2006-07 BOS Travel Response*

Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F4, F10

Comments 2

• CO1
  ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR? A Report on the Board of Supervisors Travel Policy June 7, 2007 functions, is considered to be County business and therefore billable to the County. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board of Supervisors neither agrees nor disagrees with this Finding as the Board does not have knowledge of individual testimony. Response (Chief Executive Office): The County Executive Office neither agrees nor disagrees with this Finding as the CEO does not possess direct knowledge of the testimony. The comment as written is not consistent with County policy.
• CO2
  The BOS should consider removing the "paid commute miles to work" feature now in current travel policy. This unusual perk is not given to other County employees and is certainly not given to the average citizen who commutes to work daily. The BOS should consider replacing all in-County mileage charges, commute miles included, with a flat mileage stipend similar to what is given other elected officials, department heads, and the CEO. The $145 "vehicle stipend" and the $25 "road inspection" fee, should be folded into the flat mileage stipend. Eliminating the "commute to work" feature would remove the need for a separate travel policy for BOS members. This egalitarian gesture would be well received by both the public and County employees. ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR? A Report on the Board of Supervisors Travel Policy June 7, 2007 Response (CEO): Both the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive Office do not agree with the comments regarding "paid commute miles to work". Although it is an unusual item for reimbursement, the job of Supervisor is unusual. Other County employees may choose where they live and how far they are willing to travel to their work location. District Supervisors are required to live in the districts that they represent. Most live where they resided prior to running for office; all of them are contacted frequently at their place of residence, and perform a certain amount of work at their home office and throughout their districts. After considering the Grand Jury's report, the Executive Office and Board do agree that reimbursing commute miles separately from the stipend for non-commute miles relies on a distinction that may not exist in actual practice. The former $145 "vehicle stipend", which was paid in addition to all itemized mileage, has been eliminated. The current Board Reimbursement Policy provides for a more inclusive stipend that is proportional to district distances and alternative to itemizing and claiming official non-commute travel mileage. The County Executive Office, with Board direction, will review the current stipend levels against previously claimed mileage in order to suggest that the levels be adjusted as appropriate and/or that the stipend substitute for itemizing and claiming both commute and non-commute travel mileage. RESPONSE REQUIRED Mendocino County Board of Supervisors (All Findings; All Recommendations) Mendocino County Chief Executive Office (All Findings; All Recommendations) RESPONSE REQUESTED Mendocino County Auditor-Controllers Office (All Findings; All Recommendations)