Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt has decided he will donate his pay back to the city.
After being elected as Liberal MLA for Surrey-Panorama in May, Hunt is stuck doing double-duty with the city and province at least until January to avoid a $600,000 civic byelection.
Hunt said a few months ago he would be donating his council salary to either NightShift Street Ministries in North Surrey or Mercy Ministries in South Surrey.
However, when asked by The Leader what he would do if taxpayers weren’t happy with his choice for donation, he said giving the money back to the city was also an option.
And that’s what he’s decided to do.
“It’s going to be looping back to the city,” Hunt said Thursday.
So far, Hunt said he’s finding doing both jobs manageable. The next city council meeting will be the first he’ll miss.
“This coming Monday will be the first Monday where I will have to be in two places at once,” Hunt said. “This is where, the month of July, that I said was going to be a challenge.”
Hunt is paid about $60,000 a year to be a councillor, so will return his pay from now until January – roughly $30,000 – to the city.
By law, he can do both jobs, however, he cannot miss 60 consecutive days or four council meetings in a row or his council seat would be rendered vacant.
There are 12 other municipalities in this province where members of council were elected to provincial government.
