Duane Hicks
The mayor and council will be getting a small increase in pay.
Council agreed Monday night to boost its full-day per diem rate from $150/day to $160/day.
They also will receive an annual remuneration increase equal to what the management/non-union staff receive, which is 1.5 percent for 2017.
This will raise the mayor’s base salary from $23,000 to $23,345 while each councillor’s base salary will go up from $12,000 to $12,180.
Mayor Roy Avis said the modest increase is quite reasonable.
“The last increase was in 2010, and it was recommended at that time that each term of council should review it at least once,” he noted.
“We have reviewed [it] in the past and there’s been no increases until this time,” Mayor Avis added.
“We felt it was justifiable to do a cost-of-living adjustment of 1.5 percent, and also increase the per diem from $150 to $160 for people that travel out-of-town on town business.”
The pay increase is retroactive to Jan. 1. And going forward, council pay will advance as the Management/Non-Union Salary Administration Policy does.
Looking ahead, council also will review the remainder of its travel policy (i.e., meals, mileage, etc.), with a subsequent report/resolution re: travel policy to be presented next month, Mayor Avis noted.
“Overall, it’s a very minor increase–1.5 percent in seven years,” he remarked.
“It’s a very, very fair assessment.
“Council deserves what they’re getting,” added Mayor Avis. “They look after all of the money for the community and keep all of the services going in the most financially-prudent manner possible.
“I think the commitment is deserving of the reward.”
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•agreed to the recommendation to forward the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce’s request for a 2017 tourism advertising grant in the amount of $8,500 to the 2017 budget process;
•approved the write-off of 2010 Provincial Offences Act accounts receivable in the amount of $127,235.89 (as is stated in the town’s policy, fines are written off for accounting purposes only and do not absolve a convicted offender from the requirement to pay a fine as debts to the Crown are owed in perpetuity and never are forgiven);
•agreed to the recommendation to support the “Heart of the Continent Partnership” and approve associate partner dues in the amount of $150;
•agreed to the recommendation to support the Town of Atikokan’s resolution to maintain full-time hours at the ServiceOntario Centre there;
•agreed to allow the property at Lot 21 on Minnie Avenue North to have the holding provision removed, and prior to development, the property owner(s) will sign a waiver agreeing the property requires private water and septic systems, which would be approved by necessary ministries at the owner(s) expense; and
•agreed to extend the agreement with Bell Mobility to have its equipment on the water tower for a period of five years commencing Aug. 1, 2018 (the agreement will have with the same terms as the original agreement at a predetermined rate of $6,900 per year).
