Council Member Policy

The following policy outlines meeting attendance requirements, salary rates, and reimbursements.

Regular & Special Meetings

• Regular Meetings shall constitute the monthly meetings held in accordance to ordinance. One monthly meeting is held each month within the city limits of the "City of Kennedy" ("City").

• Special Meetings are those meetings of specific and special purpose, such as the Board of Review and the Annual Budget Meeting. Special meetings may be called at any time. Special meetings are held to the same location, public notice and quorum requirements as regularly scheduled meetings.

• Salary Rates for each monthly meeting and special meeting is set at $35 per meeting, for each council member in attendance, and $50 per meeting for mayor attendance.

• Mileage is not paid for regular monthly meetings or special meetings.

• Payment for meetings attended January through June will be made on June 30 of each year, and payment will be made on December 31 of each year for meetings attended July through December. Council review and approval is required for council salary payment.

​

​

Elected Official Travel Policy

Purpose. The "City of Kennedy" ("City") recognizes that its council members ("Elected Official") may at times receive value from traveling out of the state for workshops, conferences, events and other assignments. This "Elected Official Travel Policy" ("Policy") sets forth the conditions under which out-of-state travel will be reimbursed by the City.

 

General Guidelines

The event, workshop, conference or assignment must be approved in advance by the City at an open city council meeting and must include an estimate of the cost of the travel. In evaluating the
out-of-state travel request, the council will consider the following:

 

• Whether the Elected Official will be receiving training on issues relevant to the City or to his or her role as the mayor or as a council member;

• Whether the Elected Official will be meeting and networking with other elected officials from around the country to exchange ideas on topics of relevance to the City or on the official roles of local Elected Officials.

• Whether the Elected Official will be viewing a city facility or function that is similar in nature to one that is currently operating at, or under consideration by, the City, where the purpose for the trip is to study the facility or function and to bring back ideas for the consideration of the full council.

• Whether the Elected Official has been specifically assigned by the council to visit another city for the purpose of establishing a goodwill relationship, such as a "sister-city" relationship.

• Whether the Elected Official has been specifically assigned by the council to testify on behalf of the City at the United States Congress or to otherwise meet with federal officials on behalf of the City.

• Whether the City has sufficient funding available in the budget to pay the cost of the trip.

 

Additional Guidelines

• No reimbursements will be made for attendance at events sponsored by, or affiliated with, political parties.

• The City may make payments in advance for airfare, lodging and registration if specifically approved by the council. Otherwise all payments will be made as reimbursements to the Elected Official.

• The City will reimburse for transportation, lodging, meals, registration, and incidental costs using the same procedures, limitations and guidelines outlined in the City’s Personnel Policy for City employees.

• Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS rate. If two or more Elected Officials travel together by car, only the driver will receive reimbursement. The City will reimburse for the cost of renting an automobile if necessary to conduct City business.

• Lodging and meal costs are limited to those that are reasonable and necessary. The Elected Official must use the most cost-efficient mode of travel available, taking into consideration reasonable time constraints. Airfare will be reimbursed at coach rate.

• Receipts are required for lodging, airfare, and meals, and should accompany an expense report form. It is not necessary to have receipts for cabs and tips. The expense report form must be submitted to the City for payment.

• The City will not reimburse for alcoholic beverages, personal telephone calls, costs associated with the attendance of a family member, rental of luxury vehicles, meal expenses included in the cost of registration, or recreational expenses such as golf or tennis.

• Limitations may be imposed on paying for expenses for an Elected Official who has announced intention to resign, not to seek reelection, or who has been defeated in an election.

• The City may request an oral or written report from the Elected Official on the results of the trip.

• The Elected Official must turn over materials received to the City.

• All frequent flyer miles accrued must be turned over to the City.

• The City may make exceptions to the Policy depending upon circumstances unique to the trip and/or Elected Official.

​

Minnesota Statute Sec. 471.661, adopted in 2005, requires each statutory or home rule charter city, county school district, regional agency, etc., develop and implement a travel policy for elected officials. There are no exceptions for small cities.

​