Chopp falls short by $130
Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt can look forward to seeing his name on the province’s Sunshine List for 2021 according to a report filed earlier this month at Haldimand council.
For her part, Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp barely missed the cut with wage remuneration last year in the amount of $99,870.
A report to Haldimand council March 1 says Hewitt collected a base salary and benefits last year in the amount of $106,200.
For her part, a report to Norfolk council Tuesday said Chopp also claimed $526 in mileage and $1,230 in conference and other expenses for a grand total of $101,670.
“Remuneration costs include wages as well as employer contributions for statutory deductions, life insurance, and registered pension plans,” Tammy Murphy, a reconciliation analyst with Norfolk County, said in a report to Norfolk council.
“’Conferences and other expenses’ include conference registrations, training course registrations, accommodation costs, incidental travel and other expenses.”
The Norfolk report also includes the remuneration last year of Norfolk’s eight councilors. They are as follows:
- Vittoria Coun. Chris VanPaassen (deputy mayor): $47,111.
- Port Rowan Coun. Tom Masschaele: $44,700.
- Waterford County. Kim Huffman: $43,685.
- Port Dover County. Amy Martin: $43,685.
- Simcoe Coun. Ian Rabbitts: $43,685.
- Simcoe Coun. Ryan Taylor: $43,685.
- Delhi County. Mike Columbus: $42,183.
The reporting on Langton-area Ward 2 is complicated by the fact that municipal veteran Roger Geysens announced his intention to retire mid-term at the end of 2020. All told, Geysens collected $2,514 in 2021, the Norfolk report says.
There was then a gap in representation until last spring when Ward 2 replacement Linda Vandendriessche was chosen to replace Geysens in a by-election. Tuesday’s report said Vandendriessche collected pay last year in the amount of $24,190.
Haldimand County has a different pay structure for its councilors than Norfolk County in that Haldimand’s six councilors earn much more.
The report that came to Haldimand council March 1 involved all municipal employees in the county who earned $100,000 or more in 2021 – a mandatory reporting requirement under provincial law.
The wages earned by Councilors Tony Dalimonte, Steward Patterson, Dan Lawrence, Rob Shirton, Bernie Corbett and John Metcalfe in 2020, which were last spring, ranged from $75,935 to $77,575. An update of these numbers for 2021 is expected this spring.