Financial Policy Handbook 2017

3. Meeting Food/Meals

The City Council recognizes that situations in which City business needs to be discussed can and do occur during meal hours (i.e. luncheon meals). In addition, there are public and employee meetings and events in which reasonable refreshments may be necessary to create a more productive environment and to be responsive to participants’ time schedules. The following items are deemed to meet the Council definition of public purpose expenditures in regards to food and meals. a. Refreshments are allowed at City sponsored events that have a purpose of discussing City issues. Refreshments are defined as a light snack or drink and are not meant to be a substitute for an individual's main meal. Examples include but are not limited to an open house for public input, informational meetings on proposed city projects or study’s, etc. b. Refreshments are allowed at employee meetings and events that have a purpose of discussing City issues or are part of employee training. These meetings would normally have a pre-planned agenda. These meetings could include new employee receptions to introduce new employees to existing employees, provide an orientation to the City, and promote teamwork and cooperation. This does not include routine staff meetings. c. Meals and/or refreshments may be provided during official meetings of the City Council, City Council committee, advisory boards/commissions and task forces that have the purpose of discussing City business. Meals may be provided for elected officials, staff, board/commission members, task force members, and invited speakers only. Meals for the general public are not considered a public purpose expenditures. d. Payment for fees relating to a special event, such as a Chamber of Commerce or Iowa Lakes Corridor event, may also be allowed when approved by the City Manager and when attendance is deemed to meet the public purpose guidelines for community or customer outreach and marketing of the City. e. Elected officials, the City Manager, Department Heads may purchase a meal for a vendor, potential vendor, or professional associate only if the date, place, purpose of the meal and those present is documented in a contemporaneous memo to the Finance Director. No Elected Official, City Manager or Department Head shall purchase more than three (3) meals for any specific vendor, potential vendor, or professional associate during a fiscal year. f. Expenses for meals for a purely social purpose are not allowed. g. Meals and refreshments are allowed where employees or volunteers are participating in a City-sponsored special event, participating in an outside event as