Regional District of Nanaimo directors are expected to get a pay raise next year to stay in line with comparable local governments.
A review was recently conducted by Sainas Consulting to ensure equity for the current board members and also attract candidates leading up to the next local government election on Oct. 15. A report was presented at the RDN executive committee May 24 that highlighted comparisons between the current base-rate-plus-meeting-fees option versus a salary model. It also emphasized how RDN’s remuneration structure compares with three other regional districts and six municipalities.
“I know sometimes it can be difficult discussing these types of things, but I think it’s a good thing for us to get an understanding in place for the new board that will be coming in as of October, just so that they don’t have to do that work right when they’re newly elected,” said Vanessa Craig, RDN vice-chairperson.
The committee voted 7-1 against a salary model and then endorsed an option to recommend maintaining the current system with a pay raise in line with the consumer price index.
This means, starting in 2023, the annual remuneration will be $22,700 for municipal directors and $45,300 for electoral area directors. The chairperson will make $82,500 if they are a municipal director and $105,207 if they are an electoral area director.
Additional remuneration for meetings is only paid if a director attends more than four meetings per month, noted the consultant’s report.
The current base pay rate for a regional director who is also a municipal councillor, not including meeting fees, is $22,000 and it would have gone up to $24,500 if remuneration was done via an annual salary method.
Electoral area directors would have seen their pay rise from $44,000 to $49,000. The board chairperson wouldn’t have received a pay increase above the current remuneration of $80,100 or $102,100 depending whether they are a municipal or electoral area director.
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Electoral Area E (Nanoose Bay) director Bob Rogers initially made a motion to support the salary-only option but placed a caveat that he would only endorse it if it included additional remuneration for directors chairing committee meetings. RDN manager of human resources Jim Tait said the suggestion to add remuneration to the salary option would take the RDN above the average pay of comparison local governments.
The salary option was defeated 7-1, with RDN chairperson and Nanaimo director Tyler Brown the only one in favour. The committee went on to endorse the base-pay option, with Qualicum Beach director Brian Wiese the only one opposed.
Rogers raised the issue of compensation in lieu of a hotel stay, which he said, along the with per diem, needs to be reviewed annually by the board. He related his experience when he attended a conference in Richmond. The hotels were fully booked and he ended up staying with family.
“These things aren’t money-makers,” said Rogers. “They just allow someone to either take someone out for dinner or buy them a set of flowers or a bottle of wine.”
Rogers made a successful motion to direct staff for a report about different types of travelling expenses and reimbursement in line with comparison local governments.