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DOI ups remuneration for next council
District of Invermere council unanimously agreed Oct. 11 to up remuneration for elected officials.
Starting in January (2012), Invermere’s mayor will earn $20,000 a year, up from $16,561 and councilors will each collect $12,000 a year, up from $8,902.
District director of finance Karen Cote explained the council remuneration policy is revisited every three years, usually right before a municipal election. Bylaw No. 1438, approving council remuneration, was drafted following input from a three person public committee, which consisted of Gordon Bagan, Cameron Dow and Carrie Ann Thomas.
Prior to approving the bylaw, council members aired their views on what could be them approving raises for themselves. Each member of council is running again Nov. 19, aside from Bob Campsall and Mayor Gerry Taft will be taking on Coun. Al Miller for the mayor’s gavel.
“It’s an unpleasant topic,” Taft said, “but it could be that none of us are here for the next council.”
Miller said he could understand if the public questions the raises because “in a time of economic downturn and everything else, with peoples’ wages frozen and so on.”
However, he pointed out the volume of time required by elected officials in order to be effective takes them away from their jobs or businesses.
“Knowing the hours and time put in to do this job, it’s well below minimum wage – well below,” he said.
Miller also noted that it “certainly isn’t the money that brings us to the table.”
The increase in wages could offset losses realized by those elected, he said.
Coun. Ray Brydon said elected officials attend “close to 100 meetings a year, and those are scheduled meetings. A lot of time goes into it.”
Taft noted that oftentimes municipal elected officials are retired and can afford to put the time in, but public service does take away opportunities for those still in the workforce to earn.
“The reality is, most councils are bald old retired men,” Taft joked.
Coun. Spring Hawes, who like Taft runs a small business, said slightly better wages may encourage more people “to fit public time into their schedules.”
With the raise, Invermere’s next council will earn remuneration comparable to similarly sized communities in the region.
Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
