The new mayor and councillors elected in the Village of Burns Lake municipal election this November can expect to receive more compensation than their current counterparts.
The recommendation was made by a recently formed remuneration review committee and approved by council.
The remuneration review committee was recently formed at council's direction to review current remuneration and to recommend any changes they felt necessary to the council indemnity bylaw.
Committee members, local residents Jack Brown, Gerry Bros and Roseanne Murray, reviewed the current bylaw, as well as a remuneration comparison for communities similar in size to Burns Lake.
According to village chief administrative officer Sheryl Worthing, it was council’s request that the committee be asked if they were available again, as they had already performed a similar remuneration review for council three years ago.
Councillors agreed to the committee's recommendations. This will see an increase the mayor's annual remuneration from $15,000 to $17,500 over a three year period. Each of the four councillors will also receive an increase in remuneration over a three year period from $7,500 to $8,250.
The financial implications of the increase will amount to an additional $1083 per year for the next three years. During 2015, when the remuneration increase comes into full effect, the financial implications to village taxpayers would be a total combined increase of $5,500 per year.
In comparison, the Village of Chase, who have a population of approximately 2,409 people, also have four councillors and a mayor. According to the information used by the remuneration committee, the mayor of the Village of Chase, Harry Danyluk, receives $11,520 annually, while each of the four councillors is paid $7,200.
The Village of Chase also pays councillors an additional $100 per month when they assume the duty of acting mayor.
At the other end of the scale, the District of Chetwynd, also similar in population with 2,633 residents has six councillors and a mayor. Mayor Evan Saugstad receives $28,834 annually and each of the six councillors receive $9,611 per year.
Nineteen communities in B.C. were used as comparison. Remuneration for the seat of mayor ranged from a low of $11,000 to a high of $30,000.
Councillor Eileen Benedict asked if the remuneration review committee had given any consideration to councillors performing the duties of acting mayor.
"Is there some compensation for councillors when they assume the duty of acting mayor? Some councillors have full time jobs as well and I was wondering if there is some compensation available for them for the time spent away from work," she asked.
Mayor Bernice Magee said that additional remuneration for assuming the duties of acting mayor has not been given in Burns Lake before. "It certainly doesn't mean we can't do that though," she said.
Worthing said that not a lot of municipalities do provide compensation for the additional duties of acting mayor. "It is for this reason that the review committee didn't consider it, but that doesn't mean that council can't change that."
Mayor Magee also added that other communities appoint an acting mayor for the entire term, while the village rotates the duty. "I personally like the idea of rotating the duty as it gives everyone the opportunity to be mayor and to chair a meeting. It is very different when you are sitting at the head of the table."
Councillor Eileen Benedict also asked if there was any consideration given to meeting attendance.
"Currently councillors that miss a lot of meetings are still paid the same," she said.
"I like the idea of not having remuneration not tied to meeting attendance. Then people would start attending meetings for money. We are volunteer politicians, I don't do this for the money," said Coun. Quentin Beach.
Worthing said to Lakes District News, that section 110 of the Community Charter describes disqualification for council. The section reads, “The person would be disqualified from office in council if the person is absent from council meetings for a period of 60 consecutive days or four consecutive regularly scheduled council meetings, whichever is the longer time period, unless the absence is because of illness or injury or is with the leave of council.”
"There is no other legislation that determines how many meetings a councillor must attend," she said.
According to Village of Burns Lake records, there was 17 scheduled regular meetings of council from Jan. 11, 2011, until Sept. 20, 2011.
Of the 17 meetings, Coun. John Illes has attended every meeting. Coun. Luke Strimbold has attended 16 of the 17 meetings, while Coun. Eileen Benedict has attended 15 of the 17 meetings.
Mayor Bernice Magee has attended 12 of the 17 meetings and Coun. Quentin Beach has attended 11 of the 17 meetings held so far this year.
As for the remuneration, mayor Magee said to council that it is entirely up to the new mayor and council to decide how they want to structure it. She added that the recommendation council is making, is only a suggestion or a guide to be used by the new council members.
Worthing said to Lakes District News, "The resolution directs staff to increase the remuneration for the next three budget years. After the November municipal election, council can choose to discuss [the issue] further during budget deliberations."
The changes will come into effect for the 2012 budget year and are subject to final budget approval.
"Most municipal remunerations are reviewed regularly by council. Given that the last Village of Burns Lake review was done three years ago, council felt it was an appropriate time for a review," Worthing added.
