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Council directs staff to revise travel policy to accommodate event‑center marketing
Summary
Councilors instructed staff to work with marketing staff and the city clerk to draft travel‑policy language that allows marketing staff at the Iron Trail Motors Event Center greater flexibility for day trips and short meetings while documenting liability and approval processes.
The council directed staff to work with the Iron Trail Motors Event Center marketing team to revise the city travel policy so marketing staff can make timely day‑trip visits to potential customers, trade shows and partners. The motion — moved by Councilor Johnson and supported by Councilor Freelab — passed by voice vote.
Councilors said current travel-policy language is ambiguous about day trips and whether a travel request must be filed for short, off‑site meetings. Councilor Johnson argued marketing for the event center often requires quick, in‑person meetings and asked for policy language to allow marketing employees appropriate latitude: “When you're doing marketing, it has to be face to face,” Johnson said, describing situations where a short off‑site meeting can generate revenue opportunities.
City clerk Pam Levine recommended a standard travel-request form be completed at minimum for documentation and liability purposes, even if the travel is a day trip. Legal counsel and staff discussed that when an employee is traveling for a primary work purpose they are generally covered under city insurance, but denied travel requests create ambiguity about whether the activity is within the scope of employment and could complicate coverage if an incident occurs while traveling.
The council asked staff to craft changes that (1) clarify which employees and elected officials the travel policy applies to, (2) set approval thresholds and documentation requirements, and (3) address liability if staff travel without formal council approval. The clerk was asked to help gather examples from other cities and to coordinate with the city attorney. Any proposed policy changes will be returned to council for review and formal adoption.
