§ 10.104. Office expenses of Council members.  


Latest version.
  • Council members shall not receive any office expense allowance for offices or clerical assistance outside City Hall. The provisions of the first sentence of this Section shall not apply to any office for a Council member being maintained outside City Hall on the effective date of this Section, so long as the Council member continues to serve; but the office shall be deemed to have been approved by the Council. The office for a Council member outside City Hall shall be located in a public building or in a building under lease to the City, and the following expenses only may be paid for such office:

    (a)

    Rental for the space actually occupied, in the case of leased premises.

    (b)

    Heating, air-conditioning and utilities charges, to the extent they are not included in the basic rental or that they are not charged directly to the premises.

    (c)

    Furniture and furnishings for the office, to the extent that adequate furniture and furnishings cannot be provided by the Public Buildings Division at no cost.

    (d)

    Office equipment and repair and servicing arrangements therefor, to the extent that it cannot be provided at no cost or that a pro rata charge is made under general contracts for such equipment, repairs or servicing.

    (e)

    Telephone installation and service charges, in an amount not to exceed the amounts permitted under Section 10.105(b).

    (f)

    Clerical assistance, in a monthly amount not to exceed a sum equal to the monthly compensation of one clerk-typist in the highest civil service job classification at the highest step in the job pay plan therefor.

    (g)

    Postage, in an amount not to exceed the amount permitted under Section 10.105(a).

    (h)

    Stationery and expenses for books, periodicals and other printed matter, in an amount designated by the Council member, which shall be charged to and deducted from the stationery allowance and the books, periodicals and other printed matter allowance available to him under Sections 10.106 and 10.107(b).

    Clerical assistance shall be provided by City employees detailed to the office, subject to the civil service law and the civil service and personnel rules and regulations adopted by the Director of Employee Services Department; provided, that temporary employees may be used for after-hours, weekend or special work or when the workload of the office temporarily increases, but the salaries or wages of the temporary employees shall be paid out of the funds available for clerical assistance.

    Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 601.101, Ordinance Code, and in order to encourage Council Members to spend as much time at City Hall as possible, Council Members may utilize the City's communications and computer networks while in City Hall to maintain connections with their private business interests so long as such communications and networking results in no additional cost to the City.

(Ord. 83-591-400, § 1; Ord. 2011-576-E, § 1; Ord. 2011-732-E)