By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Douglas City Council discussed de minimus benefits Dec. 18 in its last meeting of the year.
“Internal controls and policies,” treasurer Matt Smith told manager Lisa Nocerini and council Nov. 27, “are an important part of any government’s operation.
“They are used to establish safeguards to minimize opportunities to commit fraud, improve accuracy of financial reporting, and ensure compliance with laws, grants and regulations,” the treasurer went on.
“When spending taxpayer dollars, it is extra important to ensure they are spent in ways allowed by the Michigan constitution, state laws and regulations.”
“The de minimis benefits policy presented tonight” (first at the Dec. 4 council meeting, where it was tabled until last week) helps ensure Douglas does that.
“The city,” Smith’s draft reads, “recognizes the importance of offering de minimis benefits to employees, to create a positive, rewarding work environment.”
Rewards of less than $200 value, it goes on, can be allocated for accomplishments or recognition, such as:
• Employee retirements;
• Occasional meals or snacks such as pizza lunches, sandwiches, coffee and pastries when meeting go on several hours; or
• Occasional team-building activities such as lunches, picnics and educational outings (say touring city streets with a traffic engineer), with costs kept minimal to promote camaraderie.
“Who has discretion using taxpayer money thus?” made, for some council members, a talk intriguing enough to table first time around.
What about other staff benefits? Say occasional use of office computers, phones and copy machines? Opportunities for pay raises, promotions and on-the-job training? What if someone, of their own free will, bakes up and brings in a tray of cookies?
How much specificity do such policies need? asked one member. How much paid staff time should be devoted to researching and presenting de minimus standards upon which a majority can agree?
Happy holidays was the consensus last Wednesday night.