[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Cost to the county for the travel and conference is expected to top $7,000, which does not include the cost of food or incidentals.

$7,000 for a 4-day conference? Where are they staying, the Walforf Astoria? My last cross-country business trip (5 days) cost $1100 including per diem, and I stayed at the Embassy Suites for $93/night. Something isn't right!

[blam]

Who cares? It's just your money.

[TADSLOS]

Questionable to say the least, not only from a cost standpoint but also time spent as a measure of effectiveness. It will take a full day to recover from jet lag getting there and the last day will be mostly spent preparing to return. That leaves two days to "confer". Sounds like a boondoggle to me.

[patton]

This is absolutely funny.

It is axiomatic in Defense work, you NEVER hold a conference in Hawaii.

Because the Public will freak out.

Idiot county folks.

[xrp]

Why can't these jackasses just videoconference or teleconference?

[dakine]

It is "off-peak" time in Hawaii...

[Ciexyz]

Puke alert. They could do it by teleconferencing and not leave home.

[badpacifist]

I believe 7 from Jackson County Missouri are going.

[NonValueAdded]

Next year, the conference will be held a little closer to home, in Chicago.

Says it all, right there.

[Flyer]

The trip comes at a time when Washtenaw County faces growing budget problems. Some 132 county positions have been eliminated over the past couple of years, the county has trimmed $2 million from its budget and 15 to 20 employees have been laid off, according to Guenzel.

It doesn't sound like the time and money spent on past conferences has paid off too well.

[Conan the Librarian]

The folks from Chatham Co. Ga were getting ripped off! They were having to pay $18,000 for 5 people. One has dropped out since the newspaper got hold of it.

Funny thing, they day they plan on leaving, the Commissioners are set to vote to raise taxes and not give the county employees their 3% pay raise. Its funny how that happens....NOT.