Council Gives Final Approval To Pay Increase

Getting yourself elected or re-elected might have you singing the theme song from The Jeffersons after Council passed the third reading to a bylaw granting double digit percentage-wise increases to their remuneration.

In a third reading of the updated Remuneration Bylaw Council still did not have unanimous support for the pay increase with Mayor Fraser Tolmie, Councillors Chris Warren, Scott McMann, Heather Eby and Dawn Luhning voting in favour and Councillors Brian Swanson and Crystal Froese opposed.

Under the new remuneration formula the mayor will be paid the equivalent of an MLA’s pay or $100,068 annually an increase of $17,765 or 21.5 percent from the present $82,303.

Councillors will see their pay based upon 33.33 percent of what the mayor earns. Councillors will see their base pay increase from $25,924 to $33,323 or an increase of $7,399 or 28.5 percent.

Additionally the mayor will receive a $500 monthly car allowance an increase of 500 percent of the present $100 monthly car allowance the mayor receives. The mayor will not have to do any paperwork to claim mileage so long as any trips are less than 250 kilometers from Moose Jaw.

Currently MLAs receive a car allowance where they have to submit receipts and the reasons for any travel they might do in order to be reimbursed.

The wage increases will kick in Friday January 1st, 2021.