Council Approves 20 Percent Plus Pay Increase
It was predicted to be the hot button issue at last evening's Council meeting and the anticipated debate did not disappoint.
Council debated their proposed remuneration increases previously approved at the June 29th Executive Committee meeting.
The proposed remuneration changes, which will take effect after the November 9th civic election, will see the next Council receive raises in excess of 20 percent.
Under the changes the next mayor will see their annual remuneration jump from the present $79,108 to $100,068 (21.6 percent increase) and councillors moving from $24,918 to $33,323 annually (a 28.5 percent increase).
Additionally the mayor will see an increase in their $100 monthly car allowance to $500 a month or $6,000 annually.
The remuneration amounts were brought forward by a non-partisan three member Remuneration Panel who spent close to a year and met eight times before presenting their recommendations for Council to debate.
The mayor’s $500 monthly car allowance was approved through an amendment brought forward by Mayor Fraser Tolmie at the June 29th Executive Committee meeeting. The panel had recommended a monthly around the city car allowance of $150. The amended car allowance of $500 will cover the all travel within 250 kilometres of Moose Jaw.
THE DISCUSSION
In calling for a re-vote Councillor Brian Swanson said his reasoning for doing so was the impact of the COVID - 19 pandemic on the community as well as the upcoming 2021 budget and the impact the increase could have on negotiations with the City’s unions. He said despite an attitude it was just $65,000 in the bigger scheme of things it was money hard to come by.
“It is difficult to find $65,000,” Councillor Swanson said, adding with only five new homes built so far this year where would the money come to pay for the increased cost of Council.
The five new homes translated to only $12,500 in increased property tax revenue leaving $53,000 unfunded. Meaning over 20 more new homes would need to be built to cover the remuneration increases.
“People in Moose Jaw will have to dig deeper into their pockets. Everything that will be raised will be raised
”
Councillor Swanson spoke about the City’s upcoming budget and how their was a large amount of cash needed to cover increased wages to City employees.
“Just a few weeks ago we had our first glance at next year’s budget…there is a $558,000 increase to maintain the status quo (in wages to City employees),” he said, adding with the $65,000 needed to cover the increased Council remuneration the City had to find $635,000 to maintain the status quo.
“Where will that money come from?” Councillor Swanson asked. “People in Moose Jaw will have to dig deeper into their pockets. Everything that will be raised will be raised.”
Councillor Swanson said the large remuneration increase for Council would make things more difficult when it came to asking City employees for restraint during wage negotiating.
“It puts us in a very compromised position when we go to our bargaining groups and say Moose Jaw is not growing. Our assesment growth is negligable. The CUPE agreement we just ratified a few weeks ago, a four year agreement has increases of 6.8 percent.” he said.
Councillor Swanson said the actual workload had been dropping for Council members. Council meetings which were once weekly had moved to bi-weekly and presently were down to two per month.
“I would personally note the trend of …moving (work) from elected officials to non-elexted officials. Which I find quite disturbing and not in the best interests of the community. Yet (Council) pay goes up significantly.”
After voting in favor of the increase for councillors at the June 29th Executive Committee meeting, Councillor Dawn Luhning said she had a change of heart.
“I am having a little bit of conscience trouble with the councillor increase of 33 1/3 percent (of what the mayor receives).. Up to $33,000…over the last two weeks I have had difficulty with the decision I made (two weeks ago) voting for an increase in a councillor’s pay,” Councillor Luhning said.
Councillor Luhning said she had tried to save the City money whenever she could. Even going so far as to request city manager Jim Puffalt and finance director Brian Acker in March not pay her the deputy mayor allowance during the pandemic. Her reasoning was based upon there were no functions to attend on the City's behalf due to the lockdown by the Province.
The deputy mayor receives an additional monthly allowance of $420.92.
“I want to reiterate my job as a councillor especially over the last two or two and a half years has increased.”
At Councillor Luhning's request the mayor's and councillors' remuneration were voted on separately.
Councillor Crystal Froese said she opposed the remuneration increase due to the timing and the challenges the city, businesses and residents were going through because of the COVID - 19 pandemic.
