by Connie Tabbert
Editor
COBDEN — A review on council remuneration will have to wait until all of council is at the table.
During the corporate services committee meeting last night, Councillor Chris Olmstead was absent and it was decided to not make a decision on how to review council’s remuneration.
Chair Charlene Jackson said it had been discussed at a previous meeting about hiring Renfrew County’s human resources director Bruce Beakley, at a cost of $1,000, to do a review of council’s remuneration. It was also suggested that three township residents form a committee with Mr. Beakley to review the remunerations.
Reeve Terry Millar asked who receives the $1,000, and was advised it goes to the county, not directly to Mr. Beakley.
Councillor Dave Mackay questioned if the township already pays enough money to the county, that this is a service that should be provided.
“It seems funny we have to pay them,” he said.
Coun. Jackson said the county provides so many hours to the township for various services and with arbitration and union negotiations, the hours are more than well used up.
“In my opinion, to give us all a pay raise, we’re talking possibly two per cent, it’s $200 a year to each of us, why can’t we just make that decision and save the $1,000,” Reeve Millar said. “We don’t have to give someone $1,000 to give ourselves a two per cent raise. If you want a raise, vote for a raise. Keep the $1,000. Give it to minor hockey or something.”
The intent of the review by Mr. Beakley was to review the total remuneration, not just a raise, Coun. Jackson said.
“Let’s get a base rate, so that what should the council of Whitewaater Region be paid, if anything, a decrease or increase, if an independent group of people will do that, he will guide them,” she said.
Mayor Hal Johnson agreed with Reeve Millar.
“If we’re not going to get more than $1,000 in the pay raise, then let’s use the $1,000 and split it equally,” he said. “Why spend money and take value and time when really this council could be receiving approximately middle of the line. We’re not asking too much of the people here to be in the middle. We have as smart a council as anybody else I think and we will do the work.”
In the past, council received an increase based on the CPI, which would be a 2.4 per cent, Coun. Jackson said
Councillor Mackay said a $200 a year raise “is a joke.” If the remuneration is going to be raised, make it a raise worthy of people taking about, he suggested.
The current bylaw said there is to be a pay increase equal to the CPI each year, Coun. Jackson said.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin said this was reviewed about eight to 10 years ago and it was changed from council members being paid per meeting to a yearly honourarium. There were nine council members back then and not as many meetings as there are currently, he said.
He would like to see the $1,000 spent on hiring Mr. Beakley with three citizens reviewing remuneration.
“It needs to be looked at,” Coun. McLaughlin said. “Let’s see where we are compared to other councils honourariums.”
Mayor Johnson agreed the current honourarium is not fair. However, he noted council can give itself a raise without having to pay someone.
“We can decide what we think is fair,” he said.
Coun. Jackson said it’s more prudent to have a committee make a decision, not council. Once the recommendation comes to council, that’s when council makes the decision, she explained.
Reeve Millar said the ratepayers would be upset if council spent the $1,000 to hire a person.
“We got elected to do what they wish,” he said. “We don’t need to hire people to tell us to get a two per cent raise. For crying out loud, they’re not going to like it. I think we should put a motion up for a two per cent raise and move onto the next issue.”
Coun. Mackay said he does not want to spend $1,000 to hire Mr. Beakley.
“We’re not dumb,” he said. “We don’t need bureaucrats to tell us.”
Coun. Jackson noted the mayor/reeve honourariums are 15th out of the 17 municipalities and councillors are ranked six out of the 17.
However, Coun. McLaughlin said the statistics don’t show how many people those council members are servicing or how many water plants or the numbers of roads.
“We have a lot more things to deal with,” he said.
He believes an outside person should review the remuneration, come back with a proposal and then council can review it and discuss it.
It was agreed to wait until the May 6 corporate services committee meeting with hopes that all members would be present to discuss the issue and make a decision.
