Leland's $470K Travel Budget Raises Questions

Town leaders say the figure doesn't reflect actual taxpayer-funded travel expenses.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 6:04am

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The Town of Leland, North Carolina has proposed a budget that includes a $470,000 line item for 'travel/meetings/schools/dues', but town officials say this figure doesn't accurately represent how much the town is actually spending on taxpayer-funded travel. The line item also covers expenses for conferences, training, event meals, and membership dues across 13 different departments.

Why it matters

The large travel budget has raised questions about how Leland is spending taxpayer money, with some council members arguing the funds could be better allocated to other priorities. The town's explanation that much of the budget is for non-travel expenses like membership dues has done little to quell concerns from residents and officials about the town's spending practices.

The details

Of the $470,000 travel budget, over $120,000 is allocated to town council members, a 34% increase from last year. However, individual council members only receive $2,500 per year for travel and education, with the rest going towards membership dues. The town also budgeted roughly twice as much for Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) dues this year compared to last. About a third of the $470,000 is for police and fire department training and travel, which town leaders say is crucial for accreditation and certification.

  • Leland's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes the $470,000 travel budget line item.
  • The town's travel budget has increased by 34% compared to the previous year's budget.

The players

David Hollis

Leland town manager who says the $470,000 figure doesn't reflect the town's actual travel spending.

Veronica Carter

Leland town council member who says the council members are not responsible for the 34% spike in the 'travel' budget.

Brenda Bozeman

Leland mayor who declined an on-camera interview about the budget proposal.

Frank Pendleton

Leland town council member who says he doesn't support the budget, beyond just the travel expenses.

Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO)

An organization that Leland pays tens of thousands of dollars in membership dues to, with the town budgeting roughly twice as much this year compared to last.

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What they’re saying

“By the time you start looking at this in reality, there's not a whole lot of money that's being spent for what is probably a misnamed general ledger item that starts with 'travel'.”

— David Hollis, Leland town manager

“It's certainly not the council, five members of a town council, that are causing a 34% spike in 'travel'.”

— Veronica Carter, Leland town council member

“Travel and training expenses need to be controlled but excluding the fire and police departments, the amount budgeted is $171k. There are much bigger items in the budget that should be examined. There are many items in this budget that should be looked at in greater detail, and the residents of this community deserve to know how their money is being spent.”

— Frank Pendleton, Leland town council member

What’s next

The Leland Town Council will need to further examine the proposed $470,000 travel budget and determine if it accurately reflects the town's actual travel-related expenses.

The takeaway

Leland's large travel budget has raised concerns about government transparency and the need for more detailed accounting of how taxpayer funds are being spent, even if the town claims much of the budget is for non-travel expenses like membership dues.