Mayor Ohtaki, in light of several inquiries from our greater community surrounding our city council travel policy, Councilmember Mueller and I respectfully request time in a future city council meeting to discuss and clarify the current policy and some potential modifications to the City's travel policy moving forward.
Menlo Park and many cities in the area have clear guidelines for elected representatives and staff when it comes to City "expensed" or reimbursed travel and what is deemed to be acceptable as part of the public service for the individual. We believe more clarity is necessary regarding the circumstance when third parties pay for travel.
The goal of this discussion is to define further for all of our city representatives and constituents what constitutes city representation as one considers attending events, travel and/or accepting trips with groups of peer city representatives or other related organizations, and what authorization may be required.
As Menlo Park representatives, we all want to do what is best for our city and our region. Additionally Councilmembers on rare occasion may find themselves in the circumstance they are asked to represent themselves and our city incidental to business and leisure travel, unrelated to the benefit of their private business work or the private business interest of a specific third party. City Council can discuss and determine clear guidelines that will help us all measure conduct as well as avoid the potential for misunderstandings in the future.
Thank you.
Rich Cline
