10-04-2011 City Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Minutes October 4, 2011 Page 8 HSA PLAN AND THREE FOR FREE PLAN. COUNCIL MEMBER AKERSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED 5 -0. 11.2. Consider Amendment to Cell Phone Policy The Clerk explained that there has recently been an amendment to the tax law relating to employers that reimburse employees for the business use of an employee's personal cell phone. The change is that any reimbursement to an employee for this situation is not considered taxable income. She stated that staff is proposing an amendment to the cell phone policy to accommodate this law change. The Clerk informed the Council that the Police Department is requesting two additional amendments. These amendments pertain to employees who use their personal phone for business use and receive a stipend from the City. The requested changes include: 1) The cell phone number would not be a public number. 2) The phone would have to be able to access City e-mail, if the �-- phone is a smart phone. The Council discussed the concern of the police officers not wanting the number of their personal phone to be made public. The Council noted that if this change was implemented, it would affect all employees choosing the option of using their personal phone for city business. It was the consensus of the Council that if an employee chooses the option of using a personal phone for city business and receives a stipend for the use of that phone that the number is made public. The Council further noted that the City could use discretion in the word "public" such as not publishing the numbers on the City's web site. COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN MOVED THAT THE FOLLOWING CHANGES BE MADE TO THE CELL PHONE POLICY 1. DELETE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE "THE STIPEND IS CONSIDERED AN EMPLOYEE TAXABLE BENEFIT AND WILL BE INCLUDED AS WAGES ON THE EMPLOYEE W -2." 2. ADD THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO PAGE 3 "AND HAS A SMART PHONE." COUNCIL MEMBER AKERSON SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION `.. CARRIED 5 -0.