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Council members approve pay hike


Masset council members will be receiving more money when they get their next pay cheque in December, after voting Monday night to raise their remuneration.
Council members accepted the recommendation of a committee of three local citizens, who were asked to compare Masset council's pay rates with those in other small BC communities.
The committee, made up of former council member Jack Thorgeirson, Delmas Co-op controller Lori Holt, and hospital administrator Mike Sorenson, recommended raising the mayor's salary by 8 percent, to $7,000 a year from the current $6,470 a year. They also recommended increasing the four council members' salaries by almost 7 percent, to $3,850 a year from the current $3,600 a year.
According to the committee's report, even with the raise Masset council members will be receiving less than the average of seven other small BC communities.
Mayor Barry Pages said this is the first time council asked a group of residents to look at the remuneration issue, rather than simply approving a pay raise for themselves, as councils have done in the past.
Chief financial officer Kim Mushynsky said the remuneration level hasn't changed since 2000. Council members receive their salary in two payments, one in June and one in December. The new rate takes effect right now, and will be reflected in council members' December cheques.
Mr. Pages said council also asked the committee of three residents to look at senior staff salaries and make a recommendation about whether they should be raised, and by how much. That recommendation was dealt with at a closed meeting Monday night.