The Township of Spallumcheen paid out more than a million dollars to its elected officials and employees in 2010.
Council voted unanimously in favour of receiving chief financial officer Brian Freeman-Marsh’s council and employee remuneration and expenses report, which also included a schedule of suppliers and goods and services expenses.
Councillors Todd York and Andrew Casson were absent from the vote.
Mayor Will Hansma collected nearly $22,000 in salary which included an allowance of $18,378 and a $426 HST rebate. Hansma also claimed $4,031.83 in travel and conference expenses.
Couns. York, Casson, Dave Brew, Janice Brown, Christine Fraser and Ralph Leyenhorst each made $9,189 and $213 from the HST rebate.
Brew topped the travel expense list, claiming $5,131.43. All of council’s trips to conferences or meetings are approved as a group.
“I get a lot of benefit out of travelling to these meetings,” said Brew, who is retired. “I’m available more than other people on council. I have time to go to them. Everything I go to is very beneficial.”
Leyenhorst and York were the only councillors to submit expenses under $1,000. In fact, both were under $500 for expenses with Leyenhorst submitting only $304.84 in receipts.
“I haven’t gone to any meetings out of town, and if they’re in town, I don’t submit any expenses,” said Leyenhorst. “I don’t travel because the meetings usually conflict with my work schedule. I’m all for trying to keep our costs down.”
The township paid out more than $1 million to its other employees, including $427,000 to five employees who make more than $75,000.
Topping the list is administrator Lynda Shykora, who made $99,350.33 in 2010. Freeman-Marsh collected more than $81,400, and public works foreman Dwayne Sintich pocketed $80,581.38. Fire inspector Alastair Crick made $77,373.
Spallumcheen also paid out more than $88,000 in salary and severance to former public works manager John Pardell.
The rest of the township’s employees, collectively, made just shy of $700,000.
The township spent more than $8 million to suppliers of goods or services, including $1.7 million to CGL Contracting for the work done on Otter Lake Cross Road, and $1.5 million to the ministry of finance for school taxes.
