Trustees on the Chinook's Edge School Division Board of Education have given themselves a raise, one that works out to an overall increase of 6.7 per cent in the school board's budget.
The announcement on trustee remuneration, which came after an extensive review, was made at the board's Nov. 5 meeting.
Officials with the school division said they could not remember the last time trustees have received a raise, other than nominal annual cost of living increases.
“That is what you do to get a raise; you have to give it to yourself. You are absolutely open to criticism, but we looked at it long and hard and we felt it was time to start looking at this,” said Colleen Butler, chair of the nine-member board of trustees.
“We know there are going to be people looking at this and asking why are they doing that, especially in times of restraint, but we felt the greater importance was to have people on the board that have the ability to function on that board well.”
The last time the board looked at raises for trustees was in 2012 when an outside consulting group was retained to look at the issue. The board decided at that time not to move on the issue.
However, two years later the board accepted a recommendation from an ad hoc committee that change was needed. As of Nov. 1, the board chair's previous flat monthly rate increases from $420 to $525 per month, while the vice-chair's rate jumps from $317 to $400 a month. The flat monthly rate for the remaining trustees increases from $215 to $275. As well, the daily rate for all trustees has bumped up from $221 to $250.
Last year, the overall budget amount for the nine trustee salaries was $158,000. With the new increases the budget for 2015 has been set at $169,000 – a 6.7 per cent increase.
Butler said it was important for the board to look at the remuneration issue now as a means to provide incentive to attract qualified people to run for the role of trustee, as well as a way to reflect the importance of the role for the entire region.
“Our salaries have not been high so we felt in order to attract people in the community we needed to raise the value of it somewhat. It is still not high but it is a little bit better,” said Butler, who made between $26,000 and $28,000 last year in a position that is deemed part-time. “We also wanted the pay structure to reflect the importance of the role. Our trustees are responsible for a $124-million budget. We make sure there is a good quality working environment for employees and that we are trying to make sure there is a quality learning environment for students.”
“Yet it (trustee) does not carry the same respect in people's minds as a county councillor or a town councillor,” she added. “As far as county councillors, they make way, way more. The work is different and I am not criticizing that either, but I am just saying in terms of respect, they get more.”
While trustees agreed to give themselves a raise, there was also a commitment by them to cut down on expenses, particularly the pricey one of attending conferences, said Butler.
“Rightly or wrongly, I am not sure, because it is good education and good professional development to attend those things, but a lot can't attend because they are working and are not able to attend,” said Butler. “So we don't have all nine going, which we may have done in the past. That is going to reduce expenses, even if it does reduce professional development for trustees.”
The nine trustees on the board will continue to receive extra monies for expenses, which include those for transportation and communications. They also receive a health-care benefit package. These were not altered during the recent remuneration review.
"The greater importance was to have people on the board that have the ability to function on that board well."Colleen Butler, chairperson
