Though provided for information only, taxpayers seem to be interested when municipalities reveal exactly how much councillors were paid the previous year (including expenses).
On Feb. 12, Director of Finance Mike Givens presented Mapleton council with a report on the pay and expenses for each councillor in 2007.
The grand total was $76,902 – up 5.5% over the 2006 total of $72,883.
As expected, the largest portion of the 2007 total was for councillors’ regular pay, including $14,537 for Mayor John Green, and $11,307 for each of the councillors (both up 2.5%).
For additional meetings $2,330 in expenses was paid to Green; $1,390 to councillor Jim Curry; $990 to councillor Mike Downey; $930 to councillor Dennis Craven; and $360 to councillor Bruce Whale.
For conventions and seminars, expenses ranged from $360 (Green) to $1,150 (Downey); while for registration fees the range was $529 (Curry) to $996 (Downey).
Downey spent the most on hotel rooms at $818. Whale was next at $717, followed by Craven at $685, Curry at $380, and Green, who had none.
Craven spent just $69 on mileage and parking, while Green spent $121, councillor Whale spent $222, Curry spent $233, and Downey spent $306.
Green cost the township $65 for meals, and Curry spent $85 on food. They were followed by Whale ($130), Downey ($223), and Craven ($271).
Under the heading “all other expenses,” Downey was paid $164.
Total pay per councillor for 2007 are as follows:
– Green, $17,414 (down 2.7% from 2006);
– Downey, $15,956 (up 9.7%);
– Craven, $14,958 (up 13.6%);
– Curry, $14,374 (up 5.4%); and
– Whale, $14,199 (up 4.5%).
Also at the Feb. 12 meeting, Givens presented a report on remuneration paid to members of the committee of adjustment, the Maryborough housing board committee, and the parks and recreation committee, which totalled $5,070 – down 8.6% from 2006.