REGULATION 8230
TRUSTEE REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
1.0 SCHOOL ACT
The School Act provides for payment of remuneration and an expense allowance under Section 71:
“71. (1) A Board may
(a) authorize annually the payment of remuneration to the Chair, Vice Chair and other Trustees, and
(b) authorize annually the payment of a reasonable
allowance for expenses necessarily incurred by trustees in the discharge of their duties.
(2) The Board is responsible for any payments under subsection (1).
(3) The remuneration for the Chair and Vice Chair may be greater than for the other Trustees.”
2.0 TRUSTEE REMUNERATION
2.1 The Board will authorize annually the payment of remuneration to the Chair, Vice Chair and other Trustees.
2.2 The annual authorization shall, wherever possible, be made by June 30 in each year with respect to the twelve months commencing on the next July 1.
3.0 EXPENSES
3.1 Definition of Reimbursable Expenses
(a) Meals, travel, accommodation, and other expenses while travelling on Board business.
(b) Mileage for travel within the District.
(c) Business associated with other School Districts, B.C.S.T.A., Provincial or Municipal government employees, elected officials, or other persons in a position to bring a benefit to education in the District.
(d) Conferences, course fees, and other professional development.
(e) Other additional expenses incurred directly as a result of Board directed activities.
(f) Childcare expenses associated with activities of the Board outside of the School District.
3.2. Reimbursable expenses do not include:
(a) Activities not reasonably related to the functions of a Trustee.
(b) Loss of income.
3.3 Budgets and Approvals
(a) The Board will establish annually an overall budget for Trustee reimbursable expenses and professional development costs.
(b) Trustees will, individually, be allocated a budget for normal reimbursable expenses and professional development. Up to $500 in expenses can be claimed without prior approval from the Board Chair.
(c) Any remaining funds shall be made available to all Trustees.
(d) Access to any remaining funds shall be approved by the Board Chair or designate. The Vice Chair or designate shall approve requests for remaining funds made by the Board Chair.
(e) In the event that the overall budget for Trustee reimbursable expenses and professional development costs is exceeded, the Board of Education will be required to approve additional funds.
3.4 Claims for Reimbursement
(a) Recoverable expenses will be claimed on either a monthly Mileage Report or a Travel Expense Report. Mileage Reports should be submitted monthly and include all claimable travel within the District. Mileage related to travel outside the district should be included in the applicable Travel Expense Report.
(b) A Travel Expense Report should be completed for each trip. Other claimable expenses should also be claimed on a Travel Expense Report and submitted no later than one month following the date of the expenditure.
Receipts should be submitted in support of expense accounts. Expense accounts are to be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department.
3.5 Mileage Allowance
Mileage will be paid at the current Provincial Government rate. Long-distance mileage allowances will not exceed the airfare and ground transportation equivalent for the number of authorized persons who are travelling together.
3.6 Travel Advances
Requests for travel advance cheques are to be directed to the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department. Travel advances will be charged to the account of the Trustee, who will be credited with the amount of reimbursable expenditures chargeable to the Board and accounted for on the Travel Expense Report.
3.7 Air Travel
Bookings can be made and paid directly by the Board by applying through the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department. Travel will be by economy or lowest cost class.
3.8 Hotels
Accommodation can be arranged through the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department, but payment should be made by the Trustee and subsequently claimed on the Travel Expense Report. Trustees may claim per day for accommodation if noncommercial accommodation is used based on the current Provincial Government rate.
3.9 Meals and Gratuities
Trustees may not claim more than the Board per diem rate for meals and gratuities.
3.10 General
All expenses claimed must be related to Board business and be reasonable in nature and extent.
3.11 Payment of Accounts
Reimbursable expenses incurred by Trustees, when on the Board’s business, shall be paid for by the Trustees, with reimbursement being claimed in accordance with this Regulation. Exceptions include air travel, prepaid hotel accommodations, and cellular telephones. This requirement is to facilitate financial control and the requirement under the Financial Information Act that the Board list all payments made to, or on behalf of, Trustees.
3.12 Reporting
A summary of expenses incurred by each Trustee will be prepared at the end of each fiscal year and presented to the Board of Education.
4.0 BOARD MOTIONS
4.1 The Board shall annually pass the budget which shall include the payment of remuneration to the Chair, Vice Chair and other Trustees.
4.2 Trustee Remuneration shall be adjusted on an annual basis to reflect the inflation rate as per Statistic Canada’s Consumer Price Index. The additional stipends for the Chair and Vice Chair are $3,000 and $1,500 respectively.
5.0 ADMINISTRATION OF THIS REGULATION
The administration of this Regulation will be the responsibility of the Secretary-Treasurer. Any questions arising out of interpretation or application of the Policy or Regulation will be referred by the Secretary- Treasurer to the Chair of the Board.
References:
School Act Sections 71 and 85
Trustee Remuneration Schedule
Greater Victoria School District
Approved: July 1974
Revised: June 26, 1989
Revised: June 1991
Revised: December 18, 2017