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1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 12, 2005 Action Ager~a ~ Item No. ~_ SUBJECT: Proposed Adjustment in Commissioners Local Travel Expense DEPARTMENT: Board of County PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Commissioners ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Commissioner Moses Carey TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider an adjustment in the Board of Commissioners local travel expense to account for inflation and recent gas prices increases. BACKGROUND: The current local travel allowance expense for Commissioners equals $150 per month ($1,800 per year) for the Chair and $125 per month for each of the other four Board members ($1,500 per month per member for a total $6,000 per year). In July 2002, when the Board approved the current rates, those amounts were sufficient for travel allowances because the average price of a gallon of gasoline ranged from 95 to 99 cents per gallon. As a point of comparison, the average cost per gallon of gasoline today ranges from $2.20 to $2.25 per gallon. A proportionate comparison of the change in gas prices to Commissioners' travel allowance would support an increase in the travel allotment from the current levels of $150 per month for the Chair and $125 per month for board members (including the Vice Chair) per month to somewhere in the neighborhood of $330 and $275 respectively, These rates equate to an increase of $183 per month for the Chair and $150 for other Board members. With the County's current and anticipated fiscal picture in mind, the Chair proposes a more modest increase that would set the local travel allowance expense for Commissioners at $275 per month for the chair and $225 per month for Board members (including the Vice Chair). The proposed rates reflect an increase of $125 per month for the Chair and an increase of $100 per month for Board members other than the Chair. The Chair proposes that the increase be effective on April 1, 2005. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Based on the proposed reimbursement rates outlined in the background section above, the financial impact for the current year (April 1 through June 30, 2005) totals $1,575, with the financial impact for the upcoming 2005-06 fiscal year totals $6,300. There are sufficient funds in the Commissioners' current year budget to cover the proposed increase.