Seattle Mayor McGinn restricts employee travel

The outgoing Seattle parks director's high-profile trip to Australia prompted Mayor Mike McGinn in a Thursday memo to restrict city-employee travel.

McGinn's memo suspends "all discretionary city spending related to travel, training, staff development, conferences and provision of food or beverage at meetings that reasonably can be foregone."

The memo encourages department heads to look for ways to save money, such as opting for phone meetings instead of driving across the city.

McGinn is preparing to make $12 million to $15 million in midyear budget cuts and faces a $56 million shortfall for the 2011 budget.

The mayor's memo doesn't ban all out-of-town travel, but requires department heads check with the mayor before they travel outside the state.

"I was surprised to learn the city doesn't already have a policy like this," he said.

McGinn said he spoke with department directors this winter about restricting travel. He decided to put the policy in writing after Seattle Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher and Recreation Division Director Sue Goodwin went this month to Australia for a conference.

Gallagher submitted his resignation Monday.

McGinn doesn't expect the new policy to affect any of his immediate plans. He has no out-of-town trips scheduled in the near future.

He said he didn't know how much money the new policy might save the city.

McGinn went to Washington, D.C., last week to accept a $20 million federal stimulus grant.

Earlier this year, he went to the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C.

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com