NATCHEZ — Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis and Alderman James “Ricky” Gray have collectively spent $2,856 in travel this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1; no other alderman has traveled.

Mathis and Gray have also traveled to the Mississippi Municipal League conference this week, which is not reflected in their total.

The budget for alderman travel is an overall $15,000.

Gray and Mathis have used travel expenses to go to Jackson twice and Vicksburg once over the past six months.

Mathis said she is taking advantage of the ability to travel to functions and meetings now that she is retired.

“For 12 years, I haven’t been able to attend many meetings for the city,” she said. “I couldn’t go anywhere because school was going on.”

Mathis said her trips include a trip to the NAACP Legislative Summit, where she learned of the national stimulus money and how it might filter down to cities.

“We need to stay on top of that stimulus money,” she said.

She said she also went to Jackson to meet about the missing $1.3 million in overlay funds.

Mathis said she uses her time in Jackson to lobby for Natchez.

Gray said he knows his travel expenses are high.

“My travel is going to be more than anybody’s except for the mayor,” Gray said.

Last fiscal year alone, Gray spent $3,451.02

Gray said he travels a lot because he is on the board of directors for MML and serves on the bylaws committee.

He said he attends about five or six MML meetings a year.

“If you don’t attend those, you won’t be on the board of directors,” he said.

Gray also attends meetings once a year as a member of the National League of Cities.

Aldermen argued about travel expenses when Gray was questioned by the board about attending the MML meeting this week.

Mayor Jake Middleton had previously sent out a memo requesting travel be curtailed.

Consequently, Gray questioned a planned trip to Washington, D.C., by Alderman Bob Pollard and Middleton next month.

Pollard is going to Washington, D.C., to discuss the transfer of the Natchez Visitors Center to the National Park Service.

Pollard is on the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau board.

Pollard will be going along with Natchez National Historical Park Superintendent Kathleen Jenkins and Tourism Director Connie Taunton.

Middleton and City Engineer David Gardner will be in Washington, D.C., for the El Camino Corridor Commission’s annual meeting.

Both serve as board members.

Middleton said he and Gardner have been working to come up with a list of projects to discuss with local delegation while in D.C.

“It’s my responsibility as the mayor of the city to represent the city,” Middleton said. “If there’s going to be a point man for the city, I think that’s what the mayor is supposed to do.”

This is the first time Middleton has traveled this year. Last year, as an alderman, he took one trip to a two-day tourism meeting in Washington, D.C., spending $627.25.

The mayor’s travel budget is $8,500 annually.

Last year, Pollard spent $417.55 in travel expenses, former Alderman David Massey spent $449.40 and former Alderman Theodore “Bubber” West spent $1,626.50.

Alderman Ernest “Tony” Fields and Dan Dillard attended an MML training class. Dillard spent $400, and Fields spent $447.

Last year, Alderman Mark Fortenbery spent $25.

Mathis spent $2,919.83.

The travel budget was overspent. It topped out at approximately $21,000.