Mayor tops for spending

By Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 07, 2013 1:00 AM
Spallumcheen’s mayor had the most expenses among council members in 2012. But it’s also because she attended more conferences and had different travel schedules. In the township’s annual council remuneration and expense report, Janice Brown claimed nearly $7,000 in expenses last year. Add that to her salary of $18,818.98 and Mayor Brown claimed $25,525.18 in expenses. “Now that I’m part of the mayors’ caucus, I had to go a conference, had to go an extra day early to UBCM due to a mayors’ meeting and I attended the COFI (Council of Forest Industries),” said Brown. “Those are the two functions I did over and above.” Brown feels the expenses are justified and said her council is working hard to collectively tighten their belts. “We’ve all been very diligent to cut back on all the costs on what we do now,” she said. “That will reflect more in next year’s report.” Each of the six Spallumcheen councillors made $9,410.03 in salary. First-year councillor Joe Van Tienhoven claimed the most expenses, $4,917.37. Coun. Andrew Casson claimed the least, $954.17. The annual report, submitted by the township’s chief financial officer, Brian Freeman-Marsh, is mandated by the Community Charter, and must also include a list of employees who made more than $75,000, as well as a list of suppliers of goods and services where  the township paid more than $25,000. Topping the employee list is former administrator Lynda Shykora, who was terminated by the township in October after eight years on the job. Shykora made $109,065.26 in 2012. Four other employees made more than $75,000: public works manager Ed Forslund ($95,554.27); public works foreman Dwayne Sintich ($88,701.16);  Freeman-Marsh ($85,562.67); and fire inspector Alastair Crick ($77,023.03). The amount the township paid out to employees making less than $75,000 was $741,536.90. In total, between employees and elected officials, the township paid $1,137,326.17 in 2012. Spallumcheen paid out $5, 913,584.94 to suppliers of goods and services last year. The biggest amount went to Vernon Paving Ltd., $1.4 million, and the township paid $868,438.59 to the provincial government for school tax.