Nearly $370,000 was paid out to Town of Innisfil council and appointed board members in 2023.
Remuneration for council, the public library board and the committee of adjustment was $343,998, while expenses totalled $25,926.
The top earner once again was Mayor Lynn Dollin. Dollin brought home $94,390 in remuneration and had $8,024 in expenses.
Dollin’s salary decreased by more than $35,000 in 2023, largely due to her no longer serving as deputy warden. Dollin received $45,323 for her work as town mayor, a council per diem of $3,400, $21,567 for sitting on county council, $20,350 for her work with the InnPower Corporation, InnServices Utilities Inc, and Innterprises Corporation and $3,750 for sitting on the South Simcoe Police Services Board.
Dollin’s expenses topped out at $8,024, including nearly $4,200 associated with attending Simcoe County council.
Deputy Mayor Kenneth Fowler was next on the ledger, receiving $50,874 in total remuneration. The deputy mayor position paid him $30,365, with a council per diem of $2,000. He also received $18,509 for serving on county council and his approximately $1,000 in expenses were tied exclusively to attending those meetings.
All ward councillors make the same base salary of $24,511 in 2023. The differences come from the use of their per diems, and any expenses, such as attending conferences or seminars, throughout the year.
Of the ward councillors, Coun. Alex Waters was the largest earner, bringing in $30,688 last year. His per diem was one of the lowest, at $900, but he also received $5,277 for work with the InnPower Corporation, InnServices Utilities Inc, and Innterprises Corporation. He also claimed the most of expenses of the ward councillors, at $5,081.
Rounding out the rest of council was:
- Coun. Robert Saunders with $27,611 in total remuneration plus $1,043 in expenses
- Coun. Jennifer Richardson with $27,411 in remuneration and $2,516.20 in expenses
- Coun. Grace Constantine with $26,711 in remuneration and $3,047.04 in expenses
- Coun. Linda Zanella with $26,311 in remuneration and $2,848.46 in expenses
- Coun. Fred Drodge with $25,911 in remuneration (including $900 for serving on the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority) and $326 in expenses
- Coun. Kevin Eisses with $25,413 in remuneration (including $902 for serving on the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority) - and $967 in expenses
Eises was the only member of council not to utilize his per diem in 2023.
The report also included former Coun. Rob Nicol, who received $82 for finishing up his service to the Nottawasaga Valley authority and claimed $49 in expenses.
A statement of remuneration and expenses is a required document under the Municipal Act that must be presented to a council before the end of March each year. The item was presented to council for information at the March 13 meeting. Also with remuneration and per diems, it outlines expenses associated with training and development, such as workshops or conferences.
Some of the outlined remuneration and expenses are not paid for by the town, but must still be reported on, as per the Municipal Act. Total costs to the town were about $289,000 last year — the rest is covered by the county, and agencies like InnPower where council members sit on the board.
The full report is available as part of the March 13 Innisfil council agenda.
