Village of Burns Lake Coun. Eileen Benedict requested a review of mayor and council’s remuneration during last week’s council meeting.
The topic was added to councils agenda under new business by Benedict, saying she felt it was timely for a review.
She said it is something she would like done before the up and coming council elections in November this year.
Councillor Benedict asked when a review of council remuneration was last done and by who?
Mayor Bernice Magee said that the last review of council remuneration was completed midway through last term, before the 2008 council elections.
“It was conducted by an independent panel of three community members,” Magee said.
“They [the panel] brought forward recommendations which were submitted to council,” she added.
Benedict said she would like to look at other similar communities for a comparison.
“I am not sure where we sit and I think this would be useful,” she said.
Councillor John Illes agreed, making a motion to have an independent committee conduct a review of mayor and council’s remuneration effective next election, with Village of Burns Lake staff to appoint community members to the committee.
The motion was seconded by Benedict and supported by Coun. Luke Strimbold.
Councillor Quentin Beach was not in attendance at the meeting.
According to village chief administrative officer, Sheryl Worthing each councillor currently receives $7,500 per year, while the mayor receives $15,000.
“The last council remuneration review was done in April 2008 by a remuneration committee made up of members of the community,” Worthing said to Lakes District News.
According to District of Houston staff, the mayor of Houston currently receives $15,783.07 annually, while each councillor receives an annual amount of $7,891.54.
District of Vanderhoof staff said to Lakes District News that during 2011 the mayor of Vanderhoof receives a total of $1,514.54 per month, which amounts to $18,174.48 annually. Each Vanderhoof councillor receives $757.24 per month, amounting to $9,086.88 per year.
According to the Village of Fraser Lake bylaw number 734, 2011 the mayor of Fraser Lake receives a total of $5,942 annually while councillors receive $4,091 per year.
The bylaw also states that the sum of $50 is also paid out to each councillor and the mayor for each council meeting attended, including regular council meetings, in camera meetings, special meetings and hearings and any meeting where the mayor or councillor attends in an official capacity.
The mayor of Granisle receives a total annual remuneration of $7,980 while each councillor receives an annual amount of $4,392.
