Meadow Lake council votes for their own wage freeze

After reviewing an independent financial report, Meadow Lake councillors decided to freeze their own wages but increase the mayor’s by $5,000.

Annette Klassen, deputy Mayor, said she believes council is compensated well and people should be involved in municipal politics to give back to the community; not for the money.

“I do agree, we need some compensation. But when I look at the last few years and the number of hours required in comparison to what we’re paid, I feel the current pay level is adequate,” Klassen said.

“Part of it is, we have really good senior management at the city and an excellent mayor. What they give us to prepare for meetings makes things really quick and I don’t have to spend all the hours I used to to prepare for meetings,” she added.

The committee felt council and the mayor were not compensated appropriately. These conclusions were based on towns the same size as Meadow Lake and the amount of work council does within the public.

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

Apr 17, 2024

Raising concerns

Battlefords and Meadow Lake MPs weigh in on new federal budget

Apr 17, 2024

Tragic events

Sask. Gov't confirms investigation after former Pine Grove inmate passes away in hospital

Apr 16, 2024

Mayor Gary Vidal said at the end of the day its council’s decision regardless of the committee’s findings.

“Council basically said, ‘you know, we appreciate the work you did and the opinion on the value’ but as a council, we said ‘we think we are fairly well compensated at this point,’” Vidal said.

Council indemnity, which refers to the mayor and councillors’ salary, is reviewed on an annual basis and since determining one’s own salary may be seen as a conflict of interest, council decided to create an independent committee. They did, however, vote for a raise of roughly $5,000 to the mayor and a technology allowance of $600 per term.

For the 2015-16 year councillors are paid approximately $8,400, the deputy mayor makes $9,000 and the mayor $22,000. Each Meadow Lake resident contributes $5.35 towards the mayor and councillors’ salaries.

The changes made to the council indemnity policy take effect in January of 2017. The $600 technology allowance is paid once a term and only after council provides a receipt of purchase.

cswiderski@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @coltonswiderski