REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Changes to the Council Policy on Council Travel and Conferences
Report
BACKGROUND
At its November 25, 2014 meeting, Council approved a reorganization of the policies within Council Policy Manual, Chapter 7, Subsection 3 (Council/staff-Council communications, and Intergovernmental Relations) to make them easier to find and to navigate. Sixteen separate policies were created and placed in new Subsection 4 with titles that are more appropriate and concise.
With Subsection 4 in place, staff has embarked on the second phase of the policy upgrade process: changes to the content of each of the 16 specific policies within the new Subsection 4 in order to bring them in line with current practice.
At its April 7, 2015 meeting, Council approved content changes to the first three of the policies within Subsection 4: 7.4.1 (Provision of Staff/Administrative Support to Councilmembers), 7.4.2 (Council Equipment, Material, and Supplies), and 7.4.3 (Council Activity Calendar and Meeting Scheduling).
This report presents for Council consideration the staff-recommended content changes to the fourth policy within Chapter 7, Subsection 4: 7.4.4, Council Travel and Conferences (Attachment 1).
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.1, Legislative Management - Goals and Policies
Goal 7.3B: Assure that City policy is established, documented and enacted according to established procedures and legal principles.
Policy 7.3B.2: Maintain official records of City action and policy in a retrievable manner, according to legal convention.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
Staff is proposing changes/edits throughout the fourth organized policy within Chapter 7, Subsection 4: 7.4.4, Council Travel and Conferences. These changes serve to address improved clarity and compliance with current practice. An outline of the staff-recommended changes to this policy follows. Please also reference Attachment 1 for a redline of all proposed revisions.
ยท Outline of Proposed Changes/Edits to Council Policy 7.4.4, Council Travel and Conferences (Attachment 1)
o Update to the policy purpose for clarity.
o Section I, Authorized Travel and Conferences, and Section II, Unauthorized Travel and/or Conferences, were merged into a simpler Section I called "Authorization." The benefits of authorized travel and conferences have also been simplified and incorporated into this new section.
o Section III, Budget, has been replaced with a new Section II, Travel Budgets, in order to more succinctly enumerate and define how Council budgets are established, managed, and maintained.
o The City Manager recently completed a review of the Administrative Policy governing employee travel (Chapter 4, Article 5, Travel Policy, Attachment 2). Revisions to the Administrative Policy resulted in a complete overhaul of how employee travel is defined and authorized; now the policy follows the Federal General Services Administration's (GSA) guidelines and provisions for employee travel. The City Manager is recommending these same guidelines and provisions for Council Policy. Therefore, new Sections III - XI are proposed to replace former Sections IV - VI (Travel Arrangements, Travel Information Packets for Major Conferences, and Travel and Conference Expenses) in Council Policy 7.4.4.
o Deletion of Section VII, Implementation, because this section is already referenced in policy 7.4.1 regarding all subsequent policies within Chapter 7, Section 4.
o Updates to references to other relevant Council policies.
Throughout 2015, staff will continue to periodically return to Council with proposed changes to the remaining policies within Council Policy Manual, Chapter 7, Section 4. The next policies proposed to be edited and submitted for Council's consideration in the fall are 7.4.5 (Ceremonial Events), 7.4.6 (Council Announcements and Speeches), 7.4.7 (Council Correspondence), and 7.4.8 (Council and Mayor's Mail and AnswerPoint Email).
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve changes to the Council Policy on Travel and Conferences as presented in Attachment 1.
2. Other direction by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Approve changes to the Council Policy on Travel and Conferences as presented in Attachment 1 to the report.
The City Manager's goal in updating the Administrative Policy was to increase travel efficiency and effectiveness, reduce costs, promote sustainability, and incorporate industry best practices. The proposed edits to this policy will help to ensure that the Council policies, processes, and procedures for travel are accountable and transparent and will help Councilmembers travel, using public funds, in an effective and efficient manner at the lowest logical travel cost.
Staff
Prepared by: Heidi Kirk, Executive Assistant to Council
Reviewed by: Yvette Blackford, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Robert A. Walker, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. 7.4.4, Council Travel and Conferences
2. Administrative Policy Manual, Chapter 4, Article 5, Travel Policy