$8,000 education tab riles Cape Breton councillor

A Cape Bretonregional councillor wants to close a"loophole" that allowed one councillorto passhis $8,000 education bill on tothe municipality.

Coun. Wes Stubbert said it's wrong for Coun. Vince Hall todip intothe professional development fund to pay for courses toward his master's degree in public administration, even if he has permission.

"Certainly it was never the intent of the municipality to send anyone to university for a long period of time under this program," Stubbert told CBC News Wednesday.

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality paid Hall's bills for two correspondence courses at Dalhousie University in the last two years. The CBRM's chief administrative officer approved the expenses.

Hall said the $8,000 tab covered the cost of his tuition and hotel bills when he had to stay in Halifax to write exams. Hedefended his use of the fund, saying the courses were relevant to his work as a municipal councillor.

The professional development fund was originally only for staff, but Hallconvinced council in 2005 to make it available to politicians.

Stubbert said the fund should only be used for short-term courses, such as the disaster training course he paid for through the fund.

'We have well-paid administrators'

Stubbert is calling fora special council meeting to clear up the issue.

"I believe most councillors agree to plug this loophole because we don't need two or three university-trained councillors as administrators; we have well-paid administrators," he said.

Stubbert has the support of Coun. Richard Fogerty, who said the professional development fund was never intended to help a councillor get a master's degree.

Both men are also raising questions about another councillor's expenses.

They say Coun. Frankie Morrison should not have beenallowed to collecta weekly travel stipendwhile he was out of the province. Morrison has said he will repay the $800.