Edmonds Mayor Suspends Out-of-State Travel for City Employees

Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling today announced an indefinite suspension of
out-of-state travel, saying it's part of his continuing effort to reduce expenditures in light of the economic realities facing the city.

Earling has ordered department directors and managers to review all travel and training requests to insure the necessity of the training. They are also being asked to look for opportunities to attend training online or in-state, where possible, to limit travel expenses.

Exceptions might be made under limited circumstances, Earling said, such as training required as part of attaining or maintaining certifications that are required as part of the employee’s position that is not available in-state.

Employees traveling on city business are now required to travel in the least costly manner, and where possible, training and meetings are encouraged to be conducted online, via conference call or through other less costly means.

"This is one part of an overall plan to reduce expenses of the City, look for opportunities for efficiencies, find ways to partner with other organizations and generally adapt to the reality of the current economy,” Earling said.