It’s not known which, if any, of the Guilford County commissioners like to smoke marijuana from time to time, but, if they do, they’ll certainly get the chance on next month’s taxpayer funded trip to Colorado, famous for its mountains and its wide selection of cannabis products.
Of course, the county commissioners making the journey aren’t going there to party – instead, the National Association of Counties (NACo) will host its 2022 Annual Conference from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24 in Adams County, Colorado, near Denver.
At the conference, the commissioners will attend workshops and seminars meant to improve county government and learn best practices, elect new association leaders and discuss the legislative agenda that counties want federal and state governments to enact in order to help the counties out in the coming years.
Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston, who often makes the trek to the conference each year, will not be going this summer due to a scheduling conflict.
A lot of the current Guilford County commissioners are members of NACo boards and commissions.
Commissioner Kay Cashion, who is a big fan of these events and has held several prominent roles in NACo leadership over the years, is attending as usual. Cashion is currently the Vice Chair of NACo’s Arts & Culture Commission as well as Vice Chair of the Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee.
Vice Chair of the Board Carlvena Foster will attend the NACo conference, where she’ll fulfill her duties as the President of Women of NACo.
Commissioner James Upchurch will also be attending the annual conference in the land that gave us the John Denver classic “Rocky Mountain High.” Upchurch is on the Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee.
Guilford County Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy, a member of the Women of NACo, will also make the trip.
Guilford County taxpayers will foot the bill for travel, hotel, meals, and admittance fees for the county commissioners who attend.
The attendees almost always come back from these trips saying they learned a lot and they are better commissioners because of it – though, of course, claims like that are notoriously hard to prove.
Scott,
Do you think Roy Carroll would pay your expenses to Colorado like the Hawaii junket a while ago?
Jus’ asking.
Cheers
Ha ha! I wondered if anyone remembered THAT little trip!! One of the best articles this paper has ever published!!
Financial times are a little different than they were in 2005, but it’s a nice idea Fred.
“Learning a lot” and then not putting it to practice, is the trademark of local so-called ‘public servants.’
Burn those TAX dollars!
Free Vacation at the taxpayers expense. It is obvious the only thing they learn at these “conferences” is how to spend, spend, and spend some more of our money. Maybe they will like it out there and just stay for good!
Throw the bums out!
Exactly!
Every last one of ’em.
More spending on junkets, how fiscally responsible. These conferences and workshops could be available to stream at a fraction of the cost….but where’s the free vacation in that?
What happened to telecommunications? If it were good enough for students, is it not good enough for elected officials? The commissioners can sit in the comfort of their own homes or offices and watch and listen to the drivel for only the cost of a registration fee. Save taxpayer money.
They know that “THEY” are going to raise our taxes so they want to start spending the money on themselves already. THEY just don’t want to wait until they get our money. Why would they even get to go if they are going to be voted out of office. Greensboro has become a joke.
The more I read about these politicians the more I wish we have a Jan 6 every year
Where do I sign up. We need one in Greensboro