OLRS PAIMI Advisory Council Cost Reimbursement Protocol

1. The Advisory Council meets 4 times a year, usually on a Saturday at the OLRS office. Lunch is served during the meeting.
2. Mileage to and from the meeting as well as parking costs are reimbursed. A travel sheet is to be filled out at the meeting and given to OLRS PAIMI Council staff. Generally within 2-4 weeks OLRS receives the reimbursement check and then forwards this check to you. If any members of council cannot pay their expenses up front, please speak to OLRS PAIMI Council staff so that we can attempt to accommodate your needs.
3. Greyhound bus tickets are provided in advance of the meeting for those members who choose to take the bus. Transportation costs such as taxi from the bus station to the OLRS office will be reimbursed with a receipt.
4. Council members who travel long distances, or need to come a day early because of transportation conflicts (i.e. bus schedules) or cannot travel both directions and attend the council meeting because of health considerations may have one overnight stay at a hotel. OLRS staff can arrange for the overnight stay and have been successful in arranging for the office to be billed. Some council members have preferred to make these arrangements themselves and then receive reimbursement with their travel check. When people stay overnight, OLRS can reimburse council members for dinner on the night of the overnight and breakfast the next day. The State of Ohio does not reimburse for alcoholic beverages or any additional room expenses (i.e. rental movies, phone calls, etc).
5. It is imperative that you call the office and confirm your attendance for each council meeting and sub committee meeting. OLRS is routinely scrutinized by the state with regards to reimbursement expenses, particularly with regards to meals. Therefore it is imperative that lunch counts are accurate. You must call the office in order to obtain an excused absence. For more details on attendance please see the Bylaws of the OLRS PAIMI Advisory Council.
6. The next council meeting is set up at the end of each meeting. If you are absent from a meeting, please call the office to obtain the date of the next meeting.
7. A reminder memo will be sent to you two weeks prior to the meeting along with the minutes of the last meeting.
8. OLRS appreciates the council member's interest and attendance at council meetings and events. We are certainly aware that you all have very busy lives and often have unforeseen events that need consideration. If there is something you need or if you are in need of any specific accommodations or other assistance that we have not mentioned here, please talk with OLRS PAIMI Council staff. The bottom line is that OLRS will assist you in any permissible way possible to assure that you can attend the meetings.