Langford council has finally updated its council and staff reimbursement expense policy that has been in place since 2006.
The expense policy came under fire from Grumpy Taxpayer$ following the double billing for council meals that occurred at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference in Toronto in May 2023.
See story and details – https://grumpytaxpayers.com/2023/11/fcm-meal-expense-under-fire/
The revised policy, passed unanimously on Nov. 4, 2024, does not allow for a per diem reimbursement if “The meals are provided at no extra cost to the traveler, such as part of an event registration fee or included with the cost of accommodation, no expense claims may be made for equivalent meals.”
The per diem reimbursement has been increased by $20 to $80, the first increase since 2006.
Only hotels outside the CRD qualify as a legitimate expense.
If there is more than one traveler, “….travelers are expected to limit expenses through carpooling, sharing taxis, or other similar modes by combining charges.”
Finally, staff will report back to council on the implications and costs of making a further policy amendment to add council and staff reimbursement for providing unspecified ‘independent care’ while absent from home.
DIG DEEPER
City of Langford, Council Meeting, Nov. 4, 2024.
https://pub-langford.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=01bd9d9e-b49b-476b-a5cd-583359fa1617&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English&Item=40&Tab=attachments
City of Langford Council and Staff Reimbursement for Expense Policy, Nov. 4, 2024.
https://pub-langford.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=11831
Staff Report to Community Advisory Committee, Oct. 29, 2024.
https://pub-langford.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=11830
FCM meal expenses under fire (Grumpy Taxpayer$, Nov., 2023)
Why such a large South Island delegation?
Langford taxpayers paid twice for FCM conference meals
Langford residents wonder why they were double billed for council meals at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) annual conference in Toronto in May.
A FOI request for council expense claims reveal that breakfast and lunch were included in the $985 registration fee paid by Langford. But Mayor Scott Goodmanson, Couns. Lillian Szpak and Keith Yacucha also submitted expense claims for the same breakfast and lunch. A fourth councillor, Coun. Mary Wagner, adjusted her per diem claim slightly downward, although still claimed for meals already paid for by the Langford taxpayer.
“We are wondering if the cheques are in the mail?” says Stan Bartlett, vice-chair of Grumpy Taxpayer$. “Council either did not eat the paid conference meals provided at the Fairmont Royal York or they over claimed in per diems for meals.”
A fifth councillor, Coun. Kimberley Guiry, did not file an expense claim, which would have been made available through Langford’s freedom of information coordinator. Records indicate she stayed at the Fairmont Royal York during the national conference.
Why such an unusually large South Island delegation?
Thanks to 13 municipal jurisdictions, it’s estimated regional taxpayers paid for about 15 conference delegates from the South Island, a third of which were from Langford. Much larger Victoria sent four delegates, while neighbouring Colwood sent none.
What about the optics of sending a large Langford delegation a couple of weeks after setting a historically high municipal tax rate?
The entire conference cost for the five-member delegation was $23,570. It included per diem allowances of $12 for breakfast, $18 for lunch and $22 for supper, plus $6 for gratuities, or $60. daily. The municipal expense policy and rates haven’t been updated since 2006.
On May 11 a couple weeks prior to the conference, Langford approved a 12.41 per cent tax increase for its 2023 budget. The final five-year financial plan for 2023 to 2027 also forecasts tax increases of 11.68 per cent in 2024, 9.50 per cent in 2025, 8.98 per cent in 2026 and 8.44 per cent in 2027.
READ MORE
FOI Request on FCM Council Expenses, City of Langford, Oct. 2023.
Langford council approves financial plan with record-high tax increases, Times Colonist, May 3, 2023.
Council and staff expense policy, City of Langford, 2006.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities: Annual Conference and Trade Show 2023, FCM, 2023.