A look at council's 2014 expenses

City council expensed at least $68,000 in mileage, meals, trips and more in the first nine months of 2014.

While only three-quarters worth of council expenses are posted online for 2014 – and one of those quarters is missing any expense records for Coun. Sheena Hughes and Coun. Cathy Heron entirely – an analysis of the submitted expenses shows that council spent $68,919.27 from January to the end of September last year.

Councillors are able to expense several categories of items related to their duties, such as mileage to committee meetings and other functions, meals, registration fees, cellphone bills, home Internet costs and other sundries, such as office supplies.

But it appears that the most significant costs for councillors come when it’s time to go to conferences. For instance, the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference in 2014 took several council members to Niagara, Ont., with the tabs running around $3,000 each for flights, meals and accommodation.

But conferences closer to home cost money too, with a trip out to Jasper for a library conference costing a couple of councillors, and taxpayers, at least $1,500 each.

There is money budgeted annually for council to attend Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Alberta Urban Municipalities Association meetings, as well as council development budgets.

Last year, councillor development budgets, which can include training, classes or other conferences, were budgeted at $5,000 per councillor and $7,000 for the mayor.

A council expense policy governs their claims – a policy which came under scrutiny earlier this year with questions raised around per diems and the mayor’s expense claims from the city and the Capital Region Board.

In addition to their salaries and expenses, councillors are able to receive daily remuneration for attending certain kinds of meetings. There are also group benefits and employer contributions to retirement funds available.

Examination of the records show councillors do a lot of regional driving, especially for Capital Region Board-related meetings.

It also appears no one goes hog-wild when it comes to expensing food. Outside of multi-day food expenses for conferences, the most expensive meal appeared to be one the mayor claimed in March for $98.84 with three other people.

The smallest meal claim was $1.80 for a coffee by Coun. Cam MacKay, who snagged a Tim’s on his way to an Edmonton Salutes committee meeting.

Expenses from the last three months of 2014 and the audit of council expenses being done from staff will be out later this year.