4.05.030 Credit cards.
(1) The general manager is authorized to issue a credit/purchasing card in the name of a specific district employee. Employees that have a credit card issued in their name shall be required to sign a credit card use agreement. The credit card use agreement will outline the employee’s responsibilities and authorized uses of the credit card. The board of commissioners may amend the credit card use agreement by action of the board. The finance manager shall not be issued a credit/purchasing card under their name.
(2) The general manager is authorized to issue four general purpose credit/purchasing cards: travel card “A,” travel card “B,” travel card “C,” and standby duty. The standby duty credit/purchasing card may be issued to the district employee serving on standby duty. Travel cards “A,” “B” and “C” shall be retained in the district’s safe and issued as needed to employees or commissioners. Employees and commissioners are responsible to use the district’s credit card as outlined in these financial management policies. The finance manager may be issued a travel card for specific business purposes by the general manager or designee.
(3) The total credit balance for the district’s credit/purchasing cards shall not exceed $65,000. The general manager, or designee, shall have the authority to transfer credit limits between district credit/purchasing cards.
(4) Purchases on district credit/purchasing cards are limited to district business-related expenses. No cash advances or personal charges are allowed on district credit/purchasing cards.
(5) All purchases on district credit/purchasing cards shall be supported by detailed source receipts. A detailed source receipt is a receipt that shows the item(s) purchased at the purchase location, and the amount charged. A charge slip, or the signing charge slip that only shows the charge amount, is not a detailed receipt. It is the responsibility of the district employee to receive and retain a detailed source receipt.
(6) Prior to the closing cycle of the credit/purchasing card billing, or no longer than 20 days, an employee issued a district credit/purchasing card for travel shall submit a fully itemized travel expense voucher including detailed source receipts. Any charges not properly identified shall be paid by the employee to the district or the issuing bank.
(7) If any district credit/purchasing card charges are disallowed by the finance manager, general manager, or the board of commissioners, the district shall have the right to withhold the disallowed amount from the wages of the individual who incurred the disallowed charges, including any interest and late charges.
(8) An employee that uses a district credit/purchasing card in violation of these policies may be disciplined up to and including termination.
(9) Use of a district credit/purchasing card by an employee or commissioner while disallowed charges incurred by such employee or commissioner are outstanding is prohibited.
(10) The general manager and finance manager shall have the authority to revoke any issued district credit/purchasing card.
(11) Cash or travel mileage rewards that directly accrued to any district credit/purchasing card or reward payments are the property of the district and shall be deposited by the district or, in the case of travel mileage, used by the district for business-related travel of district commissioners and employees.
(12) If the district does not have a cash or travel mileage reward program for district credit/purchasing cards or with a specific vendor, then an employee may use their personal travel or rewards account number under the following conditions:
(a) There is no increased cost to the district associated with the use of the employee’s personal travel or rewards account number;
(b) The value of the reward or points is de minimis and not in the form of cash, a gift card, merchandise, or other tangible property;
(c) For airlines and hotel rewards, employees must disclose the use of their airline and hotel rewards program and provide documentation that the selection of the specific hotel or airline did not increase the district’s costs;
(d) For all other reward programs, employees must disclose the use of their rewards program, confirm the district does not have a rewards program with that retailer or online vendor, and document the cost savings to the district;
(e) Any additional costs associated with an employee’s use of their personal rewards account are not a district expense and are the responsibility of the employee;
(f) The general manager may review and approve special circumstances that may arise related to airline and lodging during travel. [Res. 829 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2022; Res. 770 § 2 (Att. A §§ A-20 – A-31), 2019; Res. 457 §§ 1 – 5, 1995.]