Clayton commissioners’ trip raises questions

Clayton County taxpayers are paying for four county commissioners and a county employee to spend the weekend in Washington, D.C. while the county is projecting an almost $17 million deficit.

Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell said he and Commissioners Wole Ralph, Sonna Singleton and Gail Hambrick are attending the National Association of Counties legislative conference in Washington.

Bell said he thought the trip would benefit the county.

“I’m going to try to eliminate the deficit by visiting my congressmen and other agencies of government to secure funding,” Bell said.

Bell, who flew to Washington on Friday, said he plans to return to Clayton on Tuesday. He said he did not have a total cost of the trip, but he is spending about $800 to stay at the Marriott, about $200 on airfare and $160 on the conference registration. That does not include meal expenses and taxi fare.

Bell said he did not know how much the other commissioners were spending. Ralph, Singleton and Hambrick did not return phone calls Friday afternoon.

The trip comes days after the commission told county employees they are anticipating a $16.8 million deficit — about 10 percent of the annual $168.5 million budget.

Earlier this week, the commission ordered department heads to cut 3-6 percent from their budgets.

Bell said he plans to meet with U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) and other federal officials to request money for the county’s bus system, homeland security and foreclosed homes.

Clayton Sheriff Kem Kimbrough said he is also attending the conference, but planned to drive and stay with a friend. Kimbrough said the only expense he was charging to the county was gas and the conference registration.

County Chief of Staff Alex Cohilas also did not return a call about the cost of the trip.