Tallahassee, Florida- July 10, 2012

Tallahassee's mayor has been out of town ten times since the beginning of the year.
According to city records WCTV obtained by request, outside groups paid for three of those trips.
The other seven trips cost a little more then $8700 in city funds.
City commissioners Nancy Miller and Mark Mustian raised the issue of the mayor's travel at the last city commission meeting June 27.
Miller was concerned the mayor wasn't effectively communicating where and when he was going and for what purpose.
Mustian said Marks needed to travel less.

The mayor defended his travel.
He said it was for the benefit of Tallahassee.
However, the mayor also said at the meeting he plans to travel less frequently.
Mayor Marks' most recent travel was to China for an economic development meeting in June.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors paid for the trip.
Marks serves on the board of trustees for that organization.
Another overseas trip to Africa in June did not require city funds.

A third trip to Bentonville, Arkansas in April for the Southern Municipal Conference was paid for by the Florida League of Cities.
While the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Florida League of Cities paid for three of the mayor's trips, the city does pay a fee to belong to those organizations.

Trips Mayor Marks took using city dollars include trips to Washington, D.C. in January, February and April.
The February trip was for a black history dinner with U.S. Vice-president Joseph Biden.
Other trips the mayor took on city funds were to Jacksonville, Virginia Beach, West Palm Beach and Atlanta.