Each county department shall annually be allowed to expend up to $500.00 for the purchase of meals for county staff, volunteers, and officials of other public entities which are incurred in support of the conduct of county business. Payment shall be by direct payment or by reimbursement to the department head or his/her authorized subordinate, upon submission of a purchase order together with an appropriate receipt to the County Auditor. In no event shall any department head expend more than $500.00 for the purchase of meals during any fiscal year without obtaining further authorization from the Board of Supervisors.

It is not the intent of this section to supersede the existing county travel policy adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and there is no change to policies governing reimbursement provisions for meals purchased for county employees during business conducted outside of the County. Further, this section does not authorize the purchase of meals for county employees that are attending scheduled in-county trainings, committee meetings, or other like business meetings. Exceptions to this prohibition would include meals authorized by a department manager for food or refreshments for bona fide emergency situations (disaster response, search and rescue, or other like emergency event); for purchase of refreshments served at county-sponsored training meetings; or for refreshments or meals for county employees requested by the Board of Supervisors to attend county-sponsored conferences, business meetings, or other like events held in the County with organizations such as RCRC, CSAC, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Trindel, or other like business organization that is hosted by and/or sponsored by the County Board of Supervisors.

Nothing in this section precludes a county department manager from requesting from the Board of Supervisors in advance of any planned or scheduled county sponsored meeting, conference, or other business activity, the ability and authorization to reimburse county employees or attendees for the cost of meals associated with a county-sponsored event whether held inside or outside of the county. (Ord. 1078, eff. 3/9/17; Ord. 926, eff. 11/15/01)