Dade County Says Bradford Conference Spending Raises Concerns, New Expense Policy Planned
Dade County government says expenses associated with Commissioner Melissa Bradford’s July trip to a national conference in New Orleans raise concerns about whether the amount spent was reasonable and appropriate.
In a statement released Friday, County Executive Don Townsend said the availability of scholarship or reimbursement money does not remove the county’s responsibility to scrutinize the use of public funds. Townsend said elected officials should be held to at least the same standards as county employees—and, in his view, an even higher standard.
The county says the Board of Commissioners will now work to develop a clear policy governing travel, meals, lodging, entertainment and other expenses for Dade County elected officials.
Public Statement to Dade County Residents Regarding Citizen Participation in September Commission Meeting
TRENTON, GA. – September 11, 2026 – During citizen participation at the regular meeting of
the Dade County Board of Commissioners held on Sept. 3, 2026, an open records request was
reviewed pertaining to conference attendance and expenses.
Commissioner Melissa C. Bradford attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) annual
conference and exposition held in New Orleans, LA. Bradford attended the event from July 17 to
July 21. The open records request discussed in the commissioners’ meeting reviewed expenses
that occurred during the conference. “First and foremost, we value the input of our local citizens
at our meetings” said Don Townsend, Chairman and County Executive. “The ‘Citizens
Participation’ agenda item is set aside for citizens to participate in their local government process
by making both general statements and recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.”
Our policy is to actively listen to citizens during their dedicated time to speak. The Dade County
Board of Commissioners values the voice of the community and views the agenda items as a key
component to hear concerns and consider comments without interruption. Outside of the regular
meeting, County Commissioners are available to discuss agenda items or other issues in person,
by text, email, telephone, or appointment.
“We take each word to heart and listen intently. We take every response seriously and properly
research the questions asked and statements made to provide a dependable official response to
the citizens of Dade County,” said Townsend.
Commissioner Bradford utilized the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG)
Jerry R. Griffin Scholarship program to offset expenses associated with NACo, including travel
costs, hotel/overnight accommodations and conference registration fees. All Georgia counties
were eligible to participate in the program to receive reimbursement for ACCG and NACo
conferences in 2026 and 2027.
The primary purposes of this scholarship program are to foster lifelong learning, enhance
engagement among county officials at the state and national level, and increase conference
participation.
Commissioners are expected to incur reasonable expenses for meals and other necessities while
traveling on official county business. However, county funds are not an unlimited expense
account, and every expenditure must be reasonable and appropriate in respect to the taxpayers
who fund county government. Taxpayers are not expected to bear the cost of expenses that go
beyond what is reasonable and necessary to conduct official county business.
“Regardless of whether scholarship funding was provided, the expenses that have been
presented raise concerns regarding whether the amount spent was reasonable for one
commissioner during such a short period of time. The availability of reimbursement or scholarship
funds does not eliminate our responsibility to scrutinize how public money is spent,” said
Townsend. “This situation makes clear that we must also examine the standards applicable to
ourselves as elected officials.
Elected officials should be held to, at least, the same standard expected from our employees. —
and, in my opinion, an even higher one. We are entrusted with taxpayer dollars, and with that trust
comes an obligation to exercise restraint, good judgment and accountability.
We strongly support continuing education and professional development for elected officials and
employees. Federal and state laws continually change, and participation in organizations such as
ACCG and NACo provide valuable education and resources that can help us better serve Dade
County. However, the value of attending these conferences does not excuse unreasonable
spending.
Public service comes with an obligation to be a good steward of public funds. Every elected official
and employee spending county money should ask whether they would make the same purchase
if the money came directly from their own bank account. If the answer is no, then taxpayers should
not be expected to pay for it either.”
We appreciate the citizens who take the time to attend our meetings, participate in their local
government, and bring concerns before the Board. Citizens have every right to ask how their tax
dollars are being spent, and County government has a responsibility to answer those questions.
“Therefore, this Board will work to develop a clear and comprehensive policy governing travel,
meals, lodging, entertainment, and other related expenses for elected officials of Dade County
The expectations will be clear, the limits will be clear, and accountability for complying with those
requirements will be clear. Our citizens deserve nothing less,” said Townsend.
We hear you, we value your input, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect public trust
and ensure that Dade County taxpayer funds are spent responsibly.