PORT McNEILL—Port McNeill’s mayor and councillors had been the lowest-paid of any in B.C. in communities in their size range.
But those days are in the past as council voted last week to approve an Annual Remuneration Bylaw that will bring its membership — and future elected officials — into the middle range of compensation offered in municipalities of 2,000 to 4,999 people.
And a provision to adjust the amount annually based on data from CivicInfo BC will ensure it won’t fall back to the bottom of the pack.
Treasurer Dan Rodin was not able to provide an exact dollar amount to the new compensation figure, but said it would roughly double the previous amount of $7,500 per year for Port McNeill’s mayor and $4,800 for each councillor.
The pay is based on a per capita figure — the amount each rate-payer in the municipality contributes through taxes. Previously, Port McNeill’s councillors were receiving the equivalent of $1.69 per taxpayer while, by comparison, the next-lowest pay in their municipality size range was Rossland, at $3.30 per person. The high figure for municipalities in the 2,000-4,999 population range was Chetwynd, at $12.33 per taxpayer.
Funding help
Several community groups asked for — and received — either monetary or in-kind assistance for charitable or promotional activities.
The North Island Farmer’s Market was approved waterfront space for a one-time market on July 5. Market organizers were responding to requests to hold the market with closer access to Port McNeill residents and ferry travellers.
The Loggers Golf Tournament was provided a boat launch pass and season parking pass for its prize table. All funds raised by the tournament are given to local needy individuals and groups, and to scholarships for North Island graduates.
The Port McNeill Logger Sports Society was approved for $500 for its July 4-5 competition at the logger sports grounds on Broughton Blvd.
The fourth annual event has been featured in the past on TSN’s Lumberjacks program, and Coun. Shirley Ackland noted it brings valuable exposure to the Town.
Community Forest
Council received notice from the North Island Community Forest Limited Partnership that it had been given a $100,000 deposit from timber sales. The amount was distributed to each of the three stakeholder partners — Port McNeill, Port Alice and Port Hardy.
The amount, for fiscal year 2013, brings to $233,000 the total amount produced for the town since the community forest was established in 2010.