Policy AM-509-2 Pagers and Cellular Phones

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance for the City department heads and supervisors, and establish responsibility for the acquisition, management and cost control of pagers and cellular telephone equipment and services. This policy shall apply to pagers and cellular equipment used by all City agencies and quasi-City agencies. This policy also establishes responsibility for assignment, use, review, and oversight of pagers and cellular equipment assigned to City agencies and employees. All pager and cellular equipment must be secured through the Municipal Telephone Exchange (MTE). MTE has the overall responsibility for the pager/cellular systems.

Cellular equipment is made available to further the business of the City. The initial request for cellular equipment and services must be authorized by the agency head in accordance with this policy if the request meets the requirements of (1) and/or (2) below, and the Justification Form (<cite data-path="§AM-509-2-3">AM-509-2-3</cite>) section is documented on the Pager/Cellular Telephone Request Form (<cite data-path="§AM-509-2-2">AM-509-2-2</cite>). Assignments of cellular equipment shall be limited to business use by officials and employees (1) who travel from their assigned work site on City government business for a significant part of their normal workday and need to communicate frequently with employees and/or citizens while not at the assigned work site (by having immediate access for situations relating to urgent City business), and/or (2) must be accessible at all times, as required by the Mayor and agency head. If the use of cellular equipment is occasional or as a matter of personal convenience for the employee in conducting City business, the employee may be reimbursed for reasonable City business use made on his/her own personal cellular equipment by submitting an original statement from the cellular carrier with the appropriate use circled with an employee's expense report. The employee needs to request in writing the approval of the agency head prior to initial use of his/her cellular equipment for City business. The agency head has the authority to determine appropriate usage and a maximum monthly dollar amount (if needed) for reimbursement to employee. City government is not responsible for monthly fees, maintenance, damage or theft/loss of the employee's personal cellular equipment. City-related use is subject to verification if requested. A Pager/Cellular Request must be submitted to MTE to request assignment of the equipment. (See <cite data-path="§AM-509-2-1">AM-509-2-1</cite> for complete instructions.) A pager or cellular equipment may be assigned when there is justification for such unit(s), the agency head recommends it and the agency’s Budget Analyst at BBMR approves the costs The equipment may be assigned to the employee's immediate supervisor when justification involves employees performing the same duties but on different shifts. It may be assigned on a temporary basis when there is a seasonal or limited need for such assignment.

Personal use of City cellular equipment is to be avoided unless it is an emergency situation with subsequent approval of the agency head. An employee will be required to reimburse the City for the cost of <u>all</u> personal use in accordance with procedures established by MTE. A $10.00 penalty per use will be assessed against any employee found to have made personal use cellular equipment without either recording or paying for it. All personal use must be circled on the monthly bills and reviewed by agency head and supervisor. Personal use must be reconciled with the monthly bill by submitting a cash deposit slip with a personal check made payable to the Director of Finance. A copy of the cash deposit slip and a copy of the check along with the monthly justification form must be sent to the Agency Telephone Coordinator.

Agencies will be charged a monthly rental fee for all assigned equipment. Equipment is the property of MTE. .<strong>MUNICIPAL TELEPHONE EXCHANGE</strong> The Municipal Telephone Exchange (MTE) has overall operating responsibility for the Pager/Cellular system. MTE's responsibilities include: <ul> <li>receiving and evaluating equipment assignment requests;</li> <li>submitting costs and justification for new service to agency budget analyst for approval</li> <li>placing orders with vendor</li> <li>providing inventory control, distribution, and retrieval of equipment;</li> <li>providing assistance via the vendor for maintenance and repair of equipment;</li> <li>informing the Department of Finance, Bureau of Accounting of rental fees assessed or charges to the using agencies;</li> <li>forwarding monthly cellular charges to the using agency;</li> <li>reviewing MEMO (28-1418-5007) (<cite data-path="§AM-509-2-1">AM-509-2-1</cite>) on equipment loss, damage, theft, or suspicious disappearance;</li> <li>monitoring payment by employees for personal cellular use;</li> <li>assessing charges to agencies in cases of negligence, misuse or abuse of pager/cellular equipment by employees;</li> <li>reviewing cases involving equipment loss, damage, theft or suspicious disappearance to determine negligence, misuse, or abuse of pager/cellular equipment for possible recommendation to the agency/bureau head of appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against the responsible employee.</li> </ul>

Agency responsibilities include: <ul> <li>obtaining ancillary equipment and batteries through MTE;</li> <li>notifying MTE in writing of any permanent or temporary change of personnel which relate to Pager/Cellular assignments;</li> <li>assuring that equipment not approved for retention is returned to MTE;</li> <li>obtaining verification of cellular charges from user, and certifying that services were received and that there were no personal calls, except as noted by user;</li> <li>reviewing and approving personal use City cellular equipment which is circled on the monthly invoice for the employee to reimburse;</li> <li>approving/disapproving requests in writing by employees to use personal cellular equipment for occasional City business use; deciding appropriate business use, and monthly maximum reimbursable amount (if needed) that employee can request on employee expense account;</li> <li>assessing and collecting charges from employees when negligence, abuse, or misuse of assigned equipment has been determined.</li> </ul>

Users are subject to disciplinary action and/or assessment of charges in cases of negligence, misuse, or abuse of assigned pagers or cellular equipment. User responsibilities include: <ul> <li>properly using and caring for the pager or cellular equipment;</li> <li>immediately notifying the Police Department of a theft or suspicious disappearance involving the equipment;</li> <li>contacting Agency Telephone Coordinator immediately upon theft, loss, disappearance so the service can be discontinued and forwarding an email within 24 hours to their Agency Telephone Coordinator and supervisor describing in detail any theft or suspicious disappearance of assigned equipment;</li> <li>reviewing the monthly invoice for accuracy of cellular charges and noting all personal use by circling; <em>(Note: Approval by supervisor and agency head of the monthly invoice is required.)</em></li> <li>preparing and submitting a cash deposit slip with reimbursement for any personal use of the City cellular equipment to the Director of Finance;</li> <li>preparing and submitting an employee expense account report for reimbursement of approved City-related use on the employee's personal cellular equipment. Original invoices from the employee's cellular carrier with the City business use circled must be attached to the report.</li> </ul>