Elk Grove City Council To Reconsider Reimbursement Policy

Controversy erupted after Scherman sought late, double mileage payments


The Elk Grove City Council will consider a new ordinance to govern how city council members and employees are paid for mileage expenses when it conducts its regular meeting this Wednesday night at 6:00 pm.

If adopted, the new resolution will repeal the previous one adopted in 2006 governing how reimbursements are handled. According to a staff report written by city attorney Susan Cochran, the new policy seeks to “provide greater clarity and direction.”

The new resolution would specifically ban city council members from collecting monies from the city when they had already collected public funds for the various board they serve on representing the city and for claiming mileage expenses for attending meetings within Elk Grove city limits.

Scherman shenanigans

The matter was brought to the attention of the city council during an August city council meeting when council member Sophia Scherman’s expense reports were questioned during the public comment section.

Subsequent to that meeting, an examination of public records found that Scherman had at a minimum violated the resolution, which she signed into law when she served as mayor, by routinely submitting her expense report in an untimely manner. Scherman also submitted the expenses handwritten that were often illegible.

Additionally, Scherman had routinely submitted and was paid mileage expenses for her attendance at various county boards she serves on while receiving up to $100 Per diem for these same meetings. In essence, she received two payments for the same activity.

While Cochran and city finance manager Rebecca Craig defended Scherman’s practices and handwritten expense reports as being within the spirit of the law, if approved, this new resolution seems aimed at ending the practices used by Scherman in her expense reporting.