[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6481548,"mediaKeyId","5784005-2dbe9a9874e4d40b95e4be32e9ae3e04","parentId",5784005,"title","Committee updates guidelines for commissioners' travel, reimbursement and cancellations","audioSeconds",2200,"startMs",4038000,"endMs",6238000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784005-2dbe9a9874e4d40b95e4be32e9ae3e04&start=4038&end=6238","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784005-2dbe9a9874e4d40b95e4be32e9ae3e04/thumbnail_4038000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6481548/Santa-Clara/Santa-Clara-County/California/Committee-updates-guidelines-for-commissioners-travel-reimbursement-and-cancellations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481548-baa3f9ca5ac3f3cc9f10ac65d614139f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445696&Signature=Vxg84R3nY3g9AGfbr39z2cHnr2QO2L0EMzEHCIAlPkUF-NNjgoRePl1t4lX9bIjJEKRUXMgjrvAD2--8sjSp3WtZBZ5nJVnei10ur8W2vy6PKhR3EwHXvTBx5HyIIek63ceWGWr89dInRePmxIyV8XJ-oq~hLgD26o95myq-pr3EvTFcZogj8ZigtWLBko8fwxuMCVN~SWjyi26UnkkevLk~V21yfEDglGHKbMojev2II2sWb5851wLXBWcVzBh6W1WSBjViCop37Yj9GhTBq27Q8Fa7CW~jDxgpzwpVy58ps33I8VHSIrGuIK1cE2owCpk53tGS4VHnjkKa75INiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Santa Clara","date","2025-09-12T16:22:02Z","article","The Governance and Ethics Committee unanimously approved Sept. 8 proposed amendments to Council Policy 006, which sets guidelines for commissioners' attendance at conferences and training events. The revised policy broadens the policy's scope to apply to commissions, boards and committees and clarifies procedures for booking, receipts and cancellations.

Assistant City Manager Araceli Esavito summarized the staff changes, saying the purpose of the updates \"is to provide amendments before you to improve the clarity, with regards to travel for commissioners, board members as and committee members.\" Esavito said the proposed policy adds clearer procedures requiring members to book early, submit itemized receipts and documentation within 30 business days, and provide expense reports that demonstrate compliance with the policy.

Key elements of the revised policy presented by staff include reimbursement for lodging for approved overnight travel (including the night before and after), meal reimbursement capped at GSA per-diem rates for overnight travel, and reimbursement for ground transportation (parking, tolls, shuttles, taxis, ride-shares). The policy also recommends that members use available hotel shuttles when provided and requires airfare to be booked at the lowest reasonable rate.

The proposed policy also contains a consequence for late cancellations: members who fail to provide timely notice of cancellations \"may be disqualified from attending a future event for at least 6 months,\" with recognized extenuating circumstances such as accidents. Staff emphasized that the 30-business-day deadline is for submission of receipts rather than final reconciliation and that failure to show compliance may require the traveler to bear costs.

Committee members asked several operational questions during discussion. Members raised concerns about uneven or minimal commission budgets (several commissions had little or no budget in recent fiscal years), and asked staff to notify commission staff contacts that training funds exist so eligible members can take advantage of them. Member Park asked for flexibility for local trips that require early departures; staff confirmed the policy permits the city manager to approve overnight lodging for local travel when \"extensive commuting would otherwise be required.\" Members also discussed taxi receipts and the practicalities of reconciling travel charges when receipts are incomplete; staff said forms exist to document lost or incomplete receipts and staff will work with the auditor when needed.

