County OKs new travel policy

A new travel policy approved last week by the Flathead County commissioners better clarifies the reimbursement process for county employees who travel as part of their job, the commissioners and county department heads agree.

“I think what we have is a pretty good policy,” County Finance Director Sandy Carlson said. “The real work is making sure it’s applied consistently.”

County Administrative Officer Mike Pence said county policies typically are updated each June, but this one was important enough to warrant review midway through the fiscal year.

Pence said, however, that the new policy isn’t related to allegations made a year ago by the American Dream Montana organization about inappropriate spending by county employees.

An audit of selected county claim warrants completed in August 2009 found several deficiencies in the way claims were processed, but did not uncover any misappropriation of money.

A county audit committee and several department heads, including Carlson, were involved in developing the new travel policy. There were a couple of controversial elements, Carlson said, including mandatory use of the county credit card for travel expenses and required use of a county-owned vehicle for job-related travel.

The new policy states that all travel expenses for air travel, lodging and vehicle rental must be paid by using the county credit card. Any exception needs approval from a commissioner or Pence acting on behalf of the commissioners.

Also detailed in the new policy are three exceptions when personal vehicle mileage reimbursement for in-state travel will be authorized:

1. a county vehicle is not available for the specific time and date; 2. use of a personal vehicle is considered in the best interest of the county (reimbursement is 48.15 percent of the federal mileage rate allowed by the Internal Revenue Service); and 3. mileage reimbursement is governed by a grant or other outside agency and is subject to its rules and regulations.

For in-state travel, county employees are allowed a maximum of $23 per day for meals — $5 for breakfast, $6 for lunch and $12 for dinner. Out-of-state meal reimbursement is slightly higher — $7.50 for breakfast, $8.50 for lunch and $17 for dinner.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.