Council surveys pay structure

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 18, 2009 12:00 PM

Is Vernon council being paid fairly for all of the work they do for the city? That’s a question council has instructed staff to answer by gathering information from other cities and regional districts regarding mayor and councillor remuneration and compensation. “We’ve asked staff to check into remuneration in the sense of how better to spread the remuneration and if it should be in consideration of workloads,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. It’s a matter of fairness and workload, and not whether he and council should be paid more, said Lippert. “Council gets a set rate whether they sit on one committee or 10, if they’re travelling around the district or not,” said Lippert, who earns $61,510 as Vernon’s mayor. Council members are paid $19,843 per year.

Coun. Bob Spiers said the current policy voted unanimously in favour of by the previous council, which sets a cost of living increase per year, should be in effect for this council’s term. “I believe any review of council remuneration should be done in the third year of any council’s term, and that it be effective for the next council,” said Spiers.