The Cost of Council

The tally is in and Norfolk County Council's tab is set before tax payers.  The total cost to have 8 Councilors and a Mayor comes in at just under $280k for the year.  Council salaries on average are around $25k.  Compare this to the high priced staff and one has to wonder if it's a deal or not.

Both Keith ROBICHEAU and Eric D'HONDT make over $140,000 per year.  Combined those 2 Sunshine List Leaders cost as much as our Mayor and entire Council!

Are the Citizen's of Norfolk County getting a deal or are we paying so little that we can't retain the quality personal?  You will always hear Council backup their decision to hire yet another high priced manager with the excuse that if we don't pay enough, we won't receive the best possible candidate.  In our opinion that hasn't exactly worked out for Council either.  Eric D'Hondt, the Manager of Public Works run's the worst possible department for cost over run's and CFO, John Ford has already paid the price for his incompetence when he was with the City of Waterloo.


If a Councilor worked 25 hours per week on Community business it would equal 1300 hours per year or $19.23 per hour.  If you are to compare Mr. D'Hondt salary of $140k and a potential of 2080 hours worked hsi hourly wage would be $67.31.

Is there little wonder why most Councilor's that run for the position are either retiree's with pension income elsewhere or real estate agents?  Norfolk County is a Corporation with over $160-million dollars worth of revenue and produced a $6-million loss in 2012.  With so many projects going over budget this past year, a $30-m shortfall in the roads department and public works skyrocketing out of control, are we getting our money's worth?  Are we tripping over dollars to save a dime?  If we paid more would we not get better qualified candidates?

Councilors in Haldimand make over $20,000 more per year, averaging an annual salary + expenses at $45,000.  






Council                             Payroll        Mileage    Training    Meeting Exp

Dennis Travale             $59,600.06    $3,312.09    $4,424.88      $597.43
Peter Black                 $25,000.04     $2,575.50    $1,164.82          $0
Betty Chanyi               $25,000.04         $835.11        $50              $0
Mike Columbus          $25,000.04     $1,346.84       $474.06         $0
Roger Geysens           $25,000.04                   0         $50               $0
Charlie Luke               $25,153.88         $445.92          $0              $0
Jim Oliver                   $26,846.12       $1,146.04     $689.30         $0
Harold Sonnenberg     $25,000.04       $1,060.54       $50              $0
John Wells                  $25,000.04                     0       $50              $0

Grand Total $279,934.83



*** If Mr. Black lives and works in Simcoe where his constituents reside then why does he have the highest mileage bill of all Councilors?  Mr. Luke is from the same area but his bill is $2,000 less.  We know Mr Wells is the most frugal of all the Councilors so it's not surprising he pays his own way.  Mr Geysens is also quite frugal except when it comes to his role at the LPRCA where money is no issue.  Ms Chanyi spends almost half of her time visiting the LPRCA than she does with her own constituents.  We're unclear on how she pays for her 2/3rds of a page ad every month in the Port Rowan Good News.  It could be a favour for a favour exchange since the editor has been in front of Council with a rezoning issue recently.

LPRCA
                                 Per Diem    Mileage    Honorarium   Total

Betty Chanyi               $840        $373.05             $0        $1,213.05
Mike Columbus          $960        $315.00             $0        $1,275.00
Roger Geysens        $1,980        $580.05      $2,100        $4,660.05
Dennis Travale            $420        $197.10             $0        $  617.10

Grand Total $7,765.20


Norfolk Power

                          Remuneration

Peter Black             $4,700
Dennis Travale       $10,513