Council's Fourth-Quarter Expenses Tally $9,800

The Lake Forest City Council spent slightly more than $9,800 in the final quarter of the 2011-12 fiscal year for travel and meetings.

The total tally covers travel costs, meeting expenses, event costs and occasionally advance payments for upcoming travel.

Of that amount, three of the five council members used $2,927.45 for travel and meeting reimbursements.

Councilwoman Marcia Rudolph spent the most money, as in past quarters: $1,812.02. At Tuesday evening's council meeting, she addressed her costs, saying that a "congenital visual problem" means that she can't drive herself to meetings and instead takes taxis.

"You don't want me on the road because it would be a tragedy for anyone driving around me," she said.

Mayor McCullough spent $816.65 in the final quarter of the fiscal year; Mayor Pro Tem Scott Voigts, $298.78.

Councilman Mark Tettemer, who does not ask the city to reimburse his expenses and attends significantly fewer meetings and events than his colleagues, said Tuesday that he does so to bolster the city's bottom line.

No expenses were recorded for Councilman Peter Herzog.

The cost of travel and meetings for the Lake Forest City Council in the first three months of 2012 totalled $5,869.08, city records show. In the prior quarter—the final three months of 2011—the 

Costs in the first quarter of the 2011-12 fiscal year, which began July 1, 2011, .

The $9,822.61 charge incurred between April and June of this year leaves a balance of $8,377 for the fiscal year out of the $35,000 authorized annually for council costs.

HOW THEY SPENT IT

Rudolph, $1,812.02

4/03/12 Transportation to City Council meeting: $20.50            

4/06/12 Transportation to meet with staff: $41            

4/10/12 Transportation to meet with staff: $54.80    

4/17/12 Transportation to City Council meeting: $16.60    

4/17/12 Transportation to meeting about Rockfield Street project: $26  

4/19/12 Transportation to Vector Control Board of Trustees Meeting, Garden Grove; LCC* quarterly meeting in Dana Point: $171

4/20/12 Transportation to meeting with staff: $32.20 

4/26/12 Transportation to Medal of Valor luncheon: $33.50

5/01/12 Transportation to City Council meeting:  $22.50  

5/08/12 Transportation to Rancho Parkway groundbreaking ceremony: $60.50

5/13/12 Transportation to City Council meeting: $15.95    

5/17/12 Transportation to Vector Control Board of Trustees meeting, Garden Grove: $168

5/18/12 Transportation to Lake Forest Anniversary Luncheon: $22.50

5/20/12 Transportation to Prelude in the Park concert: $30                 

5/29/12 Transportation to meeting with staff: $46.20

6/05/12 Transportation to City Council meeting: $15.95          

6/11/12 Transportation to meeting with staff: $37.75

6/13 - 6/15/12 LCC* Policy Committee, Sacramento: $806.87

6/19/12 Transportation to City Council meeting: $17.25     

6/21/12 Transportation to Vector Control Board of Trustees meeting, Garden Grove: $157

6/24/12 Transportation to city concert: $15.95

McCullough, $816.65

4/19/12 LCC* quarterly meeting, Dana Point: $40      

5/10/12 ACC-OC** general meeting, Costa Mesa: $60

6/13 - 6/15/12 LCC* Policy Committee, Sacramento: $716.65 

Voigts, $298.78

4/19/12 LCC* quarterly meeting, Dana Point: $40      

5/10/12 ACC-OC** general meeting, Costa Mesa: $60                                

6/07/12 ACC-OC** summit meeting: $95                                            

6/30/12 Mileage reimbursement, 4/24 – 06/30: $103.78

Herzog, $0

Tettemer, $0

*League of California Cities

**Association of California Cities