Council takes salary hike

Yorkton Council voted themselves a raise at their regular meeting Monday, but it was not a unanimous decision.

"In September of 2012, Council directed Administration to select five members from the business community who would be willing to serve on a Council Remuneration Committee. The purpose of establishing a Council Remuneration Committee was to take away the process from Council in determining remuneration and to determine a process that is transparent, accountable and fair," explained City Manager David Putz Monday.

As required under The Cities Act, public notice had to be provided to the public whenever Council considers a change to their remuneration, said Putz, adding they had no written correspondence from the notification process, and only one telephone call.

The five member committee made several recommendations.

In terms of the Mayor's salary the Committee


recommended the City set the Mayor's remuneration at 75 per cent of the annual salary for a Saskatchewan MLA.

A Saskatchewan MLA currently makes $91,800.00 per annum. 75 per cent of this amount is $68,850.00

Councillor salaries will be tied to the Mayor's.

Out of the Saskatchewan cities surveyed Councillor`s salaries were based on 30 - 35 per cent of the Mayor's. In the past this has been set at 30 per cent for Yorkton Councillor's. The committee recommended the percentage stay the same.

Councillor Les Arnelien said the recommendations were made by a committee of "high profile members of our community," and he added "I believe it's fair and reasonable."

But Coun. Chris Wyatt was not ready to rubber stamp the recommendations. He started by reminding Council has consistently received an annual increase, one equal to that of the City's contract with its union staff.

Wyatt said the recommended increases were just too high in his mind.

Wyatt said the increases would mean Councillor salaries had tripled since he joined Council. He added when he started he was a letter carrier and for their wages to have tripled over the same period they would have to be earning close to $50 an hour, and he said that was certainly not the case.

Wyatt then compared things to the minimum wage which was at $6 per hour when he was first elected to Council and certainly is not $18 now.

"We're not poorly paid (as it was)," he said.

Coun. Ross Fisher looked at the recommendation in a different way. He said the committee was established because Council wanted to separate itself from the process. He said Council asked the committee "what would be a reasonable way to address compensation?"

And with the recommendations made, Fisher said unless there was "some significant reason not to accept" the proposal Council should support its committee's effort.

"We ought to be prepared to live with the recommendation they bring back to you," he said, adding "this I think is a reasonable recommendation."

It was also recommended to phase in the Mayor and Councillor salary increases over a two year period, with half of the increase being paid in 2013 and the balance in 2014.

The per diem for Councillors was recommended to be set at $150 per day.

Currently the per diem amount is $110 per day. This is an amount that the Councillor`s receives per day when out of the city on City business. This amount is to offset the salary amount when they need to take a day off work, explained the report.

It was also suggested the Mayor have access to benefits.

As the Mayor is considered a full-time employee, he would be eligible to go on the City of Yorkton benefit plan. Currently full-time employees receive $130 per month from the City for their health and dental benefits. However, the Mayor would be responsible for his own LTD, STD, Life and AD&D which would currently cost approximately $230 per month.

Council would pass all recommendations, but Wyatt was opposed when the vote was taken.