The public spoke, loudly, and the politicians listened, cancelling the retirement allowance and 15-per-cent wage hike that Metro Vancouver mayors voted for themselves in March.
A firestorm of public criticism erupted when those of the 40 directors present, most of them mayors of their respective cities, made the decision.
Pitt Meadows Mayor John Becker and Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read both initially voted yes to that.
They both said later they’d reconsider.
On April 27, the Metro Vancouver board reversed its decision.
“The Metro Vancouver board on Friday voted down the pension remuneration bylaw that was passed awhile ago, so I was pretty proud of my colleagues around the region to accept public feedback and bring that back and change that,” Read told council last week.
The 15-per-cent raise was to compensate for federal tax changes that remove the income tax exemptions of a third of municipal elected officials’ salaries. The retirement allowance applied retroactively to sitting board members dating back to 2007.
It would have given directors a one-time, lump-sum payment based on $1,100 for each year served, when they left the Metro Vancouver board.
“I think we should be applauded for actually listening to the public after making a decision instead of putting our heads down and plowing on,” board chair and Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore said.
Members did pass a new motion, to direct staff to create a third-party review panel on the issue.
Metro Vancouver members receive a per-meeting stipend of $387 for meetings up to four hours, and $775 for meetings over four hours.
