At the Regular Council Meeting on February 3, 2025, Council approved changes to the Council Remuneration Policy, following recommendations from the Council Remuneration Task Force. These recommendations were presented at the Council meeting on December 9, 2024, with an updated policy presented on January 20, 2025.

The updated Council Remuneration Policy LS-C-03 will take effect on October 27, 2025, following the election of a new municipal council. The current council will not see an increase in their compensation.

Key changes to the remuneration structure include:

• A one-time increase of 4% to base honorariums.
• Introduction of a $50.00 per diem for specifically identified board and committee meetings, with an annual maximum of $1,000.00.
• Establishment of individualized training and conference budgets for each member of Council.
• Introduction of a childcare allowance.
• Streamlining of travel, meal, and accommodation claims to align with the Government of Alberta travel expense policy.
• Addition of a $500 Wellness Spending Account.
• Implementation of quarterly tracking of per diems.

“We thank the Task Force for their hard work and efforts through this process. Their final report was comprehensive, and it’s easy to tell how much work and research they put into this project,” says Mayor Heather Colberg. “Their initial recommendation was to increase the total compensation before this term ends. However, as a Council, we unanimously and respectfully declined this recommendation.”

The Council Remuneration Task Force (CRTF) reported that current analysis indicates that the Town of Drumheller’s compensation levels for councillors are 8% lower and for Mayors 6.8% lower than those of similar municipalities.  The CRTF is formed every third year of Council and is responsible for making compensation recommendations. The CRTF conducts research, reporting and recommendations to Council but is established as a non-partisan citizen-led board, operating independently from Council.

These adjustments will increase the Council Remuneration Budget by 7% from $126,464 to $135,085. However, the actual financial impact is expected to be significantly lower, as claims for per diems, travel expenses, and childcare allowance are anticipated to be below their maximum limits.

The simplification of the expense claim process aims to reduce administrative workload and enhance efficiency. Furthermore, transitioning from a single training budget to individualized allowances is intended to promote fiscal responsibility. The 4% increase and other adjustments are designed to align Drumheller's compensation levels with those of comparable municipalities, reflecting the time and commitment required of these positions.

For more detailed information on these changes, please refer to the CRTF’s Final Report and Policy LS-C-03. You can also view the recordings of the Council meetings held on December 9, 2024, January 13, 2025, and January 20, 2025.