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Recently I attended a Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) presentation in Harrisburg. PSAB offers many events throughout the year for elected officials – as educational offerings, so that the elected official can better serve their borough.

Though some are of little benefit to our small borough, there are others that can be useful.

The one I attended had police issues among the topics to be presented, so I went hoping to better understand challenges Council might face in the future. My 1-day attendance cost the Borough $276.65.

This was the only PSAB event I attended since taking office. It’s the only one I’ve submitted a travel reimbursement for.

Mapquest indicated and my odometer confirmed 196 miles round trip, of which I put in for reimbursement of 190 miles from the Borough, as did another councilman who attended this PSAB presentation.

That reimbursement, paid to Council members, or employees traveling and using their own vehicle for borough business, is set at 53.5 cents per mile. I was reimbursed $101.65 for a trip that only cost me $27 in gas. Supposedly, all that extra money is for “wear and tear” on my vehicle.

The 53.5 cents is not an arbitrary amount set by Borough Council. It comes from the Federal level and is absolutely legal, just so I make clear that I’m not implying the reimbursement amount isn’t what is allowed by law.

It is not only available to West Easton officials and employees.

Every municipality can provide reimbursement and they do, which is why you hear of some communities where all their elected officials go to a PSAB conference. They end up being junkets where an entire Council may end up in a theme park area with their family in tow, because a hotel room is also reimbursed.

The mileage reimbursement allotment is a cost to taxpayers that can easily be corrected.

The fact is, the Borough doesn’t have to pay anything to me, pocketing money from the taxpayer teat, in the form of mileage reimbursement. Title 8, the laws governing Boroughs, states officials “may” be compensated. It does not say, “must.” It can be ended if our own travel reimbursement policy is changed.

However, I wouldn’t be pleased if I had to pay out of my own pocket for fuel, but there is an alternative.

West Easton has two vehicles – the Jeeps that were purchased as proposed police cars in 2013 by the previous Council. They aren’t luxurious, but they are functional as able transportation. If a vehicle is available for use to a Council member desiring to further his knowledge, one of those vehicles can be used to travel, instead of that Council member’s personal vehicle. If more than one Councilperson is going, car pool.

Council should act on changing the current policy of members being able to receive small monthly windfalls of extra money when they attend conferences, seminars, or events. With the amount of PSAB offerings toward education, a Councilperson could end up nicely supplementing their income on the taxpayer dime.

If a Borough vehicle is available and the Borough has a standing offer of its own vehicles for use, it would not be required to pay a mileage reimbursement to the Council member. If the Council member refuses to use the Borough vehicle, opting to use his own, he will not be compensated for mileage.

The Borough is basically a corporation – a business. Like any other business that provides a company car, refusal to use that company car disqualifies the person from applying for monetary compensation when using his personal vehicle for company business.

While I would prefer driving my far more comfortable Ford Explorer, I’m more than willing to accept a policy change that will save taxpayers money.

Will the rest of Council do the same? I’m hoping to see a proposal for a change in our current policy be presented by any other Councilperson. I’ll be happy to second a motion to implement the change. I will then vote to approve it.

I have faith that all on our Council would be pleased at saving taxpayers money, wherever it’s possible.