Dade County Commissioner Melissa Bradford is responding for the first time to questions surrounding expenses associated with her attendance at a conference in New Orleans, saying the trip was made at the county’s request and that no county tax dollars were used to cover her or her spouse’s attendance. In a statement released Friday, Bradford provided additional details about the trip, the expenses she submitted for accounting purposes, and her response to criticism from County Executive Don Townsend.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement Regarding New Orleans Conference Expenses
From the Office of Melissa Bradford, Dade County Commissioner District 4
I would like to provide clarification regarding expenses associated with my attendance at a conference in New Orleans while representing Dade County.
Dade County asked me to represent the County at the conference and additionally
registered my spouse which was supported by a private scholarship. No tax dollars were used to pay for our attendance at the conference.
The conference location, accommodations, and itinerary were established as part of the conference arrangements. I understood before traveling that New Orleans was an
expensive city, having personally visited there several times in the preceding months. Even so, I was surprised by the cost of some of the accommodations and services associated with the trip.
While attending the conference, I personally paid for certain expenses when I believed it was appropriate to do so. I used restaurants recommended by the accommodations
selected for the trip and made transportation decisions based on the circumstances at the time. During periods when the heat index approached 110 degrees, I also made reasonable decisions regarding food, hydration, and avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme heat.
For complete transparency and proper accounting, I submitted documentation of every expense associated with the trip as required. The following is a summary of those
expenses:
It is important to distinguish between expenses submitted for accounting purposes and expenses paid with County funds. The fact that a receipt was provided to the County does
not mean the County paid the expense. I provided the receipts so that there would be a complete and transparent record of the costs associated with my official travel.
I did not receive any personal financial gain from attending this conference. My benefit was the knowledge, information, and experience gained through the conference, which I believe will help me better serve the citizens of Dade County.
I understand that citizens have every right to question the expenses of their elected
officials, and I welcome that scrutiny. Transparency and accountability are important.
What I find disappointing is the characterization of these expenses as excessive by Commissioner Townsend to multiple news outlets without, to my knowledge, first
discussing the circumstances with me or providing the full context. The conference was attended at the County’s request, supported by a private scholarship, and did not require County tax dollars to fund my or my spouse’s attendance.
Reasonable people may disagree about individual spending decisions. However, I believe the citizens of Dade County deserve to have the complete facts and circumstances before reaching conclusions about how their elected representatives conducted
themselves.
I remain proud to have represented Dade County and to have brought back information and knowledge that I believe will benefit our community.