Councillors pay equalized after outcry

After some outcry for reform of the current councillor remuneration policy, town council passed a resolution during its regular meeting Monday night to see a more balanced means of paying councillors with and without the town benefits package.
The revised policy, the terms of which were agreed upon after two votes, will see councillors who waive the Liberty Health Plan—which is valued at an annual sum of more than $3,500—receive payment in lieu of benefits.
The issue of remuneration came up when Coun. Roy Avis noted councillors who accept the health plan get the value of it on top of their salary of roughly $10,000 while those who opt to stick with a health plan at their workplace, for example, simply get the salary.
“There’s a fairness there now,” Coun. Avis said afterwards. “But it was not the thing I expected to happen, which was taking it out of what you’re paid.”
Coun. Avis was the one councillor to vote against the revision as he opted for the third of four options—individuals who wish to participate in the Liberty Health Plan will have premiums deducted from base salary as opposed to the sum of the benefits added onto the base salary.
“There was a definite inequity,” agreed Coun. Dave Bourgeault. “You could put your own spin on it, and say it looks like we’re getting a raise. But in essence, everyone is now treated equal.
“My stance was that I don’t need the extra money and I voted for option three [a total compensation package inclusive in base salary],” he added. “But I knew some councillors wouldn’t go for it and compromised with option two [payment in lieu of benefits].”
“Fairness was the issue. And obviously, it’s fair now. We all agreed,” said Coun. Deane Cunningham.
“I was not looking for a pay raise. I originally wanted option three,” he noted. “But council had differing opinions on it and there had to be a compromise.”
During Monday’s committee of the whole meeting, Coun. Cunningham voiced the concern that it was not necessarily beneficial for all councillors to get the town health plan, particularly if they weren’t re-elected.
“I can tell you from experience, I inquired about this with my own workplace group. I was told if I left the group I was in, and joined the group here, I could not be let back in,” he remarked.
“I understood from the discussion that some of the councillors felt it was unfair. But as Bill Naturkach said in his deliberation, all the other municipalities were doing the way we were,” said Coun. Neil Kabel, who chairs the committee of the whole.
“But in the end, I feel we did the right thing,” he added.
While he voted in favour of the resolution and for option two, Mayor Glenn Witherspoon said he felt council was making the change at the wrong time.
“Anything to do with councillors’ terms should be decided at the beginning of the councillors’ term,” he argued. “Something like this should have come forward at our second last or final meeting before the election.
“It should run the course of council, and begin with the new council. We’re doing this backwards.”
While Mayor Witherspoon first voted for option one—keep the status quo since the system currently seems to be working–he agreed with the rest of council to go for option two on the second vote.
Coun. Cunningham noted yesterday the choice to revise the policy now was a matter of personal opinion on the councillors’ part. “There was an inequity. And when there’s an inequity, I think it should be corrected right away,” he said.
The four options up for vote Monday were:
•Option one—Maintain status quo;
•Option two—Councillors who waive the Liberty Health Plan will receive payment in lieu of benefits;
•Option three—Total compensation will be equal to base salary. Therefore, individuals who wish to participate in the Liberty Health Plan will have premiums deducted from base salary; and
•Option four—No allowance for participation in the Liberty Health Plan.
While council passed the resolution, the new remuneration policy still has to be passed as a bylaw at future date.