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Ramsey travel policy will be created after state auditor's opinion Capitol Roundup SportsPrepZone r ~~.~ 1~",d,lv-,* 7/1'1,(05 :s_ lLysy lye =.,y '" Page 2 00 'ed: 7/7/05 Ramsey travel policy will be created after state auditor's opinion by Tammy Sakry Staff writer After reviewing a State Auditor's opinion, the city of Ramsey will be creating a couple of new policies for travel and travel expenses. At Mayor Tom Gamec's request May 16, the State Auditor's Office had looked at if the city was legally able to pay for a trip to Ramsey's sister, Loudi, China, May 22. In a letter dated June 14, the office said, "There is no direct authority for a city in Minnesota to expend public funds for the Sister City Program. This office would disagree with the position that your city has authority to participate in the Sister City Program and to expend money on a trip to China, simply because your city is a charter city." Gamec said at the time of the request the auditor did not indicate whether the trip was questionable or not. Although the state auditor's office suggested that cities often use contributions from private entities or the local chamber of commerce, it did not answer his questions about a conflict of interest that could arise from such donations, said Gamec. Vv nen he did not get direction from the State Auditor's office before the scheduled trip, Gamec said he made his fina:J decision to go based on information from the city attorney and the League of Minnesota Cities. In~written opinions received by the city, both felt city was authorized to used the funds, said City Administrator Jim Norman. 'While Gamec said he believes he did the right thing by g<oihg to Loudi, he agrees with some ofthe auditbr's opihioh. '. . . "We should have policy on travel," he said. "It's a good idea... we never thought of it before." Since Gamec was elected to the council about 17 years ago, there have only been a handful of trips, which the city has paid for, include national conferences and training. Some of the trips, like the recent trip to Arizona and California to look at projects similar to the developing Ramsey Town Center, were to expand the knowledge of staff, planners and city council members, he said. The city spent $4,300 to send Gamec to China and $12,883 for 22 people to tour different urban village projects in Phoenix and Los Angeles projects. "It was money well spent," said Gamec. T' 're is nothing better than getting around to look at how things are put together, he said. "It is something you can't get from a picture," said Gamec. "You can put all the literature together, but until you can walk, talk and feel what the project is and the area http://www.abcnewspapers.com/2005/Julyl7travel.html 7II 8/2005