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Haldimand council cost $595,000-plus last year

Haldimand County’s seven-member council cost the municipal treasury $595,640 last year.

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Topping the list was Mayor Ken Hewitt with total earnings of $150,350.

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Remuneration for the six councillors representing county wards ranged from $77,575 to $75,935.

The figures came to Haldimand council on March 30 in a report from treasury staff.

The report said Hewitt collected a base salary of $107,875 last year.

Benefits that may include life insurance, dental plan, Canada Pension Plan, and premium payments as a member of the Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement System (OMERS) were worth an additional $23,659.

The report, which was prepared by Haldimand treasury staff, says Hewitt collected another $12,700 in mileage last year. He was also re-imbursed $1,110 for wireless charges.

Hagersville Coun. Tony Dalimonte served as deputy mayor of Haldimand for more than 11 months last year. He was replaced mid-December by Dunnville Coun. Bernie Corbett.

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Dalimonte topped the list for councillor remuneration with total pay of $77,575.

Other councillors listed include Ward 5 Coun. Rob Shirton ($75,555), Ward 1 Coun. Stewart Patterson ($75,935), Corbett ($68,171), Ward 2 Coun. John Metcalfe ($72,400), and Ward 3 Coun. Dan Lawrence ($75,660).

The staff report says benefit payments for councillors ranged last year from $7,095 to $15,305. The staff report notes that participation in the OMERS pension plan is optional.

Dalimonte claimed $1,865 in mileage in 2020. Mileage claims from the five remaining councillors ranged from zero to $825.

Six members of Haldimand council serve on the Grand River Conservation Authority, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the Long Point Region Conservation Authority. Their mileage and per diems totalled $7,200 last year.

By way of comparison, the nine members of Norfolk council cost the county treasury $447,000 last year, a recent staff report said.

Norfolk’s treasury department reported that Mayor Kristal Chopp collected $106,800 last year, all in. Wages and remuneration for her council colleagues ranged from $40,750 to $48,420.

The Municipal Act requires Ontario municipalities to provide an accounting of council remuneration at the conclusion of each fiscal year.

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