Washtenaw County, MI – Washtenaw County’s employee travel policy has recently undergone significant changes following revelations that an official had spent a substantial amount of money on travel using her county-issued credit card. The county’s Board of Commissioners approved these policy amendments at a meeting on August 7, with the aim of enhancing transparency in spending by county employees and implementing restrictions on travel allowances and expenditure limits.
The catalyst for these policy changes was County Racial Equity Officer Alize Asberry Payne, who is currently on unpaid leave. Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that Asberry Payne had taken at least 80 days of travel for conferences and events in 2022 and 2023, including trips to Germany and stays at luxury hotels costing over $600 per night.
Under the new policy, all travel expenses must be documented by employees and submitted within 60 days of travel. These expenses will be reported on the county website’s Open Book section, a publicly accessible database that provides financial transparency by disclosing county finance data, including salaries, credit card charges, and spending by commissioners.
The Open Book travel reports will now include essential details such as dates of travel, vendors or events, reasons for travel, and associated costs. Additionally, the county administrator will establish procedures for reporting overnight travel accurately and regularly.
Furthermore, the amended policy imposes limits on employee travel, restricting them to 24 travel days per year for conferences and capping conference-related spending at $5,000 annually. Any expenditure exceeding these limits or exceeding 24 travel days must receive approval from the Board of Commissioners. Employees are also prohibited from approving their own travel, with all department heads requiring approval from the county administrator.
During the discussion leading up to the policy amendments, commissioners expressed their satisfaction with the new regulations, particularly highlighting the importance of reporting travel expenses on Open Book for transparency purposes.
As for Asberry Payne, she was granted 450 hours of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, with her unpaid leave extended by up to six months according to county policy for non-union employees. Despite her leave being unpaid, Asberry Payne was able to utilize paid time off and sick leave, continuing to receive payment from the county until her accrued hours were exhausted.
While Asberry Payne’s anticipated return date was initially set for July 29, County Administrator Gregory Dill confirmed that she had not resumed her duties as of August 8. Personnel documents obtained through FOIA revealed that Asberry Payne received a salary increase in November 2023, bringing her annual salary to $147,255. This raise was part of an annual anniversary salary increase available to all non-union county employees and was not based on performance.
In Asberry Payne’s absence, the responsibilities of the Racial Equity Office have been redistributed among other county employees, including Dill. It remains uncertain when Asberry Payne intends to return to work.
The commissioners had initially proposed updates to the travel policy in June following the publication of the MLive/Ann Arbor News story. After several postponements, the revised policy was finally approved in August, signaling a new era of accountability and transparency in employee travel within Washtenaw County.
