Several Port Arthur City Councilmembers, the mayor and the city attorney recently attended a conference in Houston that cost thousands of dollars.

The 2017 Texas Municipal League Annual Conference and Exhibition was held on Oct. 3-5 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The TML website describes the conference as the signature event of the TML and one of the nation’s largest gatherings of local government leaders.

According to reports from the city secretary’s office, Mayor Derrick Freeman had expensed of $1,953; Raymond Scott Jr., District 1 councilman had $1,674; Cal Jones, District 2 councilman had $1,544; Thomas Kinlaw III, District 3 councilman had $1,605; Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr., District 5 councilman had $1,674; Charlotte Moses, Position 7 councilwoman had $1,599 and City Attorney Val Tizeno had $1,184.

Voters approved a change to the city’s charter through an election to eliminate Districts 5 and 6 from the city council in May 2018.

Further under the expense report was listed:

Freeman had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $1,338, meal per diem of $75 for a total of $300.

Scott had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $963, a rental car and mileage of $95 and meal per diem of $75 for a total of $300.

Jones had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $929, a rental vehicle, and meal per diem of $75 for a total of $300.

Kinlaw had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $894, mileage of $95 and meal per diem of $75 for a total of $300.

Lewis had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $963, mileage of $95 and meal per diem of $75 for a total of $300.

Moses had a registration fee of $315, lodging at Embassy Suites by Hilton of $963, mileage $95 and meal per diem of $75 for a total of $225.

An expense report for Tizeno was not available.

A statement from the Texas Municipal League media relations read 2,300 delegates registered for the conference and only a little more than 80 cancelled their registration and did not attend. Harvey didn’t deter most from attending and much of the conference programming was about storm recovery and how to deal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Some of the sessions over three days were Managing Water Resources for Growing Cities, You Are Not Alone: Security Resources for Cities, Road to 2020: How Cities Can Prepare Parks: An Economic Engine for Your Bottom Line and Quality of Life, Lessons Learned: Crisis Communications and Hurricane Harvey, “Get R.E.A.L.” Race, Equity, and Leadership The Sharing Economy and What It Means for Cities, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones: Best Practices for Cities, Creating Safe and Sustainable Communities for Your Citizens, Public Works Round Table Discussion on Disaster Response and Legislative Issues, Annexation: Did the Legislature “Elect” to Eliminate It?, Police Body Cameras – Practical and Legal Perspectives, The Future of City Finances: Pensions, Transparency, and the Importance Structurally Balanced Budgets, The Effects of Ferguson and the Future of Fines and Court Costs in Texas and Soaring Healthcare Cost.