Members of the Plymouth Common Council were presented with an amendment to the ordinance setting the mileage reimbursement rate and the per diem for meals.
Clerk/Treasurer Jeanine Xaver said she is looking at ways to save the city money and one way would be to reduce the mileage rate from the federal rate of $0.58 per mile to the state rate of $0.38. She told the board, “By paying the federal rate of 58 cents per mile instead of the state rate of 38 cents per mile, the city has spent $2,722 when it could have only spent $1,783.” She went on to say, “I understand that it’s only $1,000 so far this year, presuming the spending continues for the 4th quarter, it would be an additional $250. Again, only $1250 extra for 2019, but if you consider that over a 20 year span, that’s $25,000.”
Xaver also suggested making a slight change to the meal allowance. Currently the city allows $26.00 per day. She said typically when attending a conference breakfast and lunch is included so dinner would be the only meal the city would have to reimburse. She said employees should not be able to purchase a $26.00 steak dinner when they wouldn’t do that at home. Her recommendation was to amend the ordinance allowing $6 for breakfast and $10 for lunch and dinner.
Councilman Don Ecker was not in favor of the meal allowance change noting that employees are away from their families doing work for the city and being able to have a decent meal isn’t too much to give them.
The City Council voted 5 to 1 in favor of the change. Councilman Duane Culp was absent from the meeting.
