After passing a bylaw early last year that saw councillors who chose to participate in the town’s benefits package have to pay for it out of their salaries, the new council may bring that remuneration policy back to the table for discussion at today’s committee of the whole meeting.
The item is earmarked on the agenda as a matter to be reconsidered, and will be discussed further if at least four members of council vote in favour of doing so.
The current policy sees councillors receive a salary of about $10,000. If they choose to participate in the town’s benefits package, they must pay roughly $3,500 of their salary to get it.
Prior to being revised early last year, the policy stated councillors who opted for the plan received the benefits in addition to their salary of $10,000.
The issue of remuneration was discussed at length by council in January and February of 2003, at which time town council sought to revise the policy to see a more balanced means of paying councillors with and without the town’s benefits package.
At that time, some councillors agreed to go forward with a bylaw that would see councillors receive benefits in addition to their full salary on terms that other councillors who chose not to go with the town’s health plan would receive payment in lieu of benefits.
But at a meeting Feb. 11, 2003, Coun. Roy Avis suggested council take a second look at revising the remuneration policy before passing it as a bylaw, and suggested municipalities such as Dryden, Kenora, Greenstone, and Kirkland Lake be contacted for information as to how they handle remuneration.
After reconsideration, most councillors ultimately voted in favour of a bylaw that stated their total compensation will be equal to base salary (therefore, individuals who wish to participate in the town health plan would have premiums deducted from their base salary).
Other business at tonight’s meeting will include:
•a joint request for financial support from the Fort Frances High School Athletic Department and Muskie Touchdown Club for corporate sponsorships to offset costs for a professional pre-season exhibition hockey game Oct. 8, 2004 in Fort Frances;
•a request from Paul Bock to increase taxi cab rates here;
•a request from Craig Sanders regarding consideration and response to three building issues at 604 Stewart St.;
•a memorandum from municipal planner Faye Flatt regarding a zoning amendment at 780 King’s Highway;
•an invitation from the Township of La Vallee to its centennial celebrations July 2-4;
•a request from Family and Children’s Services for handicap parking spaces in front of its new offices on the 200 block of First Street East (old Fort Frances High School);
•a request to install lighting at the Sorting Gap Marina from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship; and
•a request from the Mine Centre Mennonite Church to set up a tent in the Legion Park on July 15-18.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
