A Williams Lake City Councillor says he believes taxpayers want to have an active City Council.
Councillor Jason Ryll has incurred the highest expenses as an elected official for the past three years according to the Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report.
“I think it’s the kind of scenario where you’re always going to have someone at the top of the list and the bottom of the list, ” he said.
“We have a travel allowance that allows Councillors to go and represent the City at a number of different functions, and that’s what exactly what I chose to do. I think taxpayers want to have an active City Council, and that’s what I chose to do. It was surprising that I saw the amount that it tallied up to but then in hindsight, I was quite busy for 2018 representing the City.”
Ryll’s expenses according to the 2018 Statement of Financial Information Report that must be prepared annually for the provincial government were just over $9,800, followed by Councillor Craig Smith at $7,923 and Mayor Walt Cobb at $7,052.
His incurred expenses as an elected official were also the highest in 2017 and 2016.
“It was different business that called me away in previous years,” Ryll said.
“In the previous term, I was involved in BC Ferries negotiations to try to reestablish the connecting route between Port Hardy and Bella Coola. I’m happy to say that project is all but done and that required me to travel, and it doesn’t take long for travel costs to accumulate including registration fees which seem to be getting more and more every year.”
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