San Luis Obispo County Municipal Code Ch. 2.84 Travel on County Business

The following rules and regulations shall govern the use of vehicles on county business:

(1) County officers and employees shall use, or permit the use of, county vehicles only for the conduct of county business, unless an exception to this requirement is granted in the rules for use of vehicles on county business.

(2) When not in use on county business, all county vehicles shall at all times be kept on county property or at a county-approved site, unless an exception to this requirement is granted in the rules for use of vehicles on county business.

(3) All county vehicles shall bear visibly on the outside the emblem of the County of San Luis Obispo and the county vehicle number. The county administrative officer, sheriff and district attorney are permitted to authorize the use of unmarked vehicles for investigative/undercover/preservation of confidentiality purposes.

(4) County department heads shall provide all their employees with a copy of the rules for use of vehicles on county business and ensure that all employees annually review these rules. The county administrative officer will update the rules as necessary and submit the changes to the board of supervisors for approval.

(Ord. 3153 § 1, 2008: Ord. 1777 § 1 (2), 1977: Ord. 1050 § 3 (part), 1969: Ord. 559 § 1 (part), 1961: prior code § 3-020)

A county employee may refuse to use his personal vehicle for county business, except as provided below:

(1) For employees in the clerical, public services, supervisory, fire support and fire supervisory units of representation:

a. Employees now using county vehicles for work-related travel may, at the discretion of appointing authorities, be required to use their own vehicles at agreed-upon mileage-reimbursement rates. It is not the intent of the county to cause employees to utilize their automobiles for other than personal transportation, except as is the current practice or in the event of an emergency.

b. It is not the intention of the county to require any employee now using a county vehicle on a regular and constant basis for job-related travel to use her/his private vehicle for substantially similar job-related travel.

(2) For employees in the trades, crafts and services unit of representation:

Employees now using county vehicles for work-related travel may, at discretion of appointing authorities, be required to use their own vehicles at agreed-upon mileage-reimbursement rates. It is not the intent of the county to cause employees to utilize their automobile for other than personal transportation, except as is the current practice or in the event of an emergency.

(Ord. 2104 § 8, 1982: Ord. 1182 § 1, 1971)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 3450, § 1, adopted May 18, 2021, repealed § 2.84.030. Former § 2.84.030 pertained to travel authorizations and derived from § 3-020.1 of the prior code, Ord. 559, § 1(part), adopted 1961; Ord. 1050, § 3(part0, adopted 1969; Ord. 1777, § 1(3), adopted 1977 and Ord. 2848, § 2, adopted 1999.

The county auditor shall reimburse county officers and employees for actual and reasonable expenditures incurred for meals, lodging, carrier charges, and other necessary expenses incidental to authorized travel on county business, upon presentation of a claim for such reimbursement on a form approved by the county auditor and approved by the department head, or pursuant to the policies or resolutions approved by the board of supervisors.

Officers and employees authorized by law to claim reimbursement for travel expenditures are not governed by the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 2123 § 1, 1983: Ord. 1375 § 1, 1974: Ord. 1181 § 1, 1971: Ord. 1050 § 3 (part), 1969: Ord. 559 § 1 (part), 1961: prior code § 3-020.2)

(Ord. No. 3451, § 1, 5-18-21)

Compensation for travel time and use of private vehicles on county business shall be determined by county policy or memorandum of understanding approved by the board of supervisors, or by board of supervisors resolution. The county auditor in consultation with the county administrative officer shall bring any recommended changes to the travel policy which address travel time and compensation to the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 2104 § 9, 1982: Ord. 1375 § 2, 1974)

(Ord. No. 3452, § 1, 5-18-21)

(a) Pursuant to the authority of Penal Code Section 890, the mileage reimbursement rate for Grand Jurors for each mile actually traveled in attending sessions of the Grand Jury shall be the same as defined in the County Travel Policy for San Luis Obispo County employees.

(b) The per diem fee to be paid for each day's attendance as a Grand Juror shall be as provided by statute.

(Ord. 2489 § 1, 1990: Ord. 2090 § 1, 1982)

(a) Members of the board of supervisors may, at their discretion, select one of the following alternatives as and for a mileage allowance:

(1) The county shall assign a county-owned vehicle to the board members, and the county shall be responsible for all costs relative to that vehicle; provided further, however, that this vehicle may only be used in the course of conduct of business of the county; or

(2) The board member may utilize his/her own vehicle and shall be reimbursed at the same rate as other employees receive per mile traveled on county business.

Each board member must select, prior to the adoption of the budget for each year, or at the commencement of their term for the remainder of that fiscal year, the alternative mileage allowance system that will be utilized during the fiscal year. Prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section, incumbent board members shall designate the alternative method of their choice. Nothing in this policy shall prevent a board member from using a county pool vehicle for out of county travel.

(b) In recognition of the requirement that board members must live in the district from which they are elected, mileage to the county seat from their residence shall be construed to be travel on county business.

(c) Board members shall be required to request approval in advance from the chairman of the board of supervisors for all out-of-state travel, in order for such travel to be considered as county business.

(d) Travel and reimbursement claims of the supervisors shall be processed in accordance with the applicable state law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with, or limit the authority established by state law.

As authorized by state law, supervisors shall be reimbursed for the actual, reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by them on county business.

(Ord. 2120 § 1, 1983)

Pursuant to the authority of Penal Code Section 1143 and Code of Civil Procedure Section 196, the fees of jurors in the municipal and superior courts of this county, in both civil and criminal cases, shall be five dollars a day for each day's attendance as a juror, and fifteen cents for each mile actually traveled in attending court as a juror. In addition, a juror would not be required to serve more than five court days during any twelve-month period, except as necessary to complete the hearing of an action.

(Ord. 2325 § 2, 1987: Ord. 2204 § 2, 1984: Ord. 2135 § 2, 1983)

The county administrative officer, together with the county auditor, shall establish procedures for the advancing of estimated costs for authorized travel by county personnel.

(Ord. 1050 § 3 (part), 1969: Ord. 559 § 1 (part), 1961: prior code § 3-020.3)