Six of the seven black Caddo Commissioners attended a four day  annual conference of the National Organization of Black County Officials (NBCO) earlier this month in Atlanta.

The Commission paid the registration fee and  all expenses of these commissioners. A public records request is pending for the amounts expended for each commissioner. The event was held at The Grand Hyatt Buckhead Hotel.

The only black commissioner who did not attend was Ron Cothran who was preparing for his wedding. It’s probably the only reason he did not join the entourage since he is now the ever present commissioner at public events seeking photo ops.

The only comments made after the trip by commissioners were brief. Commissioner Greg Young said he was surprised at how much he learned. Commissioner Roy Burrell said he was elected to take these trips and he had many notes for Commission Administrator Erica Bryant. Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts advised she chaired a panel discussion.

Apparently a good time was enjoyed by all who attended. What was learned that can help these commissioners effectively perform their elected positions is an unknown. Evidently they did not discuss the impact of naming an official journal that only runs "white news" and one that only runs "black news."

One can only wonder the reaction of these seven commissioners if a national organization of White county officials had a convention and the white commissioners wanted to attend on the tax payors dime. But then that would be an issue of racial politics, which is more and more becoming the norm for the Caddo Commission.