CBRM council debate prompts ban on education fund

Cape Breton regional councillors voted away their use of an education fund Tuesday and called for a probe into whether they should be allowed to collect benefits while working outside their municipality.

The two motions were passed 15-1 after a debate over two councillors' expenses.

Coun. Vince Hall maintains he did nothing wrong by using $8,000 from theprofessional development fund to pay for two courses at Dalhousie University and related hotel stays in Halifax.

"I think most Cape Bretoners support the value of education and the value of upgrading, and I think most Cape Bretoners support employers encouraging that," Hall said during Tuesday's Cape Breton Regional Municipality council meeting before a packed gallery.

The fund was originally meant only for municipal staff, but Hall successfully lobbied his colleagues two years ago to let politicians also use the fund.

Hall was the sole dissenter whencouncillors, many of whomrecounted stories about how outraged their constituents were,voted to ban elected officials from using the education fund.

Hall'scourses at Dalhousie involved his work toward a master's degree in public administration.

The second issue related to the $140 weekly mileage allowance Coun. Frankie Morrison collected to do constituency work even though he was working in Alberta over a six-week period.

Morrison, who is paying back the money, was unapologetic and suggested he was a scapegoat.

"It was me that got hung out for it and no one else got bothered with it," he said Tuesday. "Yes, I did work six weeks."

Council directed municipal staff to prepare apaper on whether councillors should be allowed to collect benefits when they workoutside their municipality.