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Paid trip to conference not within means
Published Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Many times in my career, I’ve had the chance to see hypocrisy in human form and often times it rolls around in the political arena. It’s not that hypocrisy is rampant in politics, but it is often times politicians and elected officials set themselves up for such hypocritical mistakes.
One such case is when those at the national level speak about such legislation as that intended to defend the definition of marriage only to be found and later admit to have been in an extramarital affair. Or when an elected official makes public remarks about the scourge of pork barrel spending only to request millions of dollars be funneled to his state or district for such things as underwater pebble picking farms.
Another such case happened at the local level this week when county commissioner Joe Headly spoke out about the need to further cut spending at the county level. He commented that he would have a hard time supporting any proposed tax initiatives to help the county’s struggling finances if spending wasn’t further controlled.
I not only applaud Mr. Headly’s comments but also commend him for doing so and stating the truth that passing any new tax initiatives, even ones he said he would support, will be difficult to pass.
But the problem comes in this. Mr. Headley and fellow commissioner Greg Moore have asked the county to pay for their trips to a county commission conference at the beautiful Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach. Not only will the county cover all registration costs, but mileage, meals and other related expenses will be covered.
Moore, Headley and commissioner Allen Caton are scheduled to attend the Association of County Commissions of Alabama’s annual convention in August.
Each has completed a number of hours of training and is scheduled to receive a training certificate.
But unlike Moore and Headly, Caton, who is still undecided if he will actually make the trip, said he would cover all of his expenses “100 percent.”
I will be the first to admit that I do not envy the jobs our elected officials hold. Not only do they face problems only a few of us can ever comprehend, but they must battle those problems in the view of the public.
There is no doubt the training was warranted and will make each of these men even more qualified commissioners.
Many times our commissioners have talked of a tight budget and living within our means. It would just seem this time, paying for trips to Orange Beach are not within our means.
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Comments
Posted by SouthernWalker (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope I am understanding your comments correctly. We want to send our commissioners to receive special training so they can do a better job but we feel that they should pay the expense for it. I cannot agree with that thinking. If we cannot afford at this time to pay the expenses of these Commissioners then we should not ask them to go. So, if they choose to go then it would be totally up to them.
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Training in the conference room of a Days Inn in lovely downtown Birmingham, I could support. Training at Perdido Beach Resort is a perk, and the organizers know that the attendees are making a cursory appearance in their meetings in order to justify the use of taxpayer dollars on a vacation.
Besides, can't they use the money that would be spent on such a trip to add another pork project for Minooka Park? We're in a recession; the CoCo needs to prioritize their wasteful spending.
Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shame, Shame!
We couldn't afford to go to the beach this year...money was just too tight. Anybody want to foot the bill for us?? I'll read a book or something, so it'll be educational. I'll be a better citizen if I get to go to Florida for "training".
Posted by unclesam (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They are not going for training, they are going to pick up there certificates for training they have already taken. That's an expense trip just to pick up there certificates. My understanding it will cost the county about $1,000.00 for each commissioner.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Part of the training -they already received- must have been how to get a free vacation.
Posted by dixiedreaming (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am in local government and many times, I have attending continuing education training at the same hotel. The meetings are nice, the rooms are nice but the hotel expense isn't really that high. Most meals are furnished by sponsors of the conference; so meals shouldn't be that high since the conference is only a couple of days/nights.
County and City officials need continuing education training in order to keep up with changes in local laws that affect their jurisdictions as well as the citizens. Failure to keep up with those laws could result in lawsuits, liability issues, etc.
However, because of the economy and the decrease in revenues in my city, I have suspended all training but one course in order to keep up with these issues.
County revenues are down. I see a need for the training, but not for 3 commissioners when the County is broke. If Mr. Caton is willing to pay his own expenses (voluntarily); then I say let him go and tell the others to remain home and let him report back.
The training is needed. It isn't a "vacation"; what enjoyment can you get out of the beach if you are stuck in classes all day? It is a nice perk if your family is able to go and enjoy the beach, but that's no additional expense to the County because the County doesn't reimburse expenses of the family.
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 3:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dixiedreaming ... read the article again. They've already done the training .. this trip is just to pick up the certificate. Why can't they just mail them the certificates?
