St. Ignace City Employees, Elected Officials To Have Debit Card for Travel Expenses
By Ryan Schlehuber

St. Ignace city employees and elected officials will now have access to a debit card on a sixmonth trial. The card will be used for travel expenses. The program was approved, 6-1, by Council at its Monday, March 3, meeting.

Councilman Don Gustafson voted against the measure, saying he believes the current reimbursement and cash-advance system works better.

During deliberation about the possible pitfalls of such a system, he said, "It just seems to me that there is less likelihood for any of this discussion if the person uses his own credit card and turns it in to the clerk, and if there is something that's inappropriate on the reimbursement, then the clerk isn't going to pay it. If I checked on an employee that used their own individual credit card, it's their problem, but if they use the debit card, now it becomes our problem instead of their problem."

Not everyone has a credit card and should not be required to use one, argued City Manager Eric Dodson.

Employees would not be allowed to use city debit cards for personal use or for cash advances, according to the policies and procedures Mr. Dodson drew up. Cards can be used for travel expenses, motel reservations, and purchases requiring a debit card or advance payment.

Employees will need written permission from the city manager to obtain a debit card. Mr. Dodson said the maximum amount of money that debit cards will hold will be a "certain amount."

"We'll play it by ear for awhile and see how it goes," Mr. Dodson said when asked by a council member how much money a debit card would hold.

A bank account solely for the use of debit cards will be opened. Funding will be budgeted with the travel expenses that each department already has, including travel expenses for council members.

"It's mostly a convenience thing," said Mr. Dodson after the meeting. "Nowadays, people are asked to put money up front, even with parking, they're asking you to use a card."

The debit card system will be reviewed by Council in September.

The city's Planning Commission will review a site plan for the new hospital proposed to be built on North State Street, across from Victorian Village, Wednesday, March 26, Mr. Dodson announced.

Hospital CEO Rod Nelson will give a presentation to Council at its April 7 meeting. He will discuss both the site plan and a ballot proposal asking voters to approve the transaction of authority between the current public hospital board to a not-for-profit, private organization.

A public hearing was set for 8 p.m., Monday, April 7, for public discussion regarding the feasibility of establishing a History of Transportation Museum in St. Ignace.

Mr. Dodson collected written comments from council members on suggested changes to the city's charter between pages 15 and 30. Council is reviewing the entire 41- page charter, making suggestions on how to update it. The charter was adopted in 1970.

Changes to the charter must be approved by city voters, and a public hearing will be scheduled once Council approves proposed changes.

Mr. Dodson is pooling all of the comments and Council will discuss possible changes to the charter at the end of the review later this spring. Council members said they had no changes they wanted to discuss Monday night.

The city's new Web site, www.cityofstignace.com, may be up and running in the next four weeks, announced Mr. Dodson.