By Brian Hughes
Published: May 4, 2012
In the 22 years I have resided in Squamish I have never felt compelled to comment publicly on the issue of compensation for the mayor and council.
However, the level of audacity displayed by four councillors on April 17, 2012 in voting a 30 per cent wage increase has prompted this response.
On January 1, 2012, approximately one month into your term, you received an approximate 10 per cent wage increase that was part of a remuneration package set by the previous council.
When you ran for elections, you knew fully well the level of compensation offered for this position.
Now, three and one-half months into your term, you feel you have earned and deserve a wage increase of 30 per cent.
Your sprint to the trough is unprecedented in both the level of the increase, as well as the economic times the town and its citizens are experiencing.
There is no cheque easier to write than the one drawn on someone else’s account, payable to oneself.
With the increase in the utilities assessment just coming due, coupled with the anticipated 7.5 per cent property tax increase on the horizon, this level of wage increase demonstrates the lack of sensitivity that members of this council feel for the taxpayer of Squamish.
This is a small town and it does not require full-time councillors. Some councillors claim they are spending 20-40 hours per week on council business. This claim sounds like a ready excuse to try and justify an unconscionable increase.
I have spoken with former mayors and councillors of Squamish, and they all agreed that it was the rare week when even 20 hours was required.
Fifteen hours was the average time per week that was required to fulfill the duties of the office.
There is also the concept that historically these positions have an aspect of “public service” attached to them. The positions are not supposed to become a person’s full time job.This public service aspect to the position incorporates some of the values of volunteerism.
No one is asking you to do this work for free, but given the economic times, this increase feels like cash grab by the four councillors who voted for the increase.
In conclusion, I think it would be unfair to criticize without suggesting some solutions.
Firstly, in the short term there should be a rescinding of the wage increase of 30 per cent.
In the long term I have two suggestions:
Appoint a citizen’s committee to make binding recommendations regarding the appropriate levels of compensation for Mayor and Council;
Secondly a vote on any increase to the mayor and council’s compensation will not become effective until the first day of a new Council’s mandate following a municipal election. This method ensures that the citizens can question council members on the rationale for any increase of wages. It also allows citizens to use their vote to remove any councillor who is voting him or herself an increase that is not in keeping with the reality of the times.
Put another way – politicians who feel the heat often see the light.
Edward R. Murrow said “a nation of sheep begets a government of wolves.”
Your actions in respect of this 30 per cent increase have awakened this sheep. This pack mentality with respect to the Mayor and councillors compensation must be stopped.
Squamish can’t afford now, or in the future, this type of clumsy effort by our elected officials to feather their nest at the expense of the taxpayer.
Council should be ashamed, and the four who voted in favour of the increase should be ashamed.
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Denise Imbeau says
I could not agree with Mr.Hughes more. However, I think the sheep are perhaps getting what they deserve because Bryan Raiser was clear that his main concern last term on Council was his own remuneration. I believe he brought the motion to increase his wage up no less than three times and yet the people of Squamish enthusiastically re-elected him.
My understanding is that staff did an independent review of similar sized Districts and determined that Council was paid at the top of the scale for like sized Districts. Unless that information has changed significantly in the past year our Council is now paid significantly more than other Council’s who have accepted the honour of public service.
I applaud Mayor Kirkham and Councilors Sanders and Race for having the integrity to vote against this. Councilor Race’s outrage and exasperation with the situation was evident. I want to especially thank you Councilor Race for representing those of us in the community who strongly disagree with this decision.
Anonymous says
Perhaps Mr Hughes , part of the reason Squamish has such an economic, environmental and infrastructure defecit to deal with over at least one generation going forward is the lack of effort ( 15 hrs per week ) that some previous city councillors have given.
Really at the end of the day the one could spend as many waking hours as available to better there community and come up with ways to be more efficient with taxpayers dollars. Maybe this is part of there justification.
One of our past Mayors told me only a short 4 weeks ago, they used to have a meeting every single night of the week, not including daytime meeting, council meetings, SLRD , UBCM, LMLGA, FCM, Seniors, Hosp Board, Meetings with Ministers and on and on!
Was the pay raise excessive? In dollar terms it was a hefty raise in comparison to there previous pay rate, percentage wise the optics are terrible. That said the total is small in all reality.
I am sure as a practicing lawyer you in no way shape or form work for the 10 dollars or less per hour city councillors make? Maybe by offering free legal advice to The DOS , the city councillors would agree to receive less of an increase in the future? Compromise?
Maybe it’s time we the business community look to give back to our towns rather than only look to profit from the service we provide in the private sector business’ we run in the town?
I am quite sure at the end of the day this won’t make or break Squamish and am more than sure that I for one will ride there behinds to make sure we get our tax dollars worth for there efforts.
ted prior says
I am glade that we woke up one more sheep Brian . Be nice to have a lawyer like your self pay attention to what has been going down in our town and help make Squamish a better place . thanks .
Muriel Shephard says
I support the pay raise for councillors. It seems a hefty jump, but, because the council has to vote its own salaries, it’s been put off previously. We could have a council totally made up of well-off retired and professional people – people who can afford not to receive much remuneration. I’m glad we have councillors representing all sectors of our society – young, old, women, men, well-off and not. We need this diversity of viewpoints to properly represent who we are and what our concerns are. I’m old and retired, but I notice that it’s the younger councillors who turn up at seniors’ gatherings and discuss our concerns. I’ve never met Messrs. Race, Prior or the other man (whose name escapes me). I’m glad that our mayor is always accessible, as are Bryan and Patty, and I hear of Susan being present at community meetings to do with the environment. No doubt the afor-mentioned gentlemen represent a certain section of the community as they were elected, but I don’t feel they represent me.
Sarah says
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Hughes; a 40% raise in 4 months is a bit ridiculous. I feel it is totally greedy given the huge rise in utilities and property taxes, the nonexistant snow removal downtown since Woodfibre closed its doors) and the poor shape some of our roads are in, can we not stick with 10% this year and see what another year brings??? Wish I could have a 40% pay raise!
Elliot says
That was extremely well put Muriel, thank you. I echo your words. The $10 from my pocket that this raise represents is money very well spent. If it creates a likeliness that councillors can spend more time in the community and researching issues to make better decisions, heaven knows that Squamish needs it. The only thing that maintaining low token salaries will promote is the possibility of nepotism. The dark ages of old Squamish government are over. I’m not surprised if the few remnants of those days are still clawing to try and keep their old tilted system. As a senior I welcome the young and energetic to Council and support a salary that enables their participation. Lord knows how many cheques lawyers have written themselves on my bank account over the years!
Elliot says
Sarah, if you were getting paid $7 and hour an wanted the minimum wage at $10 an hour, that would be a 40% raise. Would you still say it’s unfair to get minimum wage?