A volunteer remuneration task force has found that Lake Country Council deserves a raise.
Council set up the task force in April to review how much the mayor and councillors are paid, as well as their expense and benefit policies.
The group, made up of three residents and supported by a consultant, looked at comparable municipalities, surveyed current council members, and reviewed workloads, growth trends, and existing policies.
A report going to council on Aug. 19 says a one-time salary increase, on top of regular annual cost-of-living adjustments, is justified to reflect the demands of the role and to attract strong candidates.
Council must choose one of five options, ranging from a one-time raise for the mayor (ranging from $614 to $3,000) and a proportional 40 per cent increase for councillors ($245.60 to $1,200), phased in at different times. Maintaining the status quo and applying only annual cost-of-living adjustments is also an option.
The task force recommends a $3,000 a year increase for the mayor and $1,200 a year for councillors, effective Nov. 1, 2026, following the next municipal election, and continuing with annual CPI-based (inflation) increases.
While pay for the mayor and councillors is close to the average among similar-sized communities, workloads and responsibilities have grown significantly due to population growth, infrastructure demands, and higher expectations, the report says.
Councillors report spending 10-40 hours a month preparing for meetings, 12-20 hours attending them, one-12 hours on committees, and five-40 hours dealing with residents, and no extra pay for committee work.
The task force is also recommending changes to travel, meal, and technology policies and expanding health benefits to include mental health counselling.
The full report is available through the .
