Councillors spent $54K on Grey Cup, communications courses

Hamilton city councilspent a combined $53,721 last year on everything from communications courses to going to the Grey Cup.

Councillors spent $1,300 more than last year on expenses, which are disclosed every year. Among the top items: Mayor Bob Bratinas trip to Regina, Sask. to represent Hamilton as the Tiger-Cats took on the Roughriders at the Grey Cup.

Bratinas trip cost taxpayers $2,733.91, including $971 for the plane ticket and $105.95 in food. Other expenses include $435.42 on Highway 407 ETRtolls and $1,668.53 to attend the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa.

Three councillors Brad Clark ($2,838.20), Brian McHattie ($678) and Terry Whitehead ($2,712) paid to take professional communications development sessions with Powergroup, a local firm run by Laura Babcock.

Clark and Whitehead received three personalized sessions, while McHattie attended one session on social media.

Clark and McHattie are both running for mayor. But Clark said that has nothing to do with it.

• RELATED:Hamilton councillors expensed $52K in 2012

[The sessions] have nothing to do with the campaign, let me make that very clear, because the decision to do those sessions were long before I ever made any decisions to finalize any position for candidacy, Clark told CBC Hamilton.

As a councillor, he said, he thought it would be good to tweak my skills.

Babcock wouldnt say the exact nature of her sessions with the councillors. But many of her clients, who include corporate executives and elected politicians, want advice on skills such as social media and public speaking.

Babcock also comments on local politics as host of The O Show. But theres no conflict, she said.

They come in to learn how to do communications, she said. I leave the political strategy up to the strategists.

Bratina earned $118,517.62 last year, while councillors earned $71,255.01. A portion of their salaries is tax exempt, which assuming the basic exemption, brings Bratinas earnings to $158,279 and the councillors to $88,601.

Here's the full list of expenses:

• Mayor Bob Bratina: $6,849.20
• Coun. Brad Clark (Ward 9): $2,838.20
• Coun. Chad Collins (Ward 5): $1,303.69
• Coun. Scott Duvall (Ward 7): $10,896.99
• Coun. Jason Farr (Ward 2) $573.83
• Coun. Lloyd Ferguson (Ward 12): $1,740.50
• Coun. Tom Jackson (Ward 6): $2,305.51
• Coun. Brenda Johnson (Ward 11): $5,809.98
• Coun. Brian McHattie (Ward 1): $797.46
• Coun. Sam Merulla (Ward 4): $2,816.28
• Coun. Bernie Morelli (Ward 3): $0
• Coun. Judi Partridge (Ward 15): $30
• Coun. Robert Pasuta (Ward 14): $4,673.43
• Coun. Maria Pearson (Ward 10): $495.27
• Coun. Russ Powers (Ward 13): $ 3,940.71
• Coun. Terry Whitehead (Ward 8): $8,650.15

Duvall's are higher because he attends meetings as Hamilton's representative onthe Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Whitehead also attended two FCM meetings on behalf of the city.

Partridge attends numerous events throughout the year but prefers to pay as many of her own expenses as possible.

"It's not a big deal," she said in 2013, when she claimed $230 the year before."It's just a personal choice."