An advance travel payment, not to exceed the anticipated cost of travel, may be made pursuant to the requirements of the Revised Code of Washington, Sections 42.24.120 through 42.24.160 if the traveler submits a request for such an advance. The request will be in the format and will include all information required by the finance director to comply with regulations prescribed by the State Auditor. Travel advances shall be paid from the advance travel expense revolving fund established by Section 3.10.010 of the Lacey Municipal Code. On or before the fifteenth day following the close of the authorized travel period for which expenses have been advanced, the officer or employee shall submit a travel expense voucher, in the form provided by the finance director, accompanied by the unexpended portion of such advance, if any. The city shall have a prior lien against and a right to withhold any and all funds payable or to become payable by the city to such officer or employee to whom such advance has been given up to the amount of such advance and interest at the rate of ten percent per year, after said advance or the balance thereof is due, until such time as repayment or justification has been made. No additional travel advance of any kind shall be made to any officer or employee, at any time when he or she is delinquent in accounting for or repaying a prior advance.

A travel advance made pursuant to this section shall be considered as having been made to such officer or employee to be expended by him/her as an agent of the city for the city’s purposes only, and specifically to defray necessary costs while performing his or her official duties. No such advance shall be considered as a personal loan to such officer or employee and any expenditure thereof, other than for official business purposes, shall be considered a misappropriation of public funds. (Ord. 1239 §3, 2005; Ord. 1021 §6, 1995; Ord. 649 §5, 1982; Ord. 352 §3, 1974; Ord. 314 §1 (part), 1973).