LAC LA BICHE - Mayor Paul Reutov’s expense claims were under scrutiny at the June 3 meeting of Lac La Biche County council.
The issue was raised by Ward 1 Coun. Darlene Beniuk, who is herself facing criminal charges in relation to comments allegedly made at a board meeting for the Lac La Biche Gas Co-op and was relieved of her committee appointments at the May 27 meeting.
“If councillors that go to the same conventions and that sort of thing, if others aren't charging the $65 rates, why is the mayor?” asked Beniuk, noting she has had her expense claims reduced after submitting them.
According to the county’s remuneration policy, councillors are entitled to claim a maximum of $429 per day for attendance at Lac La Biche County committees and business, plus mileage, and a per diem meal allowance of $15 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $30 for dinner.
“It's council's decision to make on what council can charge or cannot charge, but the current expenses are processed as per the existing policy,” said CAO Manny Deol.
Beniuk’s argument is that it is inappropriate for councillors to be reimbursed for meals on occasions when meals were included in the registration fee for a conference, or supplied by the committee.
“Council sometimes has meetings scheduled while they are at conference, and they may not be able to attend the breakfast or eat the meal that was offered at the conference. There may be dietary restrictions. It's very difficult for administration to check,” said Deol.
Deputy Mayor Jason Stedman said he quite often does not eat the food provided at conferences because it does not appeal to him.
“I choose not to charge for it. If others choose to charge for it, it's going to be like the other expenditures, like the miscellaneous expenditures. Some charge $20 some don't. Some do it for some days. Some don't. These are things that are in the policy,” said Stedman.
He said councillors have been allowed to use their discretion and should continue to do so unless the policy is changed.
Ward 7 Coun. Lorin Tkachuk noted there is no clause in the policy stating if a meal is provided the councillor may not charge for it.
“I think that's always just been an unwritten understanding that people haven't,” said Tkachuk. “Maybe it needs to be changed . . . Maybe that's a good thing to do at the next election.”
Reutov called the discussion “irrelevant” and said the $65 meal allowance is by far the cheaper option for the County, saying most lunch meetings he attends for the County cost $200 or more.
“You're always trying to schedule a lunch meeting with another mayor or some business leaders or a minister or somebody. You're always trying to do something. And for the most part, I always do. I always bring back contacts. I always bring back leads. Every conference, I'm out of pocket hundreds of dollars, hundreds, not $20 or $30,” said Reutov.
“I just choose to do the $65 because I'm not going to submit receipts for every item. So not only are you going out meeting with people and so forth, you buy lunch,” said Reutov, adding, “And since we're on the topic, remember council has voted to take lunches away from the mayor locally . . . But yet, council gets provided meals every time we have a meeting.”
Beniuk said it comes down to honesty, and that there needs to be a new remuneration policy going forward because “councillors are kind of getting screwed.”
“I don't charge for anything that I have not gone out to, or any meeting that I have not gone to."
A motion “to approve the council expense claims for the period of April 30, 2025,” carried 7-1, with Beniuk voting against.
