4.7. SR 04-07-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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expenses are directly related to the performance of the governmental functions for which Elk River has responsibility. 3. Appropriate safety and health programs for Elk River employees serve a public purpose because they result in healthier and more productive employees and reduce certain costs to the city and the taxpayers of Elk River,including various costs associated with workers compensation and disability benefit claims,insurance premiums, and lost time from employee absences. 4. Public expenditures for appropriate Elk River employee and volunteer recognition programs serve a public purpose because formally recognizing employees and volunteers who make significant contributions and demonstrate their commitment during the performance of their duties results in higher morale and productivity among all Elk River employees and volunteers,and therefore helps the city to fulfill its responsibilities efficiently and more cost effectively. 5. Public expenditures for food and refreshments associated with official Elk River functions serve a public purpose when the provision of food or refreshments is an integral part of an official Elk River function and the provision of food or refreshment is necessary to ensure meaningful participation by the participants. 6. Public expenditures for appropriate community and customer outreach and similar activities serve a public purpose when those expenditures are necessary for Elk River to ensure the efficient operation of its programs/services,promote the availability and use of city resources, and promote coordinated, cooperative planning activities among and between the public and the private sectors. Specific Programs and Expenditures Every City of Elk River expenditure must be valid based upon the public purpose for which it is expended. These line-items are approved annually by the City Council as a part of the overall budget approval process which includes a public hearing on the proposed budget. The following items are deemed to meet the Council definition of public purpose expenditures. Meetings: Food/Meals/Refreshments The City Council recognizes that situations in which city business needs to be discussed can and do occur during meal hours (i.e. luncheon meetings). In addition,there are public and employee meetings and events in which reasonable refreshments may add to the success of the meeting and/or event and create a more productive workforce. Meals are allowed at training or meetings only when they are part of a meeting or training involving official city business and when it is the only practical time to meet. The following items are deemed to meet the Council's definition of public purpose expenditures in regards to food/meals/refreshments. a. Allowed at city meetings and events that have the purpose of discussing city issues. These meetings would normally have a pre-planned agenda and would involve predominately non-city employees. Financial Management Policies Page 22