Red Deer County’s next mayor and council will get a six per cent pay increase over four years.
The increase, recommended by a four-person independent committee, kicks in after the Oct. 20 municipal elections.
Mayor compensation will increase this fall to $81,707 from $80,500. Councillors will see their pay go to $57,347 from $56,500. In the last year of their four-year term, the mayor will be making $85,439 and the six councillors $59,967.
Remuneration committee member and former Red Deer College president Ron Woodward said a key goal is to make compensation for council transparent and easy to understand.
He praised council’s commitment to following recommendations during the committee’s last review in 2010. That review led to council’s expense claims, meeting attendance and quarterly reports being posted on the county’s website.
Among other changes recommended is boosting the annual budget for conference, seminar and workshop attendance to $55,000 from $50,000. The mayor is allocated $8,500 and councillors $6,500.
Per diems for attending out-of-county meetings remain unchanged at $105 for a half day and double that for a full day. Council members are also eligible for a mileage allowance set at the provincial rate of 50 cents per kilometre.
Mayor Jim Wood thanked the committee for its work, noting one of council’s toughest jobs is setting its own pay and ensuring it remains fair compensation.
Coun. Dave Hoar said the current practice of approving pay for the next council as recommended by a committee is better than the old system where one of a new council’s first orders of business was to approve its own pay increases. It is very clear now how the job will be compensated.
“Anyone who wishes to apply for the job knows what the guidelines are and what the remuneration is,” he added.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com