The yearly report on Maple Ridge council spending is out and shows Coun. Craig Speirs leading the pack for expenses in 2015, the first year of the new council’s mandate.
Speirs spent a total of $5,100 attending conferences, just over the $5,000 allotted every year to each councillor for such expenses.
Speirs spent $867 attending the Lower Mainland Local Government Association conference in May; $1,846 attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting in June in Edmonton; $1,965 going to the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September in Vancouver; $270 to attend the Centre for Civic Government’s High Ground conference in March in Vancouver; and $150 to go to the Zero Waste Conference.
He said Monday he goes to the conferences because he has the time and inclination to do so.
“I always report when I get back. I keep notes and I usually share those with council. I think it’s really important that at least somebody goes.”
Building connections with other cities pays off when issues come forward, he added.
Maple Ridge council budgets for such expenses, setting aside $5,000 yearly for each councillor, and $6,500 for the mayor, to attend professional conferences and training seminars.
However, councillors can exceed their $5,000 yearly limit if other councillors spend less than their allotted amount.
Councillors also claim separately to be reimbursed for attending community events, such as the RCMP Regimental Ball, the Maple Ridge Community Foundation Citizen of the Year event and the chamber of commerce Business Excellence Awards.
Next on the list for total conference expenses in 2015 was Coun. Corisa Bell, with a total of $3,558.
She attended the LMLGA conference in May at a cost of $867, as well as the Centre for Civic Government’s High Ground Governance Forum in March at a cost of $673, and also attended the UBCM meeting, with its fee of $1,832.
Costs to attend the UBCM meeting in Vancouver varied, with Coun. Kiersten Duncan claiming $525 in expenses for that event, while Coun. Gordy Robson claimed $465 and Coun. Tyler Shymkiw claimed $1,670.
Mayor Nicole Read’s conference expenses totaled $1,928, which included $735 for attending the UBCM conference, $405 for attending the LMLGA conference and $788 to attend the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness conference in November.
Speirs also represents Maple Ridge on two FCM committees, on international relations, the other on social and economic development, while Bell is president of the LMLGA.
Councillors are also reimbursed separately for their cellphone and iPad expenses.
Expenses
In descending order, council expenses for 2015, including conferences, community events and cellphone and iPhone charges:
• Coun. Craig Speirs, $6,825;
• Coun. Corisa Bell, $4,567;
• Coun. Kiersten Duncan, $3,383;
• Coun. Tyler Shymkiw, $2,976;
• Mayor Nicole Read, $2,851;
• Coun. Gordy Robson, $1,565;
• Coun. Bob Masse, $719