The Sparwood mayor and council will soon receive a two per cent increase in their annual stipend.
In a Committee of the Whole meeting on Nov. 25 Council received a staff report outlining the proposed increase. The report listed average increases in remuneration of 20 councils and local governments in West and East Kootenay, including the Regional District of East Kootenay’s 28.9 per cent pay increase for its director’s in 2013.
Councillor’s Sammy Saad and Harold Baytaluke opposed the motion. Baytaluke explained he voted against the increase amount because the report included larger centres like Cranbrook and the RDEK. The RDEK’s increase of 28.9 per cent brought the average increase up to 2.49 per cent.
“I did not agree that the larger centre’s should have been included in the report (looking for an average) as their work loads are larger.”
The Sparwood mayor’s annual stipend will be $33,609.30 and $14,438.36 for a councillor. One third of the amount can be considered to cover expenses incurred.
Raeleen Manjak, Director of Corporate Services stated in her Nov. 21 report to Council that “While the original recommendation was to allow for increases to the year 2017, the bylaw, as written, allows for ongoing annual increases pursuant to the Canadian Price Index (CPI). This item will be diarized to 2017 for Council’s review.”
The Council Remuneration Bylaw 1133, 2013 was given its three readings at the regular council meeting on Dec. 2, and was opposed by Councillor’s Saad and Baytaluke again. The bylaw will return to the next regular council meeting on Dec. 16 for adoption by Council.