The Town of Collingwood spent $350,737 on council’s salaries, special meeting pay and expenses in 2023.
On Thursday, the town released their 2023 statement of remuneration which outlines what each member of council was paid as a base rate, how much special meeting pay they took home, and how much in expenses they claimed.
The statement is a requirement for the town release annually under the Municipal Act.
The highest council earner in 2023 was Mayor Yvonne Hamlin taking a salary of $62,071, special meeting pay of $3,010, $2,946 in professional development/discretionary expenses and $2,832 in travel. Hamlin also received $973 in expenses and $3,380 in travel for her role on the Great Lakes Mayor Initiative.
Members of council are entitled to claim professional development and discretionary expenses. Annually, the mayor can claim $3,500 plus $7,000 for business/travel, the deputy mayor can claim up to $6,500 and councillors can claim up to $5,500.
The funding is to be used to run offices and can include items such as office supplies, phones, phone bills, per diems and travel to conferences, board or committee meetings. Mileage travelled to meetings/events can also be claimed.
In July 2022, council voted to change council compensation for the 2022-26 council term. Under the new system, the mayor is now a full-time position (it had previously been considered part-time), and includes a base pay rate of $60,900 annually. The deputy mayor would now earn $32,548 and councillors would earn $28,000, with cost of living increases incorporated annually.
Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer earned $33,691 in 2023, with $2,660 in special meeting pay and $2,017 in expenses.
All seven councillors took a salary of $28,538 in 2023. For special meeting pay, Coun. Rob Ring and Coun. Deb Doherty took $3,010, Coun. Christopher Baines took $2,940, Coun. Chris Potts and Coun. Steve Perry took $2,870, Coun. Kathy Jeffery took $2,800 and Coun. Brandon Houston took $2,590.
Houston was the only sitting council member to take nothing for expenses in 2023.
For expenses, Baines took $1,299, Doherty took $5,280, Jeffery took $344, Perry took $2,572, Potts took $1,642 and Ring took $1,786.
For her role as a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board, Jeffery also took an additional $3,527 in expenses, and $1,947 in travel.
For her role at the Association of Ontario Municipalities, Doherty also took $2,969 in expenses and $2,267 in travel.
For their roles on the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s board, Baines earned $738 in expenses and $279 in travel, while former Deputy Mayor Mariane McLeod earned $82 in expenses and $67 in travel for her role.
