by Morinville Online Staff
The Town of Morinville has released its thrice-yearly report on town operations and planning, revealing that Morinville Town Council has operated slightly under its budget for the first four months of 2023. The report, presented during the July 11 Council meeting with info that has since been corrected, provides an overview of Town operations from January to April 2023.
According to the report, Morinville Town Council has managed to stay below budget in several key areas, including salaries, wages, and benefits, as well as professional development, mileage, and public relations expenses.
The report reveals that Council members’ spending on salaries, wages, and benefits is below the projected amounts. Specifically, Mayor Simon Boersma received $22,055, Councillor Rebecca Balanko received $13,557, Councillor Ray White received $12,607, Councillor Stephen Dafoe received $12,457, Deputy Mayor Scott Richardson received $11,857, Councillor Jennifer Anhelliger received $11,558, and Councillor Maurice St. Denis received $11,407.
The total Council salary, wages, and benefits accounted for 29.4% of the total annual budget for the first third of the year, which is 10.9% below budget expectations.
Similarly, the Council’s expenses for professional development varied, ranging from $535 for Councillors Stephen Dafoe and Ray White to $1,599 for Deputy Mayor Scott Richardson. Professional development expenses primarily consist of registration fees paid for attending conferences and training related to committees on which individual councillors serve.
Mileage expenses also showcased some variations, with Councillor Stephen Dafoe reporting no expenses in the first four months and Councillor Rebecca Balanko recording the highest at $1,525. During the Council meeting, Mayor Simon Boersma clarified that the disparities in mileage expenses were primarily due to the Council’s commitment to carpooling whenever possible.
In terms of public relations expenditures, Mayor Simon Boersma was the only individual member of Council to incur expenses, amounting to $46 for the first four months of the year. Council collectively spent just over $300 on public relations.
Overall, the report indicates that Council has operated at 29.01% of its operating budget, marking a 12.09% reduction below budget expectations one-third of the way through the year. It is important to note that number may change as the year progresses due to the final third of the year being busy with conferences and sessions.
The complete report, including further details and breakdowns, can be accessed on the Town of Morinville’s official website at https://morinville.ca/en/town-hall/council.aspx.
