By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

Recently, Orange City Council amended the City Council Rules of Procedures by adding Travel on City-related Business by the Mayor and Councilmembers to the ordinance.

Prior to this, there was not a policy.

“It would be helpful to have a written policy,” Interim City Manager Kelvin Knauf said.

Knauf suggested splitting the budgeted amount by seven.

“Keeping in mind, newly elected officials have to attend classes,” Knauf said. “Reserve the amount to cover those classes and then divide the amount by seven.”

The ordinance change would allow the Mayor to approve the expense reports for councilmembers and the City Manager would approve the mayor’s expense.

Currently, the city of Orange budgeted $17,000 for the fiscal year 2019 for Council Conferences and Travel Expenses.

As of March 20, 2019 the remaining balance was $2,384.71.

Expenses from Oct. 1, 2018 – March 20, 2019 were incurred by

• Larry Spears Jr. $1,398.12
• Brad Childs $1,254.12
• Annette Pernell $8,285.33
• Patrick A. Pullen $1,254.12
• Terrie Salter  $2,423.60

Council Member Annette Pernell said under the current budget that only allowed $2,500 per member.

“I have been to the trainings and see the number of people there,” Pernell said. “It is the same people over and over. Because of the training, I know of WATER NOW organization in the State of Texas. It is amazing to have all the information. There are not enough certified municipal officials.”

Annette Pernell, Orange City Council Precinct 4, received an email, in January, congratulating her on earning Certified Municipal Official designation with 153.50 hours in 2018.

Pernell was recognized at the TML-TAMCC Elected Officials’ Conference in February.

Pernell said she took ‘a lot of training online while taking a two hour lunch.’

“In Livingston, everyone is certified,” Pernell said.

Councilmember Bill Mello asked if additional would be allowed if training was presented and it ran over the budget.

“If council approved, it can be amended,” Knauf said.

Spears expenses included $144 for Orange Chamber of Commerce board lunches on Jan. 1, 2019. He also had travel expenses associated with Golden Triangle Days.

First amount was $1,156.70 for travel and then he was reimbursed for parking during the event at an amount of $97.42.

Brad Childs also incurred the same amount from travel associated with 2019 Golden Triangle Days and reimbursement for parking.

Annette Pernell’s travel expenses from Oct. 1, 2018 – March 20, 2019 are:

• Travel – TML Annual Conference in Forth Worth $1,130.13
• Travel reimburse – TML Annual Conference in Forth Worth $60.46
• Prepaid Hotel – Lost Pines – Build Strong and Resilient Cities $166.08
• Travel – Build Strong and Resilient Cities in Lost Pines $590.76
• Fees – Positive Interaction with Difficult People – Roundrock, Texas $145
• Travel – Positive Interaction with Difficult People – Roundrock, Texas $535.51
• Fees – TML Elected Officials Conference $225
• Travel – Elected Officials Conference in San Marcos, Texas $848.62
• Travel – Golden Triangle Days $1,156.70
• Travel reimburse – Parking at Golden Triangle Days $48.71
• Travel – TML Leadership Academy in Georgetown, Texas $1,043.45
• Fees- TML Leadership Academy in Georgetown, Texas $755
• Travel – Water Now Alliance in Austin, Texas $897.90
• Travel – The American City in Dallas, Texas $682.01

According to the announcement of Pernell earning the appropriate number of continuing education units (CEUs) in the previous calendar year to be named Certofied Municipal Official she attended the following from Jan. 18, 2018 – Dec. 19, 2018:

• Next City Webinar: redefining Border Narratives
• Avenu Insights & Analytics “Year in review” for Local Governments
• TML Economic Development Conference (Bastrop)
• TML Positive Interaction with Difficult People Workshop (Round Rock)
• 2018 TML Annual Conference (Fort Worth)
• TML Region 16 Meeting (Beaumont)
• Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee Meeting
• TML Small Cities’ Problem-solving Clinic (Navasota)
• Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee Meeting
• TML Region 16 Meeting (Liberty)
• TML Budget and Tax Rate Workshop (Beaumont)
• TML Hometown Workshop – Elected Officials 101 (Beaumont)
• Open Meetings Act (2018-Beaumont)
• Public Information Act (2018 Beaumont)
• 2018 TML Leadership Academy – Course Two (Round Rock)
• Japan-Texas Economic Development Summit (Houston)
• TML Recorded Webinar: Social Media and Your City
• 2018 TML Leadership Academy – Course One (Round Rock)
• TML Webinar- Annexation: Where Do We Go From Here?
• TML Recorded Webinar: Random Drug Testing and Cities
• TML Recorded Webinar: Municipal Regulation of Alcohol
• TML Recorded Webinar: From Chaos to Collaboration: A New Paradigm for Public Engagement
  • 2018 Elected Officials’ Conference (2018)
• TML Recorded Webinar: The Six Secrets to Construction Success
• Public Information Act (2018)
• Open Meetings Act (2018)
• TML Recorded Webinar: Retail Trends and How to Develop a Retail Recruitment Strategy
• TML Recorded Webinar: Retail Follows Rooftops
• TML Region 16 Meeting (Bridge City)
• 2018 TCMA City Management Clinic (Granbury)
• TML Recorded Webinar: HB40- What the Oil and Gas Bill Means for Cities
• TML Recorded Webinar: Town Halls – Building Dialogue and More With Citizens
• TML Webinar: Can I Delete This Facebook Post?
• TML Region 15 Meeting (Nacogdoches)

Patrick Pullen incurred $1,156.70 from travel associated with 2019 Golden Triangle Days and $97.42 reimbursement for parking during the trip.

Terrie Salter expenses are for Travel to TML Annual Conference in Fort Worth for $1,169.48, $1,156.70 from travel associated with 2019 Golden Triangle Days and $97.42 reimbursement for parking during the trip.