West Nipissing council is considering a raise for mayor and councillors, although the discussion will continue at its next meeting. No decision has been made yet.
Currently, the mayor receives $35,481 and councillors receive $17,748 per year. This has remained the annual salary for some time, as long-serving councillor Rolly Larabie noted, “Council since 1999 has never had a raise. I think it’s only fair, with the cost of everything today, that we do get a raise.”
Last fall, council contracted Pesce & Associates to conduct a study on the issue, comparing compensation packages for similarly sized municipalities. That report was presented to council in February.
For comparison, it detailed that Kenora’s mayor and council received $41,264, and $20,707 per year. The mayor of Bracebridge earns $48,507 and the councillors earn $27,795 per annum. Pembroke comes in the highest at $54,043 for the mayor, with $30,564 allocated for each councillor.
Pesce & Associates presented three options for council’s consideration, which would place wages within the 50th, 60th, or 75th percentile of the 18 municipalities’ wages compared. The 50th percentile listed the mayor at $44,877 and councillors at $22,253. The deputy mayor would receive $29,456. Currently, West Nipissing’s deputy mayor receives the same as a councillor.
The 60th percentile option would put the mayor at $48,490, deputy mayor at $30,121, and each councillor at $24,358. Most councillors agreed this would be the best, but again, no final decision has been made.
As for the third option, the 75th percentile, that would bump the mayor to $48,503, deputy mayor at $31,119, and $29,936 per councillor. Those were the suggestions from the consultants. Council can alter these as it sees fit at future meetings.
Most councillors agreed it is difficult to vote for a raise for oneself, but Larabie cautioned, “We should not undervalue our service, we do put in a lot. Every time I get a call I respond throughout the municipality.”
Further, Larabie noted, “I would go for the 60th percentile and that way we’re not undervaluing our services and we’re not over pricing either.”
Councillor Kaitlynn Nicol suggested if any decisions were made on a raise, it should apply to the next term of council, but that resolution did not pass. Councillor Fernand Pellerin wasn’t for a raise at all, telling his fellow councillors, “I’m satisfied with what we make right now.”
Councillor Daniel Gagné leaned toward the 60th percentile increase, “And I hope it will encourage people to run for council and mayor, it might be more attractive. Our last vacancy, we had one person present themselves. It might attract future councillors to the position.”
Council will continue the discussion at a future council meeting, most likely the next one on March 18.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.