Cape council to review reimbursement for expenses
Cape Coral City Council will take another look at how its members are compensated for expenses incurred while conducting city business.
By consensus, the elected board authorized Mayor John Gunter work with the city attorney on updating the decades-old resolution that deals with allowable expenses.
The discussion came during Wednesday’s workshop after a council member submitted mileage for reimbursement, as well as a resolution that passed in 2006 which Gunter said he saw for the first time.
“With that being said, unless we move in a different direction, or adopt a different resolution, this resolution is enforced and that is how I will approve any of the expenses that are put in,” Gunter said. “We need to have a discussion on mileage – what you feel is appropriate and what is not.”
Requested mileage reimbursements were from home to a town hall meeting location, a Cape Coral Construction Industry event, a ribbon cutting, travel to a school board meeting and a restaurant providing a hospitality award.
“As an elected official, if I am going to something in Cape Coral, I am not putting in for mileage. That is part of the job. How I have always approached it, if you are a liaison to a particular group, I have no problem with the mileage,” Gunter said of mileage for travel outside of the city.
The 2006 resolution talks about two different categories for miles — if it is less than 50 miles and more than 50 miles. The city council also has to approve any expense that is more than $100.
The majority of Council agreed that anything they attend in the city is part of their job.
Councilmember Bill Steinke had another viewpoint.
“Travel is part of the job. The financial impact of travel is not taken care of,” he said, adding that is why municipalities have implemented stipends. “A recognition of what is really required to properly serve in the capacity we were elected to serve in has changed so drastically based on the size of the city. Travel inside of our city needs to be addressed.”
Steinke went on to say that while travel is a part of the job, the financial impact needs to be realized. He said when they go to events and represent the city, it is part of their job.
“It shouldn’t reduce our income for our expenses to go there. Spending money out of our own pockets to represent the city is not right,” Steinke said.