Remuneration Committee Set To Report Back In March

The highly controversial issue of Council remuneration came to life briefly during the Enquiries portion of the December 9th regular Council meeting when Councillor Heather Eby asked an Enquiry about the progress the special three member Council remuneration Committee had made and when the issue was expected back for Council’s consideration.

“Just a quick enquiry of the review of Council remuneration. I am just wondering when that will be coming to us early in the New Year. I think it will be important that this Council deals with that previous to the election. So I am just wondering when that will come?” Councillor Heather Eby asked.

City clerk/solicitor Myron Gulka-Teichko, who sits on the remuneration review committee said the plans were to return to Council with the final report after allowing for a public survey as well as public written or verbal presentatons.

The committee, made up of the City Clerk\Solicitor and a representative from the Moose Jaw and District Chameber of Commerce and the Moose Jaw and District Labour Council, would also like to have the opportunity to hear fro present and past Council members to hear about the time commitment and effort necessary as a member of Council.

The review committee was established after Mayor Tolmie made an argument for Council to receive higher pay. - MJ Independent File Photo

“With respect to the remuneration for elected officials the committee had met earlier in the Fall and decided to do a public survey as well as prime opportunity for members of the public to make representations to the panel,” Gulka-Teichko said, adding “given the remuneration deals with the time commitment of elected members there will also be a subsequent opportunity for both present and former elected members to also make presentations about the time commitment required and the effort that is required for the job.”

The public survey is expected out in January with the meetings with past and present Council members to occur in February. A report to Council would likely arrive in March to allow the issue to be decided in time for the 2021 Budget and prior to the November 9th, 2020 municipal elections.

The issue of Council remuneration was raised following the federal government cutting the previous one-third tax free portion of elected municipal officials pay. The one-third tax free portion was in compensation for elected municipal officials expenses to carry out their duties. In response Council decided to increase their remuneration retroactive to January 1st of this year so their take home pay remained the same.

Presently the Mayor receives $79,108 and Councillors $24,918 annually. Previously, when one-third of their remuneration was tax free, the mayor received $67,147 and councilors $22,382.

Previously Council’s remuneration was set with the mayor receiving 47 percent of what a cabinet minister earned and councillors receiving one-third of what the mayor receives. The rate was established in 2014 with assistance from an outside source.

At the time when Council debated increasing their pay to offset the effects of federal government axing the tax free portion of their remuneration Mayor Fraser Tolmie mase an argument to increase Council’s pay saying other cities’ councils with similar or less responsinbities and time commitments earned more than what Moose Jaw’s elected officials received. The remuneration committee was struck following those calls.

A previous request to increase the Mayor’s monthly car allowance to $500 per month was defeated by Council.