Councillor calls for details on CBRM mayor's taxpayer-funded trip to China

A Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor is questioning travel expenses related to Sydney's port development.

District 2 Coun. Earlene MacMullin said municipal taxpayers paid for the mayor and three municipal staffers to travel to China in December. Municipal CAO Marie Walsh, economic development officer John Phalen and Mayor Cecil Clarke's executive assistant, Mark Bettens, accompanied the mayor on the trip.

Seeking information

Before that trip, investors of the Port of Sydney development group had paid for travel associated with port business, MacMullin said.

She said she has never questioned similar trips because the previous council selected the mayor to operate the port development file and the travel money wasn't coming out of his budget.

"Now that it's municipal money being used, it gives me an opportunity to reach out and try and find out more information," said MacMullin.

MacMullin said she doesn't believe there is any wrongdoing going on but says since tax dollars are public money, council is responsible for it.

"For taxpayers to pay for this kind of trip, we should have a lot more information on a go forward than we currently do," MacMullin said.

Trip to be discussed

MacMullin said currently council knows nothing about the trips being taken in relation to port development.

"For example, the last trip has four people on it. I'm not exactly sure what each role of each individual was. I don't know why the four of them were required to go," said MacMullin.

She said she would like to see a better flow of information and more control by council of the decision-making process.

MacMullin tried to introduce that as a motion at the regular monthly meeting of CBRM's general committee on Tuesday.  However, the municipal solicitor said it could not go to a vote since a motion passed by a previous council in 2013 gave the mayor authority to make port development decisions. He said that motion would have to be rescinded before MacMullin's could be considered.

When asked for his response by CBC, Clarke suggested that MacMullin, as a first-time councillor, may have a different "perspective" on his work to develop the port on behalf of CBRM.

"There's been a well-established process," he said. "I account for my travel. We also go through all the audit practices and I account for all my expenses. They have to meet the same test as every other employee."

Clarke estimates the entire cost of the China trip for him and his staff will come in at about $30,000, which he does not consider excessive given the potential economic benefits that could result for CBRM.

Meanwhile, MacMullin said she's not giving up her quest and doesn't believe Tuesday's ruling on her motion is correct.