Regional district directors approve double-digit salary increase

By Penticton Western News Staff Sep 26 2007

The chair of the local regional district is defending a double-digit increase in the salaries directors will receive. Total salaries for directors will raise by almost 50 per cent immediately under the current system of meetings — less if the number of meetings change. Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen chair Dan Ashton said the increase reflects the growing responsibilities of the 18 directors representing municipalities and rural areas within the triangle marked by Summerland, Osoyoos and Princeton. “Their workloads have increased dramatically with what has been transpiring in the South Okanagan,” said Ashton, in an interview from Vancouver, where he is attending the annual convention of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Directors approved the increase at their last board meeting Sept. 20 with Coun. Rory McIvor (Penticton) and Mark Pendergraft (rural Osoyoos) opposed.

Ashton said local directors — especially rural directors — earn less than directors in other regional districts. General manager of finance Jim Zaffino said two surveys found that RDOS directors receive considerably less than the average. The monthly pay of rural directors will rise to $1,643 from $1,049 while municipal directors will receive $475, up from $266. The chair will receive $2,464, up from $1,759. These new figures will bump regional directors to the 50 per cent average of the surveyed regional districts.