Council Decides To Keep Pay Increase

Photo By Roxanne Ashe - Virtual Interiors Photography

How much elected officials will be paid was a hot topic at Council Monday evening.

In discussion surrounding passing the budget Councillor Brian Swanson requested a number of re-votes one of which was increasing the remuneration paid to Council.

Councillor Swanson requested there be no increase to Council's remuneration because the former income tax free portion was to cover expenses  - 1/3 of Council's remuneration was income tax free until January 1st, 2019.

“Our salary up to now has been divided into two-thirds taxable and one-third (not taxable)” he said, adding the one-third was income tax free to cover expenses incurred by being elected a local representative and no Council member had major expenses. 

“I cannot justify I have $650 to $700 a month in expenses...that was the purpose of the one-third was to cover expenses but we don't have any...What expenses do we have in town?”

The budget proposed raising the remuneration of the Mayor from $64,147 to $79,108 and a Councillor from $22,382 to $24,918. The pay increase will mean Council members will still earn the same take home money after taxes.

SEE RELATED: Budget Committee Approves Pay Increase

Initially the increase was approved by pooling Council’s travel budget and then using the savings to make the increase not cost the City additional money. That change was later removed by Budget Committee.

Councillor Swanson then spoke about a conversation he had with a resident who said if Revenue Canada disallowed RRSPs that resident's employer would not make up the difference so why should Council?

“I don’t think that will wash very well,” he said going on to say “Public Service is a sacrifice” and it was worse when it was the Council member's best job. 

Councillor Swanson spoke about the last time Council ‘s remuneration was increased their was an outside consultant used and Council approved pegging Council's salaries to the salary of a provincial cabinet minister.

“It was meant to be there forever.”

“I think we should just suck it up and swallow it,” Councillor Swanson said.

Councillor Heather Eby said being on Council was not her best paying job but as a self employed person she lost “$600 worth of work.”

‘It’s a sacrifice on those working and those self employed,” Councillor Eby said.

Councillor Dawn Luhning said Council had discussed increasing their remuneration lots in the past couple of months. And she wanted to make the statement she would not get elected and then vote herself a raise.

Councillor Chris Warren said “I had originally opted in in favour due to the fact we had reduced the travel budget to accommodate for the original expense” but with that motion now rescinded “I would be against the increase pending the report coming (from) Administration.”

Mayor Fraser Tolmie spoke about the financial impact on the Mayor's position.

“This one-third for the mayor is close to a $900 impact,” Mayor Tolmie stated.

“One thing we are doing is trying to encourage (younger) people to run...this sends a wrong message to the community.”

“(This is) not only an expense to me but my family. When I am elected my family is elected,” Mayor Tolmie stated.

Councillor Warren agreed about the cost to the Mayor by not going ahead with the increase.

“For the Mayor this is a significant hit to his family income versus to us...is this something we could defer and get this report (on Council remuneration) quickly?” he asked.

City Manager Jim Puffalt said on March 11th a report was coming forward on the issue but there could be a six month delay going forward.

Councillor Luhning said she understood the role the Mayor's job was and she was happy Mayor Tolmie has actively been pursuing economic development unlike his predecessors.

“He does deserve to get more money,” she said.

Councillor Swanson continued to state his position of no increases as “the one-third is clearly stated for expenses.”

Speaking about Puffalt stating earlier there had been increases in other centres Councillor Swanson stated there is “no uniform response. Some have increased theirs others left it. There is no template to follow.”

In a 4-3 split vote Councillors Eby, Scott McMan, Chris Warren and Mayor Fraser Tolmie voted for the increase to proceed with Councillors Swanson, Luhning and Crystal Froese opposed.