When a municipality has a credit card, monitoring and managing its use is imperative. The money spent on a card belongs to the people, so spending cannot happen without strict guidelines and rules.
The Legislative Service Commission explains any Ohio municipality with a credit card must have a written policy in place that includes some specific provisions.
Possession of the card
The policy must explain how authorized individuals may secure a credit card account and who has the authority to do so. In addition, it must explain who can use the card.
The provisions need to cover the process for reporting a lost card or getting a new card and how to cancel a card. It should outline misuse and the process for handling misuse.
Use of the card
The policy needs to give the maximum limit on the card. It should explain in detail how a person can use the card and for what expenses a person can use it. Finally, there needs to be an explanation of the process for submitting receipts and tracking the charges on the card.
Overall management of the card
The policy should erase any questions about who, why and how someone will use the credit card. The card itself should also be kept in a safe place where only those who have authorization to use it can access it. The person in charge of managing the account should also make sure to consistently gather receipts and keep an ongoing balance to check against the account and monitor for any potential misuse.
A municipal credit card has the potential to lead to problems if there is no proper policy in place to safeguard it.
