Red Deer County council's wages for the 2010-11 year were presented last Tuesday, a year after a new remuneration policy was adopted.The policy was updated last September and came into effect following the Oct. 18 municipal election, requiring attendance and expense claims to be published on the county website and county paper on a quarterly basis.Mayor Jim Wood earned $82,447.83 in honorarium, with an additional $24,540.34 covering conferences, per diems and mileage and expenses, totalling $106,988.17 for the year.Councillors each made $57,866.88 as honorariums. With conferences, per diems, mileage and expenses, Div. 4 Coun. David Hoar had the highest total at $69,889.61. Next was Div. 3 Coun. Penny Archibald at $67,567.53, Div. 5 Coun. Richard Lorenz at $65,865, Div. 6 Coun. George Gehrke at $64,797.07, and Div. 1 Coun. Philip Massier at $62,945.95.Part of the new policy includes the adoption of an annual budget of $50,000 for council participation in conferences, seminars, professional development workshops and seminars, with up to $6,000 allotted to each council member. Four councillors went over the $6,000 allotment, but total conference expenses were still within the $50,000.Council agreed to amend the policy, allowing councillors to authorize payment from the unallocated portion of the $50,000.ìThe hotel and registration fee sometimes runs over $6,000 ñ I certainly will vote in favor of it,î said Massier.ìIt makes a difference,î agreed Archibald, who said increased hotel fees hike expenses quickly.Mayor Jim Wood was happy with the report, which included councillors' attendance records at meetings. Wood has 100 per cent attendance, Massier 97 per cent, Nesbitt 92.8 pr cent, Archibald 91 per cent, Hoar 93.7 per cent, Lorenz 92 per cent, and Gehrke 83 per cent.ìIt's important to see in the first year. I think it's working well,î Wood said of the new policy.
