Red Deer County councillors voted to increase their expense accounts, but by less than staff recommended.
Council directed administration to take a look at council expense accounts earlier this year and come back with recommendations on how they should be funded.
Staff recommended councillor expense accounts be increased to $10,300 and the mayor's account be boosted to $15,200.
The increases partly cover expenses that have now been added to council expense accounts, such as the cost of promotional items and tickets for events that had been budgeted elsewhere previously.
Under the previous policy, the mayor got $9,000, plus an additional $2,000 for public relations. Councillors got $7,000. This is on top of the base salary of $101,288 for the mayor and $71,090 for each of the six councillors.
Coun. Brent Ramsay proposed a smaller expense account increase – $11,250 for the mayor and $8,750 for councillors.
"We've asked staff to be a little more responsible with the budget. I think we have to look at ourselves as well and try to work within some of our means," said Ramsay, who announced last Friday he was running for mayor.
Coun. Lonny Kennett supported a smaller increase.
"The increase was pretty substantial in my mind. It's upon us to stay within our budgets and show the public we can stay within our budgets.
"I think this is showing responsible money management."
Coun. Dana Depalme did not support the amendment, pointing out that councillors will now be required to cover the cost of tickets, door prizes, giveaways and other swag taken to events in their individual budgets instead of a general budget.
County legislative and information services manager Samantha Rodwell said the increases to council expense budgets reflect that the mayor and councillors will have to pay for more things out of their own budgets.
For example, SIM cards will also no longer be provided for councillor phones or other devices, which represents a $5,000 reduction in another budget and reallocating it to council.
Coun. Christine Moore, who is also running for mayor, said council's previous expense budgets never had enough for councillors to attend the three main conferences and proposed increases address that.
"It's sad that it's a political time. Yes, we all want to save money but we also have to be realistic. We identified, as a group, that the present budget was not reflective of the conference costs and everything else.
"So, I can't support the amendment (to reduce expense amount) because I wouldn't be be genuine to say yes we can cut when there are going to be more expenses."
Staff have crunched the numbers in a "realistic way," she said. "So, I'm going to be realistic today and accept the original motion and not support the amended one."
Mayor Jim Wood said "I truly believe that we do need to watch the money we spend as a member of council. I'm not sure the amendment number is the right number but I do think the original number was too large and I'm going to support the amendment."
The amendment to approve a smaller expense account increase passed 5-2 with Depalme and Moore opposed.