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on June 24, 2009 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd hate to be the commissioner that had to send out lay-off notices to county employees if I had just come back from a taxpayer funded boondoggle to the beach. I don't have a problem with the beach, I go pretty often myself, but I don't have the taxpayers pick up my tab; bar tab or hotel tab!
Posted by dixiedreaming (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Katherine,
They were "scheduled" to receive a certificate. This was a session with other County and City officials that also included training. You get your certificates at a function one evening which is one of the dinners paid for by a sponsor or you get it at the end of the session. This was not purely to pick up a certificate.
Posted by livinginthorsby (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder, is there a possiblity of taking a webinar? The legal community offers them all the time to take and earn CLE hours. Please Advertiser, look into the possibility of the commissioners signing up for a webinar as opposed to traveling to a seminar.
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe there are tons of training opportunities for the county commissioners at this conference, but once again, I can't help noticing that it is being held at Perdido Beach. If it were being planned with the best interests of the counties in mind, it wouldn't be held in a resort community that is a 6 to 7 hour drive from the state's northernmost counties.
Nope, this is a perk.
Come attend some training and then sun your buns on our beautiful beaches. After a brief swim, come enjoy the fine dining of Voyager's Restaurant. We recommend the Lobster and Filet Mignon or the Rack of Lamb Dijonaise. Oh the county's paying? Have both, and you simply must try the Wood Smoked Portobello Mushrooms.
Posted by REK1138 (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Inevitably these kinds of things are defended on the basis that in the grander scheme of things it is really very little expense. In other words, the county commission cutting out travel expenses and conferences is not going prevent layoffs or the curtailing of government services because it does not represent that much money.
The problem lies, as the story points out, in the hypocrisy of asking the county to cut spending and yet feeling no pressure to eliminate seminars and conventions at typical vacation spots. I stinks of a double standard and any good commissioner would do good to have no part of it, regardless of how much money it does or does not cost. Any good governing course or seminar offered at a beach or mountain resort can likely be found and/or taken on-line or offered in Montgomery or Birmingham. Furthermore, if a county commissioner wants to attend a seminar in Perdido Beach, by all means do so and I agree the county should pay for the course - but let the commissioner pay for his own travel expenses, his own hotel room, and how own dadgum Pina Colada!!!
Posted by KatherineReece (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well our Sheriff pointed out in another comment section that the commission turned down his request to buy a bullet proof jacket for a deputy. Surely that is more important than this!
Posted by Mof2 (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
From what I've heard, the wives are going, too and this will be their "summer vacation". My family, however, couldn't afford a vacation at the beach this summer. I suppose I can take comfort in knowing that my tax dollars are helping Mr Moore and Mr Headley to go to the beach. I would also be interested in knowing if this is a 1-2 night deal or more??!!
Posted by Mof2 (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just read the commissioners minutes which states it is Aug 18-20
Posted by kwsrgraves (anonymous) on June 25, 2009 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Steve42, the Escargot is a great appetizer at Voyagers. Followed by the Rack of Lamb,(medium rare) the mushrooms ARE terrific. Follow that up with Bananas Foster cooked tableside. A couple of bottles of a good Zinfandel with that meal, runs about $160.00 for two. I have stayed and dined there many times. Several time the State of Alabama was picking up the bill for our conferences. Being in a class all day is nothing. The nightlife was the most fun and expensive. Pink Pony one night, FloraBama the next. Dinner at Hemingway's on the bay the next. $1,000.00 only covers a couple night's stay. Itemized receipts for expense reimbursements is something most people DON'T need to see. It would only tick the taxpayers off!
Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 8:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just can't wait until the next time they start with the "poor man's blues" , and complaining about the county's sad state of economic affairs. They'll get sliced to pieces here in the forum. I have no problem with them going to Orange Beach, but they'll have a heck of a nerve if they do so with the way things are right now on the taxpayer's dime.
Posted by Rickey (anonymous) on July 2, 2009 at 2:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dixiedreaming writes "I have attending continuing education classes ..." The proper verb shoud be I "have been attending ..." One can only hope that "continuing education" (wink, wink) involves some type of English grammar session.
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