Not an official copy.

City of Sammamish, WA
Ordinance No. O2001-79

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING A SYSTEM FOR THE ISSUANCE, USE AND CONTROL OF CREDIT CARDS BY CITY OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES.

WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Sammamish finds it advantageous for the City to use a credit card for certain official City purchases; and

WHEREAS, the City finds that the use of credit cards is a customary and economical business practice to improve cash management, reduce costs and increase efficiency; and

WHEREAS, the City strives to perform all functions in an efficient and cost effective manner; and

WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has enacted legislation and passed RCW 39.58.180 and RCW 43.09.2855 requiring that any City which contracts for the issuance and use of credit cards adopt policies governing the distribution, authorization, credit limits, payment and control of such credit cards.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON, DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Credit Card Use

A. The City Manager and Finance Director shall implement and maintain the following system for the distribution, authorization and control of credit cards issued to or for the benefit of the City and used by City officials and employees.

1. Distribution. Credit cards may be distributed to those City officials and employees who, in the opinion of the City Manager, or his/her designee, have job responsibilities that would benefit or otherwise be facilitated by use of a credit card.

2. Authorization and Control. The Finance Director shall develop specific administrative guidelines and accounting controls to ensure the proper usage of credit cards and credit card funds. The purchasing card is to be used when it is in the best interest of City administrative affairs.

3. Application. The individual holder, upon prior approval of the City Manager or his/her designee, shall hold each credit card responsibly.

4. Credit Limits. The City Manager or his/her designee shall set credit limits on each card issued subject to the approval of the City Council. Individual purchases shall not exceed $1,000 without the pre-approval of the City Manager and in no event shall the credit card limit exceed $2,500 for any individual credit card account.

5. Credit Card Restriction. The following will be considered an unauthorized purchase or use of any City purchasing/credit card:

a. Cash advances;
b. Payment of invoices or statements;
c. Purchases where an open charge account would be utilized;
d. Personal purchases of any kind;

6. Disallowed Charges. Disallowed charges, or charges not properly identified, will be paid by the employee before the charge card billing is due. Failure to do so will render the employee personally liable where the City shall have a prior lien against and a right to withhold any and all fund payable or to become payable to the employee up to the unpaid amount, plus interest and/or fees at the rate charged by the bank that issued the cost. Employee shall not use the credit card if any disallowed charges are outstanding

The act of obtaining a City credit card does not indicate pre-approval of expenditures/expenses.

7. Return of Credit Card. The employee shall return all City credit cards at the request of the City Manager or designee, or upon separation of employment. Final paycheck will be held till all outstanding City property has been returned.

B. The City Manager and Finance Director are authorized to implement any additional policies or administrative procedures necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

Section 2. Validity

If any section, paragraph, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that they would have passed this Ordinance and each section, paragraph, subsection, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, paragraphs, clauses or phrases may subsequently be found by competent authority to be unconstitutional or invalid.

Section 3. Effective Date

This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force five (5) days following its publication, as required by law.

ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT A REGULAR MEETING THEREOF ON THE 21st DAY OF FEBRUARY 2001.CITY OF SAMMAMISH

____________________________
Mayor H. Troy Romero

ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:

____________________________
Melonie Anderson, City Clerk

Approved as to form:

____________________________
Bruce L. Disend, City Attorney

Filed With the City Clerk: February 15, 2001
Passed by the City Council: February 21, 2001
Date of Publication: February 24, 2001
Effective Date: March 1, 2001