CORNWALL – SDG Counties’ 2024 remuneration report showed a nearly eight per cent increase in expenses over 2023. The remuneration report shows all honorariums paid to the members of council, along with any meeting, conference, and mileage expenses paid in the calendar year.
In 2024, Counties paid out a total of $269,036.80 to the 12 councillors, along with meeting remuneration to five alternate councillors who attended SDG Counties meetings. That is a 7.93 per cent increase over 2023. Council’s base honorarium increased by about $400 last year.
Meeting remuneration increased for most councillors, except for Councillors Tony Fraser (North Dundas), Lachlan McDonald (South Glengarry), and Carma Williams (North Glengarry).
Some of the overall increase is attributed to additional council member’s attendance at municipal conferences. The earlier election of a warden by council also increased meeting attendances for Councillor, now Warden, Martin Lang.
Former Warden Jamie MacDonald (North Glengarry) had the highest total remuneration paid by SDG in 2024 at $48,351.53. Councillor Williams led in meeting remuneration paid with $9,406.44 in 2024, which is a decrease of 19.24 per cent over 2023’s remuneration.
Councillor Jason Broad (South Dundas) received $20,550.39 in total remuneration, an increase of 13.21 per cent from 2023; while Councillor Marc St. Pierre (South Dundas) had the lowest total remuneration in 2024. He was paid $15,357.68, a decrease of 1.95 per cent. St. Pierre did not claim any mileage or remuneration outside of his base honorarium for 2024.
Municipalities are required to report all remuneration expenses by the end of March each year for the previous year’s council. There was no discussion of the Honorarium report at council as it was accepted in the consent agenda.
Tenders awarded
SDG Counties council approved a $7.56 million tender for hot mix asphalt paving. Cornwall Gravel Company Limited was the low-bidder, coming in over $1.1 million lower than the second place bidder. Three companies bid on the project. The joint tender for hot mix was in conjunction with South Glengarry Township, which will pay $786K for the work covered in the contract.
Outgoing Transportation Director Ben de Haan told council that one provisional road, County Road 23, could be removed if market prices push the price of asphalt up this summer.
Combined with the Cold-In-Place recycled asphalt contract that was awarded in February, the department has come in $140K lower than the budgeted $12.65 million for road resurfacing in 2025.
Council also approved a $475K bid by Duncor Enterprises for Micro-Surfacing. It was the lowest of two bidders on the tender. SDG will have about 12 kilometres of roadway resurfaced using this method.
SDG Counties council approved a pair of truck purchase tenders. The first tender, for two three-quarter ton trucks, was awarded to Miller Hughes Ford in Cornwall for a price of $125K plus HST. The second tender, for three half-ton trucks – two for SDG Counties and one for South Stormont – was awarded to London-based Finch Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC for $181K. SDG Counties’ portion of this is $120,668, plus HST.
The vehicle purchases for the Counties replace vehicles that are at the 10-year life span and is being replaced in accordance with SDG’s asset management plan. The bids were under budget by a combined $44K. Four bidders bid on the three-quarter ton trucks, and three on the half-ton trucks.
Counties council approved a $50K contract with Wagar and Corput Weed Control Inc. for roadside weed spraying this year. This is a joint tender involving five of the six lower-tier municipalities. North Glengarry was the sole township not involved. The Counties’ portion is $12K, while South Dundas will pay $4.7K for its roadside spraying. Roadside spraying of weeds is done in areas where the flail mowers cannot reach, or around guardrails where cutting is difficult.
SDG Counties approved a shared services agreement with North Stormont to provide economic development and communications services on a cost recovery basis. North Stormont has been without an economic development officer since 2024. The agreement will be reviewed by staff and council after a year.
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