Rossland’s mayor and council are going to get a pay increase – the first in nearly 20 years.
Council voted Monday night to bring salaries for the city’s municipal leaders closer to the provincial average for communities the same size as Rossland.
“We’re making less than minimum wage,” said Rossland city councillor Aaron Cosbey. “My daughter makes more babysitting cats.”
The increase is a big one — 40 per cent — but will only come into effect with the next council, after the municipal elections in October.
Cosbey, who made the motion for the increase, says he hopes it may attract new blood to council.
“There may be good candidates out there, but they may be sitting on the fence and feel they can’t afford it,” he said. “This may help them make the decision to run.”
The current annual remuneration for the mayor is $12,273 and council members is $6,259 . With the 40 per cent increase, the mayor will make $17,182 and councillors $8,763.
The council heard that their wage is 44 per cent below the average of 38 municipalities reviewed. That’s the third lowest based on dollar amounts, or second lowest per capita. In contrast, the highest paid mayor in B.C. for towns of similar size was in Port Hardy. That mayor makes $37,261.
It costs city taxpayers $49,828 for mayor and council’s salaries, about one per cent of the budget; with the increase, that goes up to just under $80,000, or 1.5 per cent of the budget.
All the councillors voted in favour of the increase, several saying they hoped it might help diversify the all-white, all-older-male council (not including Mayor Kathy Moore).
“I think we need to attract some younger people,” said Marten Kruysee. “And I think the money part is a factor, but maybe not a major factor.”
“No one is in this for the money,” added Cosbey. “That’s not why we’re here.”
The report to council notes the city’s first mayor was paid $300, back in 1918. He may have asked for a raise; in today’s dollars, that works out to about $4,977. Councillors were paid $4 per meeting back then, with no base salary.
