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Council debates elected‑official initiative fund policy after audit flags and pending reimbursements
Summary
Council spent extended time revising a proposed policy for elected‑official special initiative funds, clarifying allowable expenses, preapproval timing, reimbursement documentation and constitutional limits on gratuities; several pending reimbursements were approved conditionally after staff requested affidavits and invoices.
The council devoted a lengthy session to a proposed elected‑official initial funds policy and several pending check requests, focusing on documentation standards, allowable uses, and legal limits on taxpayer funds.
Attorney Wiley advised council that Georgia law bars taxpayer money from being used as gratuities or personal gifts and urged clear preapproval and documentation for reimbursements. He gave examples: "you can't give $20 gift cards to senior citizens with taxpayer money," he said, and recommended preapproval to avoid post‑hoc reimbursement problems.
Council members asked how the policy should handle event costs, volunteer refreshments, prizes, and third‑party vendors. Mayor Sauter recommended establishing both a front‑end timeline (14 days for check requests) and a similar turnaround for reimbursements. Finance staff said the city needs consistent documentation—itemized invoices, sign‑in sheets or flyers showing event purpose and participants—and cautioned that cash vendor payments present audit risk.
Three pending reimbursement requests by Councilman Alfred Dixon (small food purchase, DJ services, event supplies) generated particular scrutiny. The mayor initially denied one request for lack of documentation; after discussion the council approved conditional reimbursement for those items if Dixon provides a flyer/sign‑in and a signed statement explaining a cash/Zelle discrepancy. The finance director signaled she would process approved requests once the required documentation arrived.
Council directed staff to revise the policy in coordination with the city manager and finance director and to return a more complete draft at next week’s meeting; the council asked that a digital submission form and a clear list of required supporting documents be included.