The committee voted unanimously to adopt the revised Policy 006 as presented and directed staff to return final text and to communicate training-budget information to commission staff so members are aware of available funds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Governance and Ethics Committee Meeting - Sept. 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Governance and Ethics Committee approved revisions to the policy covering commissioners, boards and committees to clarify reimbursable expenses, submission timelines and consequences for late cancellations.","taxTitle","Santa Clara , Santa Clara County, California","taxId",2859,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6481553,"Santa Clara committee approves updated council travel rules, expands per-diem options",3708,308000,4016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784005-2dbe9a9874e4d40b95e4be32e9ae3e04&start=308&end=4016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784005-2dbe9a9874e4d40b95e4be32e9ae3e04/thumbnail_308000.jpg","/articles/6481553/Santa-Clara/Santa-Clara-County/California/Santa-Clara-committee-approves-updated-council-travel-rules-expands-per-diem-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6481553-08994ce4f58a6c72d3e56271023c86c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445696&Signature=czRo9SRA5oEing9HXYzLo-GIHYTVNwX2dJnqLrAyQ7umfmTTRm1wmbkD4lRIYpwY-ZTbcwmFvCzk9KDJvD9LHgPkv4je0BCT2-8cruQujGfibUqPW6VsYPFZ0mvTnoYwfOEmk0lMEpkQbeyTpS8WFShzRVRtuqfl7zwWFOxMypAnVNbvCFkvk~bAkgYLpT1M~FLpuHp4Yk5skn3yVBwVlag~~WnEFpYs-C5j8fSg9eg8PC7m0vQv7rNaYNhoPd~aIxwTJurVR6q4KM6-s3ReBcqp0APMrr-GujxVOosUWXyw49MsuOEUSK7CaNQib92t~wJUjIPztlRKKh2Xn8cduA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Santa Clara Governance and Ethics Committee voted unanimously Sept. 8 to approve amendments to council policy 043 on official travel by city council members, adopting staff'proposed clarifications and adding committee amendments on per-diem and overnight lodging exceptions.

Assistant to the city manager Maria Lehi, presenting the staff recommendations, said the policy revisions were intended \"to establish guidelines for official travel by city council members\" and to provide \"clear direction on travel, reimbursable expenses, and the procedures for consistency and accountability.\" Lehi told the committee staff is also updating the City Manager Directive CMD 28 (employee travel) and the city's purchase-card procedures to support the revised policy.

The packet presented to the committee defined local travel as less than 50 miles or single-day events, clarified in-state and international travel, and removed prior numerical caps that limited the number of elected officials who could attend the same out-of-state or international event. The proposed policy also moved priority for conference attendance away from seniority toward committee or legislative assignment, the date of request and budget availability. Procedures added by staff require a written request to the executive assistant, verification of available funds, a preauthorization form, and city manager or designee approval of travel preauthorization. The policy sets a 30-day deadline (up from 15) for returning itemized receipts after a trip and lists typical reimbursable items (lodging, airfare, bridge tolls, taxis, ride-shares) and non-reimbursable items (personal expenses, entertainment, alcohol, guest meals).

During committee discussion members raised several implementation questions. Member Park said she supported the changes but asked that the committee alter the staff'proposed rule that limited meal reimbursement on travel days to 75% of the GSA rate. \"I would like to make the GSA 75 percent first and last day of travel. I'd like to make that 100%,\" Park said during the motion that amended staff'language. Other members described practical concerns about long travel days, late arrivals and receipts from taxis or local providers.

The committee amended the staff recommendation before approving it unanimously. The committee's amendments, recorded in the motion, (1) change the first-and-last-day meal allowance from 75% of the GSA per-diem to 100% of the GSA per-diem; (2) allow members to be reimbursed up to the GSA per-diem when itemized receipts are not provided (staff retained the option to accept itemized receipts when provided); and (3) add a limited exception for overnight lodging for some local trips when extensive commuting would otherwise be required, subject to city manager or designee approval and consistent with Brown Act considerations.

Maria Lehi told the committee that staff will prepare the final cleaned-up policy incorporating the committee's amendments and will bring the revised policy to the full City Council for final review and approval at a future meeting.

The committee also discussed operational details including p-card usage (staff said a separate purchase-card policy will define allowed p-card purchases for council travel), handling of shared receipts, refundable airfares, and whether frequent-flyer points or hotel rewards may be retained by the traveler. Lehi said the policy follows common practice in nearby cities and that staff can return with additional options if the committee wants further changes.

The motion to adopt the amended policy passed unanimously.

Less-critical implementation items and next steps include staff finalizing the policy text, updating the city manager directive and p-card rules, and training council members on the revised procedures.","The Governance and Ethics Committee on Sept. 8 approved revisions to the city's council travel policy to clarify travel types, procedures and reimbursements and amended staff'recommended language to change first/last-day meal reimbursement and non-itemized-receipt options.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee updates guidelines for commissioners' travel, reimbursement and cancellations

Santa Clara committee approves updated council travel rules, expands per-diem options