Taylor reports $3.5m in staff costs, $90k for elected officials in municipal finance report

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The District of Taylor has released its 2024 municipal financial report, featuring around $90,000 in salaries for elected officials and a total staff cost of $3.5 million. 

During the June 23rd meeting, the District of Taylor council reviewed and approved the 2024 statement of financial information (SOFI). 

The report highlighted government transfers throughout the year of approximately $3.35 million, with all but a grant from the Canada Community-Building Fund of $123,380 originating from the provincial government. 

The district collected $4.62 million in taxation revenue in 2024, with approximately $1.46 million going towards other governments including the B.C. provincial government, the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) and the Regional Hospital District. 

The report noted Taylor had a total of $72.12 million in tangible capital asset costs, which includes ongoing construction projects, land, buildings, vehicles and machinery, as well as road, water and sanitary sewer infrastructure. 

In 2024, the municipal government finished repaying a loan of $3.72 million to the Municipal Finance Authority, and took out a loan from the authority of $3.54 million which must be repaid by September 2044. 

The district paid $90,415 in remuneration to elected officials for 2024, and refunded expenses from said councillors amounting to $19,518.

Mayor Brent Taillefer was paid the most in 2024 at $28,663, followed by Councillor Desirae Graziano at $17,659. Councillors Betty Ponto and Michelle Turnbull both made $15,560 and $15,575 respectively, and Councillor Murray Giesbrecht earned the least at $12,959.

Ponto had the most expenses reimbursed at $7,315, followed by Turnbull with $6,279 and Graziano at $4,725. 

The district employee who made the most during 2024 was chief administrative officer (CAO) Moira Green with a remuneration of $181,355. 

She resigned as CAO in June 2024, and her replacement, current CAO Ryan Galay, made $119,864.

The second highest-paid employee in 2024 was fire chief Steve Byford, who was paid $142,552 by the municipal government. 

In total, the district paid employees in the district a total of $3.49 million, and reimbursed $157,990 in expenses. 

According to the report, at the end of 2024 the district had approximately $51.11 million in reserve funds set aside by the council for specific purposes such as equipment replacement, infrastructure costs, sale of land and debt retirement. 

To read the complete 2024 statement of financial information for the District of Taylor, see below.