“This isn’t because I believe our Council and our Mayor aren’t doing enough or it doesn’t equal the amount of workload that we all carry here. This is to me just the wrong timing. To be giving a raise of 20 or 28 percent in the middle of a pandemic in very unstable and unpredictable times…we are not on the other side of this yet,” Councillor Froese said. “We have no idea what the economic impact is going to be on our city…we are still in the middle of this,”
“We don’t now what is coming next. A 20 and 28 percent raise to me that is not something to support in the middle of this. We have no idea what is coming next….in my opinion I don’t think that is staying connected to what is actually going on in our community. People are going to lose their jobs if they haven’t already.”
“I am really worried. I lose sleep at night about my community. We are not on the other side. What I think it should be a year from now and the next Council can revisit this and maybe it should be a phasing in,” she said.
“Nobody gets that type of percentage raise that I am aware of....this is not a reasonable time given what our community is going through”
Councillor Scott McMann said he did not dispute the fact the remuneration increase percentages were large but were necessary for the betterment of Council and the city.
“The reason why I support this I think it is critical in the next election that we have remueration that is fair, that is fairly consisent to what other municipalities in the province (offer)…and I just think we need that to attract the quality person we require to make decisions especially to make decisions when we are in the midst of a pandemic and the economic issues we having in our community right now,” Councillor McMann said.
“I really truly believe to make sure we have remuneration in place which will not deter someone from running if they really want to run for councillor or the mayor’s position”
Councillor McMann said proper remuneration was necessary to allow qualified candidates the opportunity to run if they chose to do so.
“I believe this is money well spent. If we scale it back somewhat I am fine with that. But I really truly believe to make sure we have remuneration in place which will not deter someone from running if they really want to run for councillor or the mayor’s position.
Councillor Chris Warren said he still supported the increase because remuneration should be in line with what other municipalities the same size are paying. Citizens who serve on Council should be “fairly compensated for their time” plus there was a reputation factor to consider, he said.
“The other consideration is a councillor puts their reputation at risk and compensation should account for that. This position is very unique in that anything one says and does is scrutinized and or slandered with no recourse or rebuttal. This also puts pressure on family and friends in the community,” Councillor Warren said.
“What was mentioned in the report which really resonated with me is do we want the cheapest or do we want the best”
He went on to state he disagreed with the decrease in workload and for those who felt otherwise it may be part of sanctions a councillor had imposed on them.
“What was mentioned in the report which really resonated with me is do we want the cheapest or do we want the best.”
Councillor Warren continued to focus on the potential better candidates appropriate remuneration would encourage to run in the upcoming November 9th civic election.
“I certainly don’t want that to be a barrier or challenge our future mayors so I support them. As with Councillor Froese’s point it is never going to be a good time to (increase remuneration)….my opinion is if COVID - 19 does hit again I want the best possible candidates making the decisions to guide our community through whatever unstable or uncertain times we may face. Whether it is a pandemic or otherwise. These recommendations are made for the next Council and we owe it to them and the community to get the best we can.”
Councillor Heather Eby said voting on a remuneration increase was difficult whether it had been in 2010 when there was no pandemic or in 2020 when there is a pandemic.
“It’s not a fun decision to make. However I will say that when people go to the polls to elect councillors and the mayor they should be voting for candidates they feel are worth paying for. If the people on the ballot in October or November are not the people that people (voters) feel that are worth the salary whatever it may be they should be able to vote for candidates they are looking for,” Councillor Eby said.
Councillor Eby then proposed an amendment to the remuneration proposal.
The amendment she proposed would reduce the amount of travel/education money available to council members to attend functions and events without prior council approval. The amendment would see the proposed $4756 reduced to $3000. If a council member required more they would have to ask for Council’s approval.
In a unanimous 7 - 0 vote the amendment passed.
THE VOTES
The vote to change the mayor’s remuneration to what an MLA earns passed 5 - 2. Mayor Fraser Tolmie, Councillors Luhning, McMann, Warren and Eby voted in favour. Councillors Swanson and Froese were opposed.
The vote to make councillors remuneration equal to 33.33 percent of what the mayor earns passed 4 - 3. Mayor Tolmie, Councillors McMann, Eby and Warren voted in favour. Councllors Froese, Luhning and Swanson were opposed.
The vote to approve the overall remuneration proposal passed 5 - 2. Mayor Fraser Tolmie, Councillors Luhning, McMann, Warren and Eby voted in favour. Councillors Swanson and Froese were opposed.