Sec. 15. (a) The board may, subject to the board's rules, authorize a member of the board or an officer or individual employed by the board to be absent from the school city in the interest of the school city without loss of compensation.
(b) The board may refund to an individual described in subsection (a) necessary expenses incurred during the individual's absence. The amount refunded under this subsection must be paid from the board's operations fund.