INNISFAIL – After nearly a month of study and debate, Innisfail town council has approved a new two-year remuneration policy; one that’s believed to be better streamlined and having more clarity into what can be claimed or is part of base pay.
When all the dust was settled and final approval made at council’s regular meeting on Dec. 11, the seven elected members will get a small raise on their monthly honorarium, which will be reflected on this month’s Town of Innisfail payroll.
The mayor’s base pay jumps up $115 a month, from $2,835 to $2,950. The six town counsellors go from 1,365 a month to 1,400; a $35 raise.
Originally it was recommended by the five-citizen member Council Remuneration Committee to Increase the monthly honorarium – a base pay – that covers two biweekly Agenda & Priorities (A & P) and two biweekly regular council meetings.
The new initiative would have increased the mayor’s pay to $3,200 a month, with councillors getting $1,650.
It was also proposed that council members move to a new pay system, instead of the old per diem method, for attending key committees or activities; a new system, with potential for taxpayers’ savings, that would pay elected officials $35 per hour instead of $110.25 for half-day (four-hour) attendance, and $220.50 for a full day.
“Sometimes the meetings were only half an hour long, so they were still getting paid for these four-hour meetings,” said Erica Vickers, the Town of Innisfail’s director of corporate services, who presented the report of the draft Council Remuneration Policy to council. “This is just going to be changing to a more accurate pay. If they go to an eight-hour meeting, they're going to get paid for an eight-hour meeting.
“But if they go to a one or two-hour meeting they're now only going to get paid for one or two.”
Vickers said her report also included a committee recommendation to clarify specific council activities that fall under the monthly honorarium or per diem categories.
When council made its final decision on Dec. 11 to approve a new Council Remuneration Policy the two A & P meetings were left out of the monthly honorarium.
If council members do show up for both monthly A & P meetings they will receive an extra $125 per meeting.
“If they show up to both they will still receive the amount of money that was recommended by the Council Remuneration Committee,” Vickers told the Albertan last week, adding the previous system would only pay town counsellors for A & P meetings if they attended them.
“If they don’t show up to (future) A & P meetings they won’t get that additional $125, no.”
But agreement on A & P payment did not come without some spirited debate on Dec. 11.
Coun. Gavin Bates told council it was his view the four monthly regular council and A & P meetings are of paramount importance for Innisfail’s elected officials.
“Those four meetings to me are probably the most important thing you do other than being a counsellor and being out there,” Bates told council. “I think there should be a give-up if you don't attend those four meetings.
“I wasn't going to get into the weeds as to how much it should be but I can throw a suggestion (that) $125 would be a nice round number that if you miss them all, you'd be $500 short in your pay.”
However, Coun. Jason Heistad took exception to Bates’ view. Heistad said he was “confused” with Bates’ position as he believes absenteeism by council members has not been an issue over the last few years with council.
“I'm not aligned with this; docking people that are away,” said Heistad.
Bates replied he did not see why town councillors should be paid for A & P meetings if they are not there.
Heistad countered he was “perplexed” and “disappointed” because he believed Innisfail council has done a good job attending a majority of the meetings, despite some members dealing with major health issues over the past two years.
“As to docking that one, two, five ($125) per meeting, I just thought it was kind of chintzy, to be honest,” said Heistad. “I was going to be pretty upfront with you guys. I think this is fair with what the committee brought forward.”
The new remuneration process also ended with council members now being able to charge $35 an hour for travel time to out-of-town meetings or conferences.
However, council members, at the insistence of Mayor Jean Barclay, must now provide proof for any expenses, such as a receipt or other form of proof.
“That's only being accountable to the taxpayers and I didn't feel that was offside at all,” said Barclay. “It's about fairness, transparency and accountability.”
