Meeting Attendance & Expense Claims

Remuneration Policy Review

In 2020, a committee consisting of independent public members conducted a review of Red Deer County Council's Remuneration Policy. Following the review, a presentation was made to Council on January 26, 2021. Amendments to the Policy made by this committee were adopted by Council and came into effect for the successful candidates of the October18, 2021, municipal election. 

Attendance Policy

Included with this policy are requirements to report on a quarterly basis, the number of meetings members of Council were scheduled to attend and the actual attendance at the meetings, as well as a reporting of Mayor / Councillor claims.

Scheduled meetings include County Council and Municipal Planning Commission meetings as well as meetings for the Committees / Board / Commissions that members of Council are appointed to as representatives of the County.

In addition to their scheduled meetings, members of Council attend and participate in many other County-related functions, such as:
  • Council Strategic Planning Retreat
  • Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) conference and zone meeting
  • Agri-trade
  • Public relation type events with Red Deer College, Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce, the Westerner and local businesses (i.e. grand openings)
  • Meetings with provincial government representatives
  • Meetings with adjacent municipal representatives (i.e. City of Red Deer, Town of Penhold), meetings with local community groups and County ratepayers, and public workshops and open houses  (i.e. proposed Environmentally Significant Areas Plan all-day workshop)

Expense Claims

Expense claims are the amounts members of Council are entitled to claim under the terms of the Councillor Remuneration Policy and are as follows:

Mayor annual honorarium - 
  • $96,926 November 1, 2020 to October 2025
Councillor annual honorarium - 
  • $68,029 November 1, 2020 to October 2025
For out-of-County travel for attendance at County-related meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars, Councillors are entitled to claim a per diem rate of $210 per day.

Attendance Allotment & Mileage

Each Councillor is allotted an annual amount of $7,000 for attendance at conferences. The Mayor is allotted an annual amount of $9,000 for attendance at conferences. This fee includes all expenses related to the conference attendance - registration fees, hotel accommodations, travel costs, mileage, per diems (if claimed) and any expenses (i.e. parking, meals). he policy provides that a member of Council may exceed his/her allotted budget, provided the overall conference budget of $55,000 is not exceeded, by receiving authorization for such overage by way of a Council motion. 

Councillors are entitled to claim for mileage travelled to County-related meetings/events at a rate of 59 cents per kilometre for the first 5,000 kilometres annually and then at a rate of 53 cents per kilometre (the provincial rate as set by the Canada Revenue Agency). Due to the large geographic area covered within the County’s municipal boundaries, the mileage claims vary substantially as they are dependent on where the Mayor/Councillor resides.
View meeting attendance and expense claims here.
   
Further information in relation to this Council policy is available by contacting Legislative Services at 403.350.2152.