder controls, limits, prohibited purchases and hotel/travel reimbursement rules; staff will finalize forms, training and return in March.
The finance committee reviewed an updated purchasing card (P‑card) policy and related travel policy language during the Feb. 19 meeting, and staff described steps to implement stronger controls, training and reconciled procedures.
Procurement and finance staff explained the P‑card policy will: (1) define roles (p‑card administrator/procurement official, backup coordinator, cardholder and requester); (2) set transaction and single‑purchase limits subject to managerial thresholds; (3) require monthly reconciliation and documented receipts uploaded to Tyler or other city systems; and (4) list prohibited purchases consistent with state guidance (for example, no gift cards, alcohol, tobacco or personal purchases). Staff said the policy will mirror state purchasing card restrictions where applicable and add city‑specific controls.
On travel, staff proposed tying per diem and lodging reimbursements to federal GSA rates for conference travel and clarifying when overnight stays are allowed. Committee members questioned a legacy rule that limited overnight lodging reimbursements unless travel exceeded a distance threshold; they discussed allowing overnight stays for education and training and asked staff to propose clarified language that prevents abuse while addressing safety and health concerns for late‑night events. Staff said they will return with revised language and examples for the March work session.
Training and implementation steps described by staff include mandatory training for cardholders and approvers, a signature and cardholder agreement that must be signed before issuance, and a plan to migrate paperwork into Tyler and reduce paper forms after training.
Procurement Manager Alicia Boynton said staff would share the updated forms and train users; Boynton added, “It’s a day and night difference than having somebody in the position to know what they’re doing.”
Ending: Staff will finalize P‑card and travel policy language, post updated forms to SharePoint, and schedule training; the policies and related ordinances (if needed) will be on the March agenda for committee and council review.
