Haliburton County council cost approximately $119400 to operate during 2018 that being the total of councillors’ council and committee meeting per diems mileage payments and expenses such as accommodations meals and fees while travelling for conferences etc.
The upper-tier Haliburton County council consists of the mayors and deputy mayors of the county’s four lower-tier municipalities.
Former Minden Hills Deputy Mayor Cheryl Murdoch had total remuneration and expenses of just less than $10000 Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt approximately $12300. Highlands East Mayor Dave Burton and former Dysart et al Mayor Murray Fearrey each had totals of approximately $13100 and Dysart et al Deputy Mayor Andrea Roberts now mayor about $13500. Minden Hills Mayor Brent Devolin had a total of just more than $14500 Algonquin Highlands Deputy Mayor Liz Danlielsen who was deputy warden of the county in 2018 just more than $15900. Former Highlands East Deputy Mayor Suzanne Partridge who was county warden for 2018 had a total of just more than $26800.
During a Jan. 23 meeting councillors voted to increase remuneration for 2019 in order to offset tax changes imposed by the federal government in order to keep their take-home amounts at the same level. In previous years elected officials in the country paid tax on only two thirds of their income a regulation that existed in order to help absorb some costs associated with the role for which they could not officially charge. Changes to the Income Tax Act that come into effect this year meaning elected officials will pay income tax on their full incomes and many councils have chosen to increase remuneration in order to keep take-home pay levels the same. For Haliburton County this increase will cost an additional $7000 for the year.
County councillors also receive remuneration from their lower-tier municipalities.