While they didn’t give themselves a raise, Bowden councillors did approve increases to the remuneration they receive for meetings and meals.
While they didn’t give themselves a raise, Bowden councillors did approve increases to the remuneration they receive for meetings and meals.
Based on recommendations from a volunteer committee made up of members of the public, council passed a motion at its Feb. 24 meeting allowing for the amount of compensation they receive for attending a meeting lasting one hour or less to be raised from $25 to $30.
The remuneration for meetings lasting one to two hours increases from $50 to $60 and from $75 to $90 for meetings lasting two to three hours.
Councillors will receive $30 an hour, up from $25 an hour, for attending meetings lasting more than three hours, up to a maximum of eight hours a day.
The public remuneration committee, which was tasked in the fall with researching whether council remuneration was adequate, stated in its recommendations that while all councillors "deserved an increase in remunerations, it was also felt that by only increasing the remuneration for hourly meetings from $25 to $30, that the increase would be generally performance based as opposed to a straight across the board increase for everyone."
The committee also stated council’s current meal expense claim allowance "is no longer an accurate reflection of actual costs in today’s marketplace."
Council will now receive an allowance of $17.50 for breakfast and lunch, up from $10.85 and $10.55 respectively, and $30 for dinner, up from $25.45.
During discussion of the committee’s recommendations before the remuneration increases were approved, Mayor Robb Stuart expressed "caution" about the suggested allowance bumps as council begins to look at the 2014 budget.
He said that "in the big picture it’s nickel and dime, but if, due to some other pressures upon the town we have to put a 10 per cent increase in taxes," people could be upset.
Coun. Wayne Milaney said the increases are a "drop in the bucket" when it comes to the town’s budget and Andy Weiss, the town’s chief administrative officer said there would be little impact on the town’s finances.
"Bowden faces significant challenges budget-wise every year and the amount of money that this will impact on our overall budget is minimal," he said.
Milaney and Coun. Sheila Church also pointed out that fair compensation is needed to attract people to run for council, especially since all of the current council was acclaimed in the fall.
Coun. Lloyd Lane said if council didn’t accept the recommendations of the committee, which all of council agreed were thoughtful and thorough, it would be like telling the group of volunteers that council feels like "you don’t know what the F you’re talking about."
"I don’t need five bucks," he said. "My point is if we’re going to take these people—and the people you got were very responsible—I think that we’re almost compelled to get this resolved."
And while Stuart suggested that council review remuneration at organizational meetings, council ended up passing a motion based on another of the committee’s recommendations calling for council to establish a committee in each election year "to adequately study and set appropriate Council remunerations for the newly elected Council members."
"This step would force timely reviews, more than what is currently taking place," the committee stated in its recommendations. "Given that this committee would be making recommendations for a new group of Council members not yet elected, this process would help to ease potential public concerns regarding self-serving decisions on this issue."
Excluding per diems, meal expenses and mileage, Bowden councillors currently receive $250 a month.
That rate has been in place since at least 2002.
The mayor’s monthly remuneration is $500 and that rate has been in place since 2006.
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