Higher salaries aren’t going over well with some North Okanagan Regional District politicians. A citizens’ committee is recommending today that pay for the board chairperson and vice-chairperson climb five per cent each, and base pay for directors increase two per cent after the November elections. “Times are tough and we’re all struggling. I’m not in particular favour of increases at this time,” said Rick Fairbairn, rural Lumby director and vice-chairperson. “It’s basically the cost of living but in these times, it’s not critical that we make these adjustments. We’re asking staff to toe the line and I’m prepared to do the same.” Presently, the chairperson earns $1,215 a month while the vice-chairperson receives $134 monthly. Annual remuneration for electoral area directors is $18,000 and $11,448 for municipal directors. “We must recognize the economic times we’re in and not take increases,” said Wayne Lippert, Vernon director. “In Vernon, we did not take increases because of the challenges facing everyone. It’s not the right thing to be doing at this time.” Will Hansma, Spallumcheen director, questions why the chairperson and vice-chairperson would be treated differently from the rest of the board. “I don’t think the five per cent is necessary,” he said. “They should be paid the same as the other increases. Two per cent is sufficient because it’s the cost of living.” Besides remuneration, the citizens’ committee is recommending meeting pay increase two per cent and that travel pay climb two per cent for electoral area directors. Herman Halvorson, board chairperson, isn’t concerned about increasing compensation overall. “Inflation takes care of a lot of things and this will address some of the issues with inflation,” he said. He also believes that it’s important that any increases not take effect until after elections. “Everyone that runs will know what they are getting into financially for three years.” The three members of the citizens’ committee were Dave Hopkins, Sherry Price and Andrew Stanton. “Our intention was to reflect the depth and breadth of functions performed by the board members on behalf of their jurisdictions and the whole region,” they state in a memo. “Our objective was to produce equality at board meetings and as well, reward electoral area directors for their additional responsibilities to area citizens. Municipal directors are rewarded for the latter component by their municipality.”
February 01, 2011 7:00 PM Morning Star Editorial NORD must face reality
It would be easy for North Okanagan Regional District politicians to simply look at their own circumstances when considering remuneration. However, there appears to be some recognition that all is not well with those who would pick up the cost of any increased tab — the residents and businesses of the area. “Times are tough and we’re all struggling,” said Rick Fairbairn, rural Lumby director, referring to the ongoing impact of the recession. A three-person citizens’ committee is recommending base pay for directors, as well as meeting pay, climb two per cent. It doesn’t sound like much and it could be brushed aside as just the cost of living, but how many residents are seeing their salaries climb two per cent this year? In some cases, job loss has forced them on to social assistance and those cheques aren’t increasing two per cent. Demand is up at food banks. Many of the electoral areas depend on the resource sector economically and we all know what’s happened with forestry. Small-scale farmers have been rocked by provincial meat processing rules. They haven’t got the cash to be paying politicians more, and certainly not the five per cent increase being recommended for the NORD chairperson and vice-chairperson. Obviously there is a cost to running government and elected officials should be compensated fairly. After all, private lives and careers are interrupted so they can serve the public. But when considering salaries, it shouldn’t be a case of keeping up with their counterparts in other regional districts. The focus should be on the local economic circumstances at the time and what their constituents can handle.
----------------
Don Quixote Note: The 2% increase for Directors and the 5% increase for the the NORD Chair and vice-chair will come into effect in 2012. In 2011 the present rates will be increased by the B.C. CPI which is 2.4% effective Jan1, 2011.
Effective January 1, 2009 and each January 1st thereafter, all remuneration amounts contained in this Bylaw, with the exception of mileage rates, will be adjusted to the nearest dollar to reflect the annual British Columbia Consumer Price Index year-over-year change as reported by Statistics Canada.
No comments:
Post a Comment