03/14/14 — Commissioners' D.C. trip sets county back $12,000

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Commissioners' D.C. trip sets county back $12,000

By From staff reports
Published in News on March 14, 2014 1:46 PM

It cost Wayne County $12,187.15 for commissioners to attend the National Association of Counties' annual legislative conference held Feb. 28 through March 5 in Washington, D.C.

Registration for each commissioner was $515. The county paid for Commissioner Ray Mayo even though he had a family emergency and was unable to attend.

The conference was held at the Hilton, and the cost breakdown for each commissioner is:

* Steve Keen, $1,940.23. Keen went to the conference on Feb. 28 and was there for two extra nights because of committee meetings. The other commissioners did not go until Sunday, March 2.

* Bill Pate, $877.28

* Wayne Aycock, $902.42

* Ed Cromartie, $820.98

* John Bell, $986.13

* Joe Daughtery, $928.93

The difference in room costs is because of some eating a snack or meal(s) in their rooms, said Barbara Arntsen, county public information officer.

Another $2,126.18 was spent on food, gas, tips and parking. Those were totaled together because board members sometimes ate and traveled together, she said.