Council here is considering increases ranging from 24 to 35 per cent in base pay for local politicians.
A staff report recommends increasing the base salary for the mayor from $11,440 to $15,500, an increase of $4,060 or 35 per cent; the deputy mayor from $9,440 to $12,500, a difference of $3,060 or 32%; and the five councillors from $8,440 to $10,500, a raise of $2,060 or 24%.
At the same time, the report suggests defining “council business” in a new remuneration bylaw in order to clarify when councillors are eligible to submit claims for duties outside of regular council and committee meetings.
The report, presented to council by CAO Bill White on June 17, points out that a comprehensive remuneration survey conducted recently by Centre Wellington indicates base pay for Minto’s mayor and councillors is the lowest of 15 municipalities surveyed and hasn’t been increased since 2007.
“I do have a concern that this has lagged relative to other municipalities and I would like to ensure that future councils are remunerated at a fair rate, and one that is comparable to other municipalities in Wellington County,” White told council.
“The base amount could be increased for the mayor to between $15,634 and $22,000, and for deputy mayor and council between $10,320 and $15,000 to be similar to other lower tiers in Wellington except Centre Wellington,” states White in the report.
In Centre Wellington, the mayor receives a base of $26,742, while councillors receive $17,827.
Centre Wellington is the largest municipality in the county in terms of population, while Minto is the smallest. However, the two municipalities rank first and second respectively in terms of total cost of municipal council operations, when meeting per diems, convention and seminar fees and other expenses are factored in.
They are also the only two municipalities with seven-member councils. Wellington North, Erin, Mapleton, Puslinch and Guelph-Eramosa all have five.
Councillor Rick Hembly served on the original five-member council which ran Minto immediately after amalgamation.
“It was 23 months of, I don’t want to use the word hell, but I will,” said Hembly. “Seven people, honestly, isn’t a lot of people … When you look at what we’re involved in, it’s busy here in Minto.”
The total cost of council remuneration and expenses in Centre Wellington was slightly over $176,000 in 2013. Minto council was next in Wellington at $135,000, followed by Puslinch at $120,000. Mapleton was lowest at about $80,000.
In addition to base pay, Minto’s mayor and councillors are also paid $50 for each scheduled council meeting they attend, $85 for other council business up to four hours and $150 for other council business over four hours.
Minto is the only municipality in Wellington which pays a per diem to council members for attending regular, twice-monthly council meetings.
White’s report recommends no change to the per diem rates, aside from eliminating a $20 payment for chairing a meeting, which is “never claimed.”
However, the report anticipates total per diem costs would be decreased by excluding claims for “ceremonial functions, meetings with staff and educational sessions not approved by the mayor.”
Combining the base pay increase with the anticipated decrease in per diem charges, should result in council members receiving about the same total amount, guessed Mayor George Bridge, who made a total of $23,640 in salary and per diems in 2013.
“I don’t imagine the next mayor will make any more than the $24,000,” he stated.
The report also recommends future increases be linked to cost of living raises, if approved for staff by resolution of council. Council did not approve a cost of living increase for Minto staff this year.
The report also recommends eliminating a $25 allowance for telephone calls by councillors while at conferences, which White said is unnecessary as each council member is provided with a Blackberry.
Clarifying which activities are eligible for claims generated considerable discussion at the meeting, with councillors indicating different interpretations of the rules.
“If you’ve been assigned to a committee, you charge for those meetings. If it’s anything other than a committee that you’re on, it’s your choice to go and therefore it’s not charged for,” said councillor Mary Lou Colwell.
Councillor Ron Faulkner said it was not intially made clear what duties were included in the base salary.
“I was told originally that’s just going to council meetings. That’s all that was and for every meeting you went to above, you had a right to put in a charge for that,” he said.
White pointed out council members in Minto are actually paid $50 for every council meeting they attend, on top of the base salary.
“Technically, your base salary doesn’t really cover a council meeting. You get $50 for that. It would cover, in my mind, preparatory work – so you’re not claiming reading the agenda and going and looking at sites and talking to people about applications, or talking to each other, or whatever politicking you’re doing,” White explained.
While agreeing a higher base salary could cover more council duties, councillor Ron Elliott said he sees nothing wrong with submitting claims for ceremonial functions.
“As a councillor, sometimes you’re expected to be there. You’re expected to be there at an opening … they want you to be there, the people that are having a special ceremony,” said Elliott.
“Some people are giving up their time, places they could have been, maybe jobs where they could have been making money for their family. So, to say it’s something evil, somebody putting in for an event like that … I don’t necessarily see that.”
“So what you’re saying is you expect to be paid to go to grand openings?” asked deputy mayor Terry Fisk.
“I didn’t say that … I’m saying it’s not a bad thing,” replied Elliott.
White said, “Previously that was a bit of a grey area. Under this new policy that would not be a grey area.”
Council directed White to prepare a bylaw for council to consider, based on the recommendations in the report.
If approved, the changes will take effect after the municipal election in October.
