The current meal and travel allowance rate is no longer realistic.
This, said Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) director of area B, Burns Lake rural Bill Miller is the reason why rates need to be increased.
"I thought the current rates were not that bad until I looked at my credit card bill after a trip to Toronto .... I was surprised," he said, adding that he did not think the rates should be increased too much. "I don't think we should go too high because it is not fair to taxpayers," he added.
Currently the directors receive a per diem allowance of $10 for breakfast, $15 lunch and $25 for supper, totalling $50 per day when they are traveling for RDBN related business.
According to a report prepared at the request of the board by Gail Chapman, RDBN chief administrative officer, the board had discussed conducting a review of the remuneration and expense bylaw, specifically with regard to travel and meal allowance revisions in April this year.
Chapman's report was presented last week and included examples from other regional districts that are comparable in size to the RDBN.
One of the examples in the report was from the Cariboo Regional District which provides its board with a meal allowance of $20 breakfast, $25 for lunch, and $35 supper, totaling $80 per day.
Chapman also noted that the Okanagan Valley Regional District has adopted a tiered approach by adopting different amounts for meals purchased within the region and outside the region.
The Okanagan Valley rates are $77 per day within their regional district and $104 per day outside the area.
Mayor of Fraser Lake, Sandra Harwood said she liked the idea of a tiered approach.
"Within the regional district we can make do with what we have, but outside the regional district it is hard to find a decent breakfast for $10 unless we want to eat in a fast food joint," she said.
Lance Hamblin, board chair and director of area G Houston rural agreed with Harwood adding, "In the Lower Mainland and Victoria it is very difficult to find meals [to fit into the budget],"
Stoney Stoltenberg, director of area A, Smithers rural said he also supported the idea of a tiered allowance.
Alternate director for Smithers, Charlie Northrup disagreed with the RDBN system that is currently in place saying he would prefer to have a receipt based system whereby directors are reimbursed up to a certain amount, only on the amount they actually spent, as proven by a receipt.
"This way you are not collecting for something you didn't spend. Sometimes when you are traveling to functions meals are provided," he said.
Hamblin disagreed with Northrup.
"We get an allowance for a meal. If you get $15 ... you can spend $10 ... whatever .... no receipts. It needs to be kept simple, without receipts. It is an allowance you get, you can spend it however," he said.
Hamblin asked Chapman if the tiered approach would create more work for RDBN staff.
"If directors report appropriately it won't be a problem," Chapman replied.
Mayor of Vanderhoof, Gerry Thiessen said he wants to encourage young people to run for public office.
"The current cost to young families is a shame ... if young people want to run for council it is [financially] impossible for them. They can't afford travel expenses and hotels and you can't eat for $15, it costs a lot to travel out of the RDBN," he said.
Thiessen then made a motion to support a tiered approach raising the meal allowance to $65 per day [$15 breakfast, $20 lunch, $30 supper] when traveling with the regional district and $80 per day [$20 breakfast, $25 lunch, $35 supper] when traveling outside the area.
The motion was approved by the directors with the exception of Northrup who opposed the motion.