After a contentious debate over conference meals, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District approved a new council expense policy that outlines taxpayer-funded meals, travel and more.
Areas of control weakness identified by last year’s BDO Canada forensic audit – spurred by a KTW investigation into TNRD spending under former Managing Director Sukh Gill – included expense reimbursement processes to control spending levels. Board expenses were previously described each year in the board compensation by-law.
Under the new policy, directors can claim a fixed daily meal allowance without receipts of $25 for breakfast, $30 for lunch and/or $45 for dinner when they have to travel for a meeting, workshop, convention, seminar or other function and spend the night. Eliminated is an overnight daily rate of $120, which included meals and up to $36 per day in incidentals.
TNRD Trustees will be expected to pay for their own meal costs and claim expenses, rather than letting TNRD staff pay on their behalf.
In the past, former TNRD chief executive Sukh Gill billed directors’ meals to his taxpayer-funded credit card.
Travel accommodations under the new policy will be based on a standard room and will be booked at the lowest rate, with government or conference rates shown as an example. No maximum dollar figures or specifications for the types of hotels included in the policy.
Those seeking private accommodation may receive $50 per night with no receipt required.
Electoral District Managers can spend up to $2,000 annually per kilometer to travel to and from meetings within their electoral district or on business related to their respective electoral district. City managers may submit claims for travel to and from meetings directly related to the business of their municipality and TNRD up to an annual maximum of $500. Logbooks will be required including trip details.
Ward Directors can claim up to $1,500 per year in communications expenses — including cell phone bills, landlines, Internet service, newspaper advertisements or flyers, or materials used at communication purposes, such as a cell phone — and city managers can claim up to $750 a year. A commute rate per kilometer is 61 cents, according to a rate published by the Canada Revenue Agency.
The new policy was approved by the Board of Directors on June 16.
It followed a debate over whether or not directors should be allowed to receive a per diem if they couldn’t eat or didn’t like the food provided at a conference or otherwise.
According to the draft policy presented, “The ‘per diem’ rate cannot be claimed for meals included as part of a meeting, seminar, conference or convention itinerary, unless the director did not attend the meal. ”
The final clause – “unless the director has not attended the meal” – was not the initial recommendation of TNRD staff, but came following a policy committee review, during which some Managers have complained about the quality of food at some events and also expressed concern that food needs would not be met.
TNRD Area P (Rivers and the Peaks) director Mel Rothenburger, who is on the policy review committee, asked to review the revision and called it a “bagel clause.”
He said if a director thinks a provided bagel is too dry, they can instead choose to go to a restaurant and buy a better meal. He said charging the ratepayer a second time for a meal already covered by the conference fee undermines reforms in the regional district.
“I mean suck it,” Rothenburger said. “If you don’t like the muffin, you know, have the muffin anyway.”
Barrière Mayor Ward Stamer said he was “disappointed” and “insulted” by comments and insinuations that politicians are not responsible enough to work on behalf of taxpayers. He pointed to dietary restrictions previously mentioned by Merritt Mayor Linda Brown, who cannot eat gluten.
Kamloops County Mike O’Reilly said dietary restrictions are becoming more common and asked for a “waiver” option for people with diabetes, gluten-free or facing other diet-related barriers.
TNRD chief executive Scott Hildebrand said conferences generally cater for dietary needs, but noted that an exception could be granted in rare circumstances where this is not the case.
Deanna Campbell, general manager of corporate and legislative services at TNRD, said the policy mirrors that of personnel to clarify what can and cannot be spent.
In addition to his dietary concerns, Brown said meetings with ministers or other groups may take place at a time when meals are being provided at a conference.
“It’s not always the case that you have to suck it up,” Brown said. “And I, for one, having gluten allergies, would have a hard time craving a muffin for breakfast.”
Ashcroft Mayor Barbara Roden said a ‘very interesting conversation’ took place at the Policy Review Committee meeting. She said no policy would take into account all eventualities, but added that she was “disgusted” by the perception that some administrators might not like or want a taxpayer-funded sandwich with mayonnaise or a small – continental style breakfast.
Area L (Grasslands) Manager Ken Gillis and Area A (Wells Gray Country) Manager Carol Schaffer complained about food quality at this policy review panel.
“I would just like to say that I participated in SILGA [Southern Interior Local Government Association conference] and the breakfasts were terrible,” Schaffer said, referring to the late April conference held at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort in Salmon Arm. “They were cold. They weren’t edible, as far as I was concerned.
Roden said he spoke to the manager of the Ashcroft food bank which has recruited eight new people in the past two weeks.
“I would suggest that anyone who feels that the continental breakfast served at SILGA or UBCM is not good enough and that they are going to go out and charge taxpayers something else maybe go talk to the people who are crowding in our food banks for which it would be a massive and fantastic spread,” she said.
TNRD Zone E (Plateau Bonaparte) director Sally Watson clapped loudly, interrupting Roden’s remarks.
Roden said the issue made her “uncomfortable” because there’s a difference between not being able to eat something for dietary or health reasons – which she said she understood – and not wanting to eat something. thing.
She says she heard her mother say, “You will eat what is put in front of you.
Roden modified Rothenburger’s amendment to accommodate health and dietary reasons. Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian seconded the motion. Brown was the only opposing director.
Cache Creek Mayor Santo Talarico was absent from the meeting.
Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell, Christian, Chase Manager Rod Crowe, Kamloops Manager Dale Bass, Kamloops Manager Dieter Dudy, Area J Manager (Copper Desert Country) Ronaye were in favor of the amended amendment of Rothenburger, eliminating the manager’s discretion and adding sanitary and dietary facilities. Elliott, Gillis, Zone N Manager (Nicola Valley – South) Herb Graham, Zone O Manager (Lower North Thompson) Bill Kershaw, Zone M Manager (Nicola Valley – North) David Laird, Kamloops Manager Mike O ‘Reilly, Mayor of Lytton Jan Polderman, Area B Manager (Thompson Headwaters) Stephen Quinn, Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine, Area I Manager (Blue Sky Country) Steven Rice, Roden, Rothenburger, Manager of Kamloops Arjun Singh, Logan Lake Mayor Robin Smith, Stamer, Clinton Director Susan Swan, Watson and Kamloops Director Denis Walsh.
Brown and Schaffer objected.
Walsh further expressed concern that the daily rate doesn’t accommodate someone who only has a salad for dinner, for example, which he says is between $15 and $20, not $45. dollars.
“It’s too fixed, in a way, for me,” he said.
TNRD chief financial officer Doug Rae said it was a burden on staff to accept meal receipts. He advised Walsh to claim lower daily rates, via daily breakfast or lunch allowances.
The board then voted unanimously, 25 to 0, to approve the board’s expense policy as amended.