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The School Act allows a Board to provide for payment of traveling and other expenses and honoraria to Trustees.
Furthermore, the Income Tax Act, permits Boards to pay Trustees a non accountable allowance which will not be required to be included in a Trustee’s income provided it does not exceed one half of the honoraria paid to the Trustee.
Boards are also permitted to reimburse Trustees for specific expenses incurred to complete responsibilities other than those required of all Trustees. Such reimbursements are not taxable.
The Organizational Bylaw, section 2.2, requires annual reporting of Trustee remuneration.
An ad hoc committee consisting of two Trustees and others as necessary will review the policy on Trustee remuneration on an annual basis, in November of each year.
I. Remuneration
The Edmonton Catholic Separate School District No. 7 provides a program of remuneration to Trustees consisting of the following:
- Honorarium - for services provided.
- Non accountable expense allowance - remuneration for expenses that the Trustees may be expected to incur to carry out responsibilities required of all Trustees. (i.e. attendance at Board meetings or specific committee meetings.)
- Specific reimbursement – remuneration for expenses that the Trustees may incur to carry out other responsibilities that they agree to undertake individually (i.e. attendance at a national or provincial Board meeting.)
II. Payment of Remuneration
The following will apply with respect to the payment of Trustee remuneration and expenses
A. Honoraria & Non accountable Expense Allowance (effective September 1, 2007)
| Basic Honorarium |
$10,557.07 |
| Non accountable expense allowance |
$5,278.54 |
| Total Per Annum |
$15,835.61 |
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| Chairperson's Basic Honorarium |
$13,309.37 |
| Non accountable expense allowance |
$6,654.70 |
| Total Per Annum |
$19,964.07 |
Benefits
Individual Trustees are eligible to participate on the same basis as Out of Scope staff in a Group Benefit Package. Trustees are only eligible to access the Benefit Package within thirty (30) days of the commencement of their term.
B. Attendance Honoraria
Attendance honoraria shall be paid at the rate of $85.00per partial day to a maximum of three partial claims per day according to the following schedule:
(a) Less than 4 hours: $85.00 p
(b) 4 hours/less than 8 hours $170.00
(c) More than 8 hours $255.00
One-third (1/3) of the amounts received by a Trustee as Attendance Honoraria are tax-free.
Not Eligible for Claim
- Organization Meetings held pursuant to the Organizational Bylaw, section 5.1;
- Regular meetings as scheduled at the Board’s Organizational Bylaw; section 5.1 (e);
- Planning Committee Meetings scheduled on any of the first four (4) Mondays of a month, from September to and inclusive of June, commencing no earlier than 5:30 p.m.
- Dinner events immediately preceding an Organizational, Regular or Planning Committee Meeting;
- School functions, school meetings, school advisory council meetings, awards programs;
- Constituency related work;
Meetings attended where honoraria are paid by other organizations equal to or greaterthan $85.00 per partial day;
- Meeting preparation time;
- Graduations if attending and not bringing greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees; and
- Ward social functions;
Eligible for Claim
- ACSTA Board of Directors or executive meetings, or related committee meetings;
- ASBA Board of Directors or executive meetings and related committee meetings (less honoraria paid by ASBA);
- Civic Committee meetings;
- Committee meetings to which a Trustee is assigned, e.g. grievance appeals;
- Negotiation meetings;
- Communities of School Councils (COSC) meetings;
- Special Meetings called pursuant to the Organizational Bylaw;
- Activities on behalf of the Board (ie. setting agendas, miscellaneous meeting with administration) by the Board Chairperson or Planning Meeting Chairperson;
- Board retreats or professional development activities;
- Planning Meetings scheduled on the fifth (5 th ) Monday of any month;
- Planning Meeting extending past 8:30 p.m. by way of the majority vote of the Board;
- Dinner meetings with employee group executives;
- District and external events or functions that require attendance on the Chairperson’s behalf by a Trustee;
- Sod turning/site blessing of schools or district facilities
- Twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five and one hundred anniversary celebrations of schools;
- New staff welcoming events, continuous contract welcoming events
- Contract signings;
- Preparation of Final Summary Report of committee activities by committee Chairperson (limit of one per diem);
- Committee (ad hoc) Chairpersons will be eligible to receive one half day per diem for committee preparation based on the terms of reference for the committee;
- Graduations; when bringing greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees;
- Retirement Functions of Employee Groups;
- Tuesday meetings when Monday is a holiday; and
- Retirement Functions for Senior Administrators
- Events outside of those noted in the policy that are sanctioned by the Board prior to the event;
C. Professional Development for Trustees
An allocation of $4080.00 per year will be allocated to each Trustee for items such as conferences and conventions. This amount may be averaged over the three-year term, and terminates by the end of the third year of office.
