Four high-ranking Brevard County officials are drawing fire for a trip to Singapore that went $14,000 over budget.
The purpose of the trip was to attract more tourists to the area, but the county’s chief financial watchdog calls it a junket.
The total cost of the trip led by Commission Chair Mary Bolin Lewis and Space Coast Office of Tourism Director Rob Varley was $34,000.
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“The travel industry in Brevard County is a $3 billion economic impact, so that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what we’re bringing back,” said Varley.
“You have a cost overrun because we went some place we didn’t need to go. Not one person who went to that Singapore Air Show knows a doggone thing about airplanes, and there’s nothing they brought back here that’s of any value,” said Brevard Clerk of Courts Scott Ellis.
Airfare was a little over $2,000 a ticket; hotel rooms were $330 a night for each room, for six nights.
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The tourism office had budgeted the $20,000 in hotel bed tax money for an unspecified overseas trip. When officials there realized the Singapore trip would cost more, they decided it was worth it.
“Sometimes, we have changes, and that’s what this is about. Sometimes, we’ll see an opportunity, and we’ll add to it,” said Varley.
Ellis said the group traveled to Singapore and then to China for about two weeks.
The county commission voted 3-1 to approve the overrun. Bolin Lewis abstained from the vote.
“Your job is here. You need to learn your job is here. We’ve got no business sending politicians on political junkets all over the world,” said Ellis.
The actual overrun might be less than $14,000 because of the exchange rate.
Brevard officials" trip to Singapore goes $14000 over budget
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