Council tab for 2006 nearly $300K

Close to $300,000 was spent on salaries and expenses for the Town's 11-member council in 2006. The Municipal Act 2001 requires the Finance Department submit each year a statement to council itemizing remuneration and expenses paid to council members and appointees to local boards and committees. Mayor Rick Bonnette topped the list with $59,307.99. That included salary and benefits of $56,756.35, conferences and seminar expenses of $1,219.19 and `other' (parking, ETR 407 and gas mileage) of $1,332.45. Bonnette also earned $42,445.58 for his service around the Halton Regional Council table. That included $1,166.52 for gas mileage. Former Ward 3 Councillor Mike Davis, who lost his seat in last fall's municipal election, posted the highest remuneration of the 2003-2006term councillors. Davis collected $21,055.53 in salary and benefits, plus claimed $3,217.39 in expenses for conferences and seminars and $1,382.29 for `other' expenses. He collected in total from the municipality: $25,655.21. In contrast his ward mate, Councillor Moya Johnson was paid $23,233 including $1,266 for conferences and $47 in `other' expenses. Wards 1 & 2 Regional Councillor Clark Somerville earned $23,900.66 from the Town of Halton Hills and $44,370.08 from Halton Region. He claimed $1,067 and $1,220 in car mileage and other expenses from the Town and Region respectively. Plus he claimed $1,934 in conference expenses from the region and $1,303 for representation on the police services board ($511 for conferences and $792 for mileage). Wards 3 & 4 Regional Councillor Jane Fogal received $1,219 for conference expenses for a total Town remuneration of $23,139. She also earned $45,196 as a regional councillor, which included $1,668 for conference expenses and $2,313 for car mileage expenses. Ward 2 Councillor Bryan Lewis claimed no conference or `other' expenses from the Town, earning $21,398 in 2006. However as a member of the Conservation Halton board of directors, he collected a total $750 in per diem and $432 in car mileage and other expenses. His ward colleague, Joan Robson, also collected an $827 honourarium and $335 in car mileage expenses as a Credit Valley Conservation board director. From the Town coffers, she paid $23,611, including $1,299 for conference expenses. She claimed no `other' Town expenses. Acton Councillor Jon Hurst also claimed no `other' expenses from the Town, and $1,196 for conferences for a total $24,036 in remuneration. His ward mate, Michael O'Leary claimed $1,050 in `other' expenses for a total remuneration from the Town of $22,971. Ward 4 Councillor Bob Inglis received $24,920 including $642 for `other'. As a member of the Conservation Halton board of directors he was paid $850 in a per diem and received $688 for car mileage. Ward 4 Councillor Ron Chatten, who retired at the end of 2003-2006-term, was paid only $19,752 and claimed no conference or `other' expenses. For the month and half they were on the town payroll, newcomers to the Halton Hills council table, Ward 4 Councillor John Duncan and Ward 3 Councillor Dave Kentner collected $1,686 and $1,867 respectively in salaries and benefits. Committee of Adjustment members' remuneration ranged, primarily due to varying mileage expenses, from a high of $1,373 for chair Al Cook to $800 for member Paul Dray. Payment to the other members was: Dave Adair, $935; Ramsay Barr, $1,129; and Erik Kowal, $1,029. Fence Viewers and Property Standards Committee members Erik Kowal, Edward C. Lawson and Brian Maltby all received $50 each for their work in 2006.