The Board Chairperson and Planning Committee Chairperson will be allocated an additional $500.00 for the year he or she is serving in this capacity. If one Trustee serves in both capacities, the allocation is limited to $500.00 annually.
Individual professional development to enhance the role of the Trustee is also acceptable. Anything outside of these parameters shall be brought to the Board for approval. The individual Trustee has the option to utilize professional development dollars into the Trustees’ general budget, if not spent. This utilization cannot be transferred to other Trustees’ professional development budgets.
D. District Paid Conferences per Year
- ASBA Spring & Fall General Meetings
- ACSTA Fall AGM & Convention
- ACSTA Spring Conference (Every 2 years)
- ACSTA Catholic Education Conference (Every 2 years)
- ASBA New Trustees Orientation for new Trustees only
- Edmonton Catholic Schools’ District Leadership Academy
- Edmonton Catholic Schools’ DistrictFaith Development Day
- Extraordinary events/conferences, meetings as approved by the Board prior to participation.
- One Catholic Conference of Choice to a maximum of $2500.00
e.g. Blueprints, Spice, CCSTA, Religious Ed Conference
Attendance honoraria for all conferences and conventions shall be paid at the rate of $85.00per partial day including travel time.
E. Miscellaneous Business Expenses
Trustees will be reimbursed for miscellaneous expenses incurred in carrying out responsibilities as Trustees (i.e. business lunches) as approved by the Board from time to time as follows:
- Meals:
Breakfast: $8.00
Lunch: $11.00
Dinner: $21.00
Receipts are not required for meals unless the daily allowance of $40.00 is exceeded. Hospitality expenses are allowed with approval of the Chairperson. Where meals are provided at conferences, etc. any claim in lieu will be disallowed, unless circumstances require meals to be purchased.
- Car Allowance of $220 per month
- Basic out of town travel allowance in accordance with district rates.
- Cell phone monthly basic rate, plus additional charges to a maximum of $50.00.
- Installation of one telephone line to be used for both voice and facsimile communication, plus monthly charges in relation to Board or district matters.
- Installation of high speed internet line, plus monthly charges.
The Chairperson will be reimbursed for miscellaneous expenses as set out above with the exception of expenses related to cell phone usage. The Chairperson shall either be provided with a cell phone for board business, or will be reimbursed for the use of a personal cell phone for the cell phone monthly basis rate plus all additional charges related to board business. If the Chairperson chooses to be provided with a cell phone by the district, the cell phone must be returned to the district upon the expiry of the Chairperson’s term as such.
III. Claims for Attendance Honoraria & Expense Reimbursement
Payment of attendance honoraria and reimbursable expenses will be made upon approval of a claim submitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. The Chairperson submits claims to the Vice-Chairperson. Expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with applicable policies adopted by the District from time to time and must include all reasonable supporting documentation. Expense forms and Professional Development Conference Attendance forms must be submitted within three months of expenses incurred .
IV. Office Equipment
Trustees will be provided with the following office equipment at the commencement of their term:
- Computer System, CPU, monitor, keyboard and mouse;
- Fax Equipment
- Printer Equipment
- Filing Cabinets (if required)
- Paper shredders
- Office Supplies (e.g. paper)
If Trustees do not return to office on the conclusion of one full term Trustees will have the option of keeping outdated equipment (equipment that is three years or older) or returning equipment to the district.
V. Interpretation Committee
A standing interpretation committee may be established consisting of the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, and the Vice-Chairperson, in order to interpret and apply the foregoing criteria to claims for remuneration. If a Trustee is in disagreement with an interpretation, he/she may appeal to the whole Board.
Revised: October 20, 1997
Revised: November 15, 1999
Revised: January 1, 2003 (By Resolution at the April 14, 2003 Regular Board Meeting)
Revised: September 1, 2003 (By resolution at the March 9, 2004 Regular Board Meeting)
Revised: January 10, 2005 (Addition of #17 under “Eligible for Claim” Page 2)
Revised: January 1, 2005 (by resolution at the March 14, 2005 Regular Board Meeting)
Revised: May 16, 2005 (Amendment to District Paid Conferences)
Revised: May 1, 2006 (Trustees did not take a % increase)
Revised: December 11, 2006 retroactive to September 1, 2006 (4% increase)
Revised: February 5, 2007 (Amendment to Eligible for Claim)
Revised: September 26 , 2007
Basic Honorarium will be increased annually in accordance with the Provincial Grant, effective September first of each school year
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