MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has approved a two per cent cost of living adjustment for staff and council for the 2025 budget, which cost the county an approximately $210,000 in additional cost.
The move was made by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and online.
Administration recommended the adjustment after comparing COLA increases proposed or approved by neighbouring municipalities, including Red Deer County (two per cent approved), Town of Carstairs (two per cent proposed), Town of Olds (2.85 per cent proposed), Town of Sundre (two per cent approved).
The county reviews annual economic conditions annually and makes recommendation regarding COLA adjustments to salaries and wages, Margaretha Bloem, director of planning, said in a briefing note to council.
“The purpose of these adjustments is to ensure that MVC wage grids remain competitive with other municipalities,” she said. “For predictability and consistency, the county has been using the September CPI for Alberta as the starting point for evaluating COLA adjustment.
“Second, the county compares prior year and proposed future year COLA budget adjustments for surrounding and comparable municipalities. The practice of approving COLA adjustments prior to year end has benefited the county by keeping our wages competitive and approving COLA adjustments prior to Jan. 1 has eliminated the need to do time consuming retroactive adjustments.”
The September 2024 consumer price index for Alberta is 1.9 per cent, council heard.
Council approved a three per cent COLA adjustment in 2023 and 3.2 in 2022.
Election nomination deposit unchanged
In other news from the recent council meeting, council members have decided to keep the 2025 municipal election nomination deposit amount unchanged from the previous election.
In October, council instructed administration to bring back possible amendments to the Municipal Elections Bylaw, specifically regarding the nomination deposit dollar amount.
The provincial Locals Authorities Election Act allows municipalities with populations over 10,000 to require a nomination deposit of up to $1,000.
Administration reviewed neighbouring municipalities (Red Deer, Rocky View and Kneehill counties) and found that all three have $100 deposit requirements, council heard.
The towns of Didsbury, Carstairs and Sundre also require a $100 deposit, while the Town of Olds and Village of Cremona do not have nomination deposit requirements, council heard.
MVC administration recommended that the existing $200 deposit be left unchanged for the 2025 election.
Council received the report as information and recommended no further action, meaning the deposit amount will remain unchanged.
