Minto councillors’ wages are set to rise – but based on the number of meetings they attend.
On Oct. 1, councillors brought its pay package up to date for the 2006 to 2010 term.
Base rates for council positions are as follows: Mayor ($11,440), Deputy-mayor ($9,440), and councillors ($8,440).
Councillors are paid $50 for every regularly scheduled council meeting attended while committee chairmen are paid an additional $20 per meeting.
The revision noted that special council meetings and emergency meetings are paid on a per diem basis.
Those are the rates being changed with payment for meetings four hours or longer, going up from $125 to $150, and for meetings under four hours, increasing from $75 to $85.
Mileage is paid at the median used by Revenue Canada, and applies only to mileage travelled outside of the town. That particular change came earlier this year as a result of fluctuating gas prices.
The schedule for the bylaw also noted that councillors are allowed to attend a maximum of two conventions per year, although the mayor can attend up to eight.
For those conventions, a per diem is paid for each day in attendance at the convention. That includes the day travelling to and from the convention. As well, the document outlined that council members’ spouses are allowed to accompany a member of council to a maximum of half permitted for that councillor.
“Expenses incurred by the spouse will be allocated to the member of council’s expense account,” which means that cost is paid by the town.
Councillors are also allocated $100 per day for meals, seminars, and meetings that do not include meals as part of the registration. The new per diem rates took effect on Oct. 1.
Deputy-mayor Judy Dirksen said the reason for the change is council had looked around for other meeting rates, and, “We started moving behind some areas.”
