By Howard Packowitz and Lindsey Harrison of WMBD-TV
BLOOMINGTON – It appears the Bloomington City Council is ready to adopt an ordinance forbidding the city’s elected leaders to carry government credit cards, and establishing guidelines how taxpayer dollars are reimbursed to them for conducting official business.
The changes come as Illinois State Police continue an invesgtigation into use of a credit card to pay airfare for Mayor Tari Renner’s girlfriend to join him on his official visit this summer to Bloomington-Normal’s Japanese sister city.
The council discussed the measure Monday night, and Renner expects final council action in two weeks.
Alderman David Sage petitioned for the matter to be placed on the council’s agenda. He wants to make sure everyone had a clear understanding how elected leaders can spend public money.
“Specifically for us as elected officials, that we might be willing to hold ourselves to a highest standard,” said Sage.
The new ordinance would prevent elected officials from having a city credit card in their name. Instead, the mayor and council members would be reimbursed by the city for allowable expenses. Those include things like hotel stays and meals, purchased for city business.
Alderman Karen Schmidt is among a consensus of council members backing the ordinance.
“It aligns with any best business practices I’ve ever had in my current position at Illinois Wesleyan and anywhere else. And it all makes sense to me. I appreciate having everything wrapped up together,” said Schmidt.
The Mayor said he’s confident police will find no one did anything wrong. Renner said his girlfriend, Margot Ehrlich (MAR-go UR-lick) reimbursed taxpayers for the 18-hundred dollar airfare after a city staffer used a credit card to book the flight.
Renner said Ehrlich was acting in an official capacity as a member of the local delegation to Japan.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
