New planning contract after council unknowingly pays hefty retainer fee

by Keely Grasser

Feb 27, 2008

EMSDALE – Perry Township council has struck a new contract with their land use planner, one that almost cuts in half the retainer he’s been collecting in recent months.

The new contract comes after council realized they had unknowingly been paying a $1,200 retainer to planner Robert Miller.

“We paid it for two or three months until I found out anything about it,” said Mayor Bill Core.

The issue arose, Core explained, after Miller’s previous contract expired in June of last year.

“The 2007 contract was never signed,” Core said. “That’s where the problem comes in.”

Instead, he said, the township began paying Miller on a month-to-month basis.

Somewhere in there, it was agreed that Miller would collect a $1,200 retainer.

That agreement, Core said, was between Miller and former clerk Will Jaques.

Council never gave its authority for the agreement, he said.

“I would think we should of (given authority),” Core said. “Although the clerk-administrator (Jaques) might of thought that it fell under his scope.”

According to the township’s payment record, Miller was paid over $30,000 in 2007.

Core said that planning costs may be higher than normal because the town is currently updating its official plan (OP) and is currently processing subdivision applications.

He added that some of the planning costs associated with the subdivisions will be recoverable.

The new contract, Core said, is “just about the same deal as in 2006.”

According to a resolution passed at a special Feb. 20 council meeting, Miller will receive a $700 monthly retainer fee for his land use services for the rest of the year.

Council also authorized the consolidation of the zoning bylaw map and text for $6,000 in the resolution.

The agreement comes into effect on March 1. Miller, Core said, did not collect the $1,200 retainer fees for January and February.

Miller had asked the township to continue with the $1,200 retainer fee in the new agreement, Core said.

The planner met with council during the special meeting to deliberate the terms.

Core said the special meeting was called, although council was due to meet that night, because he expected that “it would take us a while to get to the bottom of everything” and would have caused the evening meeting to be lengthy.

Council met for “three hours at least,” Core said. The time was spent on deliberations between Miller and the township.