Red Deer County council voted to roll back a nine per cent pay hike that would have kicked in following the October municipal elections.
The increase in pay for the mayor and six councillors was proposed by an independent committee tasked with coming up with fair compensation based on cost of living estimates and comparisons with other rural municipal councils. The increase would have boosted the mayor's pay to $105,914 from $96,926 and councillors' pay to $74,337 from $68,029.
Per diems paid for attending meetings outside council would have also increased by nine per cent to $115 from $105 for a half day and $230 from $210 for a full day.
However, Coun. Dana Depalme said she could not support a nine per cent increase and proposed it be cut in half to 4.5 per cent. Per diems would remain unchanged.
Depalme said while she appreciates the homework the remuneration committee did to come up with its recommendation, she felt it was too big an increase during these tough economic times.
"I think our ratepayers are struggling at this point in time," she said.
Coun. Christine Moore also supported a pared-down pay increase for the incoming council.
"I think we're walking the talk with this motion. Times are very tough out there with our residents."
Mayor Jim Wood said the pay increase was a recommendation of an independent group with no input from council. The committee included former Red Deer College president Ron Woodward, former Lacombe County reeve Ken Wigmore and Red Deer County-based Gamehost Inc. vice-president Darcy Will.
Ensuring future councils are compensated fairly is important to attract the best candidates, said Wood, who is not running again and would not benefit from the pay increase.
"I do believe if we want qualified people to run, we must pay appropriately," he said.
"I think it's important that we don't limit those candidates."
Wood proposed that council go with the committee's recommendation for nine per cent increases. It lost on a split vote with Councillors Lonny Kennett and Connie Huelsman in favour of going with the committee's recommendation. Councillors Brent Ramsay, Philip Massier, Depalme and Moore voted against.
Given that the mayor's job is full-time, while council positions are part-time, Massier, who is also not running again, proposed the mayor's pay increase nine per cent and councillors' pay by 4.5 per cent and per diems remain unchanged. Wood was the only other vote in support.
In the end, council voted unanimously in favour of Depalme's motion to limit increases to 4.5 per cent with no increase in per diems.
The county's next mayor will receive $101,287 and councillors $71,090.
