The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

2- The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 29, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com LEATHER at its finest Lots of training for councillors Continued from page 1 "10 Secrets Everyone Must Know 10 Before Buying Their Next Leather Couch!" 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. World's finest cowhides dyed through (aniline leather) Premium, Kiln-dried, all-hardwood frames. Major frame joints are corner blocked, glued and stapled. Coil-flex platform spring provide extraordinary seating. Outside panels are padded to add softness and support. Seat cushions of high-performance Reflex foam. Back pillows are filled with polyester fiber for comfort. Easy-release clips and rings hold cushions neatly in place. Seams are sewn with bonded nylon and monofilament threads. All the above wrapped up with a LIFETIME WARRANTY. amounting to $111,400 while most councillors received a little over $50,300 each. Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson and Ward 2 Councillor Fred Oliver made less at around $45,500 each, which Town staff chalked up to the fact that both councillors are over 65 and as such get a different benefits package. Town Council members also differed in the amount of expenses they claimed for professional development with Robinson claiming the most at $3,480.57 followed by Burton who put in for $2,734.49, while Ward 3 Councillor Keith Bird claimed the least at $67.15. "Each of them does have at their discretion $3,500 to assist them in their job development," said Jane Courtemanche, Director of Communications, Town of Oakville. "There are annual conferences run by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and then there's the annual conference run by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, so many of the councillors Mayor Rob Burton "Each of them does have at their discretion $3,500 to assist them in their job development." Jane Courtemanche, Director Communications, Town of Oakville might attend those conferences." Courtemanche noted professional development expenses might also be racked up as councillors attend numerous training opportunities that are available. "There's lots of specific training for councillors. There's Firefighters 101, a new councillor might want to take that to learn about how a fire department operates. They might attend a library conference or an Oakville Chamber of Commerce meeting and those kinds of expenses are covered," said Courtemanche. Size does seem to matter when it comes to mayor and council pay rates. In 2006 Milton's mayor received a salary and benefits amounting to around $51,300, while a councillor's yearly income could range from $24,000-$1,700. For 2008 the mayor of Toronto is receiving a salary of $163,000 (benefits not included) while councillors get $96,800 (benefits not included). In Burlington the mayor receives around $113,800 (benefits not included) while the councillors receive $49,700 (benefits not included). Councillors who serve as regional, as well as Town councillors, also collect a salary from Halton Region. Committee receives pay info Continued from page 1 You're invited to surround yourself in the world of FABERGÉ. Join us for this very special opportunity to view limited edition FABERGÉ contemporary jewellery and Objects of Art never before seen in Canada. Own a piece of the world's most collectable jewellery. Saturday, March 1st 10:00 am -- 6:00 pm Sunday, March 2nd 12:00 pm -- 5:00 pm 5% of proceeds will be donated to Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital ing council members to conferences and close to $20,000 on mileage and other expenses. The document also detailed committee and board remuneration and expenses for 2007, which were: ecological and environmental advisory committee, $485, Halton Regional Police Services Board, $52,860, and conservation authorities, $35,440. Also, Oakville Councillor Allan Elgar was paid $7,490 for sitting on the Niagara Halton Chair Gary Carr Escarpment Commission. The committee received a report on the topic for information purposes. Penman CH chair again Milton Councillor Brian Penman has been acclaimed as chair of Conservation Halton (CH) for 2008. Penman has served as a director of CH for 28 years, including 12 as chair. Penman said he's looking forward to carrying out his responsibilities this year as chair and a watershed resident. "At a time of exceptional growth and opportunity in the watershed, the conservation and environmental protection efforts of Conservation Halton are crucial if we are to pass on a healthy, safe and vibrant environment for future generations," he said. John Vice, citizen appointee from Burlington, will continue as vice-chair for 2008. Vice has been a director of the board for four years. www.knarjewellery.com 321 Cornwall Road, Olde Oakville Market Place (next to Whole Foods) 905.815.8777