Duane Hicks
After approving a pay increase for the next term of mayor and council earlier this year, members of council are going back to reconsider that decision.
Mayor Roy Avis requested during Monday night’s regular meeting that the pay increase for councillors be reviewed, explaining that when the Ontario budget was put forward March 25, both Premier Dalton McGuinty and Finance minister Dwight Duncan invited municipalities to follow the province’s lead in instituting a two-year wage freeze for provincial employees.
“Council passed a bylaw that set the standard for an increase for the new council that will be coming in December, 2010,” the mayor noted.
“I’d like to see this go back to the Administration and Finance committee because it would be a freeze in wages for that incoming party for two years,” he remarked.
Mayor Avis said it was important to bring it up at this time given the fall municipal election is gearing up and anyone wanting to put their name in to run should know what their remuneration will be before they do so—just in case it’s a consideration on whether they run or not.
“I hope that’s not why people do that, but there could be some people who consider that,” the mayor said.
“I also think we should expand into non-union employees, and also the recommendation from the government is that our union employees have to take a hard look at maybe a two-year wage freeze at the end of their existing contracts,” Mayor Avis added.
“With that, I’d like to see council recommend that it goes to the Administration and Finance committee for a review.”
Council agreed, and passed a resolution that the Administration and Finance executive committee review “the province’s policy to freeze compensation structures in the Ontario public service and broader public sector,” and make a recommendation “as to how it might be considered by council for application in the municipality of the Town of Fort Frances.”
As previously reported, a revised remuneration and travel policy for both town staff and members of council was approved back in January.
The revised policy included an increase in remuneration to the positions of mayor and council, which will come into effect Dec. 1, 2010 to coincide with the installation of the 2010-14 council.
It recommended the position of mayor be paid $23,000 per year, instead of $22,322 as it is now, while councillor remuneration will jump to $12,000 from $10,507.
The deputy mayor also will see a hike from $10,507 to $13,500.
The last time the salary structure was revised was in 2003, at which time the pay for mayor and council actually went down when the benefits package they used to receive was cut—reducing total salaries by about $4,000.
The benefits package continues to be offered as an option council members can buy into at their own expense.
In the revised policy, the benefits package option has remained status quo.
Another change is that per diem rates were increased from $120/full day to $150/full day (five or more hours), or $74/half-day (less than five hours).
