Scugog council costs taxpayers just over $300,000 in 2022

DAN CEARNS, The Standard

SCUGOG: Scugog council members cost taxpayers a total of $314,743 in 2022.

Included, in Scugog's March 27th council meeting agenda, was the annual disclosure report of council member remuneration and expenses.

The year 2022 included two terms of council. The previous term was led by Mayor Bobbie Drew, which was in its final year, and the current term is being led by Mayor Wilma Wotten.

Mayor Drew made a total of $45,897 in remuneration, $1,798 in benefits, and claimed $408 in conference expenses, $229 for mileage, $19 for cellphone expenses and $26 in a category labelled other expenses.

Mayor Wotten earned $37,838 in remuneration and $5,030 in benefits, while claiming $113 in conference costs, a zero claim for mileage costs, $723 for cellphone expenses and $28 in other expenses.

Outgoing Ward 5 Councillor Lance Brown and Ward 4 Councillor Deborah Kiezebrink made $29,124 in remuneration and $4,631 in benefits. Councillor Brown claimed $2,105 in conference costs, $33 for mileage, $122 for cellphone expenses and $26 for other expenses. Councillor Kiezebrink claimed $36 in conference expenses, $213 in cellphone expenses and $26 in other expenses.

Current Regional Councillor Ian McDougall, who served as Ward 1 Councillor in the previous term, made $33,181 in remuneration and $5,030 in benefits. He claimed $2,807 in conference costs, $327 in mileage expenses, $655 for cellphone costs and $28 for other expenses.

Ward 3 Councillor Robert Rock earned $32,813 in remuneration and $5,030 in benefits. He claimed $2,637 for conference costs, $670 for cellphone expenses and $28 for other expenses.

Ward 2 Councillor Janna Guido earned $32,813 in remuneration and $5,030 in benefits. She claimed $2,171 in conference costs, $701 for cellphone expenses and $28 for other expenses.

Newly elected ward councillors Harold Wright and Terry Coyne made $3,689 in remuneration and $399 in benefits. Councillor Wright claimed $505 in cellphone expenses and $2 in other expenses.

Ward 1 Councillor David LeRoy earned $3,682 in remuneration and $6 in benefits. He claimed $504 for cellphone expenses and $2 for other expenses.

It is noteworthy to mention, Councillors Harold Wright, Terry Coyne and David LeRoy's remunerations are lower than the other councillors, as they were only elected to council in the last quarter of 2022.