SDG Counties council discussed their own pay increases at their July meeting. Municipalities must review remuneration each term, an awkward discussion as noted by Warden Martin Lang. No decisions are final, but staff recommends a 0.4 per cent initial increase. Further yearly increases would align with administration staff, between one and three per cent. This yearly increase, and comparisons to other municipalities, are inappropriate.
The role of an SDG Counties councillor is a part-time position, a role received because a person is elected in one of the six lower-tier municipalities within the Counties as mayor or deputy mayor. Currently, council members receive $15,663 and the warden receives $41,951 annually. This is in addition to their lower-tier compensation as mayor or deputy mayor. For this Counties pay, council meets once per month. Some members of this 12-person council also serve on committees such as Shared Services, Rural Education, or the Police Services Board. However, any committee meetings are paid for under a separate meeting rate, as is the mileage paid for attending any meeting or event, even regular council meetings. Still, some members of SDG Council are unhappy that they are the third-lowest paid in Eastern Ontario.
One councillor said that with social media, there are more pressures on elected officials. Changes proposed to add a half-day event payment for non-council meetings were met with a lukewarm response given travel and preparation times required. Another councillor said the compensation should be reviewed given the size and population of SDG Counties compared to other upper-tier municipalities. Haliburton County, with one-third SDG’s population, pays its councillors nearly $4,000 more and its warden over $5,000 more. These arguments and comparisons are fair for private-sector employees, but inappropriate for elected officials.
Elected officials run for office because – in theory – they genuinely wish to serve the public. Those individuals should be compensated fairly for the work they do. But how much work does an upper-tier councillor do? Outside of the warden, which is the figurehead top position of the government, council meets on average once per month, with some serving on a few committees that meet infrequently. Is $15,663 bad pay for a few hours of work each month? And is it appropriate during the current circumstances the local and national economy is facing to bake in a one-to-three per cent pay increase each year after? No.
SDG Council members need to reflect on whether the current pay is appropriate, and if not, perhaps seek a more financially fulfilling role when the next municipal election occurs. Running for office should always be about public service, not compensation.
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