New Westminster taxpayers shelled out $356,898 for city council in 2013 – a drop of nearly $20,000 from a year earlier because councillors claimed fewer expenses.
The recently released statement of financial information includes a document listing council remuneration and expenses. Mayor Wayne Wright had the highest pay at $93,205, followed by Coun. Lorrie Williams at $37,456, and councillors Betty McIntosh, Bill Harper, Chuck Puchmayr, Jaime McEvoy and Jonathan Cote, all at $36,757.
In 2013, the city paid out $314,446 for council remuneration, but council members also claimed expenses of $42,452 for a variety of community events and conferences. The cost of council was $374,596 in 2012, which included $318,403 in remuneration and $56,193 in other expenses.
In 2013, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Lower Mainland Local Government Association conferences were the top expenses for council members.
Williams spent the most on these conferences with her $4,154, followed by Wright at $4,075, Puchmayr at $3,828, McIntosh at $3,616, Harper at $3,522. Cote trailed behind at $1,309, while McEvoy didn’t have any expenses in this category.
Williams, a director with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, also claimed $6,075 in expenses for FCM committees. A member of the Wait for Me, Daddy task force, she also claimed $1,082 for work on this project.
Wright, who chairs the New Westminster Police Board, claimed $155 in expenses for police board business.
In addition to the FCM, UBCM and LMLGA conferences, councilor sometimes attend other conferences and training programs. Harper, who has been involved in the Intelligent Cities initiative, claimed $3,790 in expenses for other conferences/training, followed by Wright at $1,553, Williams at $811 and Puchmayr at $870.
Closer to home, Williams claimed $105 for city-sponsored community events, while Harper, Puchmayr, McEvoy and Cote claimed $80 and McIntosh and McEvoy claimed nothing.
Members of city council are also able to claim expenses for other community events. Wright was the biggest spender in this category at $1,829, followed by Harper at $1,322, McIntosh at 1,167, Puchmayr at $1,104, Williams at $1,021, McEvoy at $463 and Cote at $281.
Williams’ $13,248 in council expenses was tops on council but less than the $19,660 she spent in 2012.
This public bodies report includes all remuneration and expenses paid out by the city but doesn’t include any pay council members may receive for serving on Metro Vancouver committees.
