City of Powell River councillors have sent a policy on council travel reimbursement back to staff for revision before passage.
At the December 19 council meeting, councillor George Doubt brought up a clause in the travel reimbursement policy, which states that private accommodation shall be reimbursed directly to the council member at $50 per night for a maximum of $200, with no receipt required. He said the motion that council had previously passed included an allowance for a modest host gift, at a value of up to $50 per night, up to a maximum of $200, when staying for free with friends or family during conference travel instead of at a hotel.
“The language has changed from what council had adopted, and in my view, it entirely changes the process,” said Doubt. “A councillor may stay with a friend, or decide to sleep in their car, or decide, like councillor [Rob] Southcott did, to take his boat to Vancouver and pay moorage, which was less than the hotel cost, but I think it was more than $50 a day. I’m concerned this is not carefully drafted and it may cause limitations where we don’t want limitations, and opportunities where we don’t want opportunities.”
Councillor Cindy Elliott said her recollection was that receipts would be required, and that gifts could not be alcohol.
“It is different in this version from what I had thought,” added Elliott.
Council voted to defer adoption of the travel reimbursement policy so the appropriate motion can be brought back by staff. Councillor Trina Isakson then made a motion to direct staff to revisit the original motion related to council travel reimbursement regarding private accommodations, to reference friends and family in the policy, with a receipt required.
Doubt said council had made a decision regarding reimbursement for private accommodations at the December 3 committee of the whole meeting, which was voted on and passed. He said Isakson’s motion would provide a staff report.
“My hope is, it will reflect the main motion we passed on December 3,” said Doubt.
The motion carried unanimously.
Isakson then moved that council direct staff to update the section in the policy on accommodation to allow for reasonable expenses for moorage or other nonconventional accommodations, with receipts required. The motion carried unanimously.
Isakson’s final motion was for staff to update a section in the policy on transportation to reference ferry costs. The motion carried unanimously.
Councillor Earl Almeida said a forecast in the staff report on council remuneration and travel expenses indicated that travel expenses were listed in 2024 as $75,000, increasing in future years. Almeida said he believed city travel expenses had not exceeded or come close to the limit.
“I don’t think we need to increase our travel budget in 2025,” said Almeida.
He made a motion to keep the travel budget at $75,000 for 2025. The motion carried.
On the December 19 council agenda, the recommendation was that the travel reimbursement policy be passed, but it will go back to staff for revision and passage will come at a later council meeting.
Join the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
