Peterborough mayor earned more than $106,000 in 2020: treasurer’s report

For a second straight year, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien’s pay topped six figures.

According to the staff report to be presented to city council on Monday, Therrien earned $106,632.34 in 2020 as mayor while also serving on a number of committees. That’s up from the $104,345.54 she earned in 2019. In 2018 her pay was $34,357 as a city councillor. She was elected mayor in October 2018.

The report mandated by the Municipal Act, 2001, requires a municipal treasurer to submit to council an itemized statement of the remuneration and expenses paid to each member of council, and council appointees to boards and commissions.

According to the report submitted by Richard Freymond, the city’s commissioner of corporate and legislative services, Therrien, while serving as mayor in 2020, received her base pay of $84,815 in remuneration. In addition, she received the following payments:

• $4,878.84 in remuneration as a member on the Peterborough Police Services Board
• $1,200 in remuneration as a sitting member on the water commission
• $10,000 in remuneration and honorariums as a sitting member on the City of Peterborough Holdings Inc. (utilities)
• $5,112 in car allowance
• $600 for internet allowance

The report notes all city councillors earned $33,234.45 in remuneration and $600 in internet allowance.

City councillors’ expenses are also highlighted in the report, which include:

• Therrien: $1,739.26, which includes attending several conferences, training and office supplies ($25.20)
• Coun. Kemi Akapo: $1,700.41 for attending one conference
• Coun. Henry Clarke: $477.62 for community relations (donation of flooring materials to a woman’s shelter) and a training workshop
• Coun. Dean Pappas: $2,273.27 for conferences and a training workshop
• Coun. Lesley Parnell: $180.75 for community relations (face masks distributed for an event for international students)
• Coun. Keith Riel: $330.89 for training (meetings workshop)
• Coun. Don Vassiliadis: $2,281.74 for attending two conferences
• Coun. Stephen Wright: $2,761.64 for conferences and training

Councillors Gary Baldwin, Kim Zippel and Andrew Beamer were not listed on the treasurer’s statement of expenses.

In December 2020, city council voted to maintain the pay for council members in the next term but did approve the city providing health benefits, a matching pension plan contribution and a car allowance to be half of the mayor’s current $5,112.

The staff report also highlights the other Peterborough Police Services Board members’ remuneration, which included:

• Gary Baldwin: $990.20 for remuneration and a labour conference
• Bob Hall: $5,816.73 for remuneration and a conference
• Les Kariunas: $4,131.40 for remuneration beginning Feb. 24
• Ken East: $813.14 for remuneration from Jan. 1 to Feb. 23
• Mark Graham: $3,418,88 for remuneration from Jan. 1 to Sept. 12
• Mary ten Doeschate: $542.09 for remuneration beginning Nov. 20

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