East Zorra-Tavistock releases 2025 council remuneration report

By Lee Griffi

Township residents can now find out exactly how much members of East Zorra-Tavistock (EZT) council were paid in 2025 following the release of the township’s council remuneration report at a recent council meeting.

Mayor Phil Schaefer was the highest-paid member, earning $29,000, including expenses, which are on top of his base salary of about $23,700. He also earns approximately $30,000 yearly as a member of Oxford County council.

Coun. Jeremy Smith was the second-highest paid member of council last year, earning close to $27,000. Just under $8,900 of his pay was for mileage, conference pay and conference and workshop expenses. Smith earned far less in 2024 with a total hit to the township of just over $20,500. 

Any council member attending a conference last year received a daily per diem of $274.45 and Smith attended three conference for a total of 10 days, with $2,744.50 in per diem paid out. The dollar amount is on top of reimbursement for expenses, including mileage.

The Gazette reached out to a few neighbouring townships to see if they pay a per diem for elected officials to attend conferences. Zorra Township does not but does provide a $100 daily meal allowance if required.

The Township of Perth East pays a per diem of $207.68 for conferences, while Wilmot Township allows a maximum of $90 a day for meals but does not pay a per diem. Oxford County also does not provide a daily top-up to its councillors to attend municipal forums, nor do the cities of Woodstock or Ingersoll.

EZT deputy mayor Brad Smith did not attend any conferences and earned just under $23,500 with a base salary of nearly $22,190. Councillors received a stipend of $16,815 in 2025.

The Gazette reached out to Schaefer for his thoughts on members of council being paid extra to attend conferences.

“These conferences are optional,” he said. “They are of great value to those members of council attending and do assist in their work of representing their constituents. The per diem is to encourage attendance and to compensate councillors for taking time away from their families, and in some cases jobs, to attend, learn and network.”

He added the base salary paid to the mayor and councillors in EZT is below that paid to their rural counterparts in the other four rural townships in Oxford County.

“In some cases, substantially below. I absolutely have no problem with my salary or my councillors’. All things considered, I do think that residents of the township get good value for the dollars spent compensating their elected representatives,” Schaefer said.

There is a difference in how lower-tier municipal politicians in Oxford are paid. Zorra Township Mayor Marcus Ryan earned a base rate of $35,119 last year while councillors were paid just under $20,400. In Norwich Township, Mayor Jim Palmer earns a base salary of about $33,500 and councillors were paid a little under $21,000. South-West Oxford councillors take home $17,134 before expenses with Mayor David Mayberry earning $25,700.