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Payment of RDMW directors reviewed

RDMW to raise chair and directors remuneration rates
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HANNA PETERSEN PHOTO Bylaw 952 will change the RDMW Chairperson, Electoral Area Directors, and Municipal Directors remuneration rates.

The Regional District of Mount Waddington (RDMW) has reviewed its remuneration bylaw, which outlines the pay of the chairperson and area directors for their positions.

A report for the remuneration was originally provided to the policy committee on May 23 and the recommendations in that report were reflected in the proposed remuneration bylaw 952, which was given first reading at the RDMW’s July 17 board meeting.

The report included adjustments related to inflation and changes CRA rules to eliminate the 1/3 tax-free allowance for remuneration in 2019.

“Originally we were pegged with inflation around 2006 and over time there is a drift - in terms of remuneration we are about five per cent behind our peer group where we were in 2006 so this is an adjustment recommendation,” explained RDMW Administrator Greg Fletcher.

“The one-time CRA change applies to the same base level this applies across the board to all regional districts and municipalities,” said Fletcher, who explained that the average taxpayer in the regional district is in the 28.2 per cent tax bracket, which equals to a 9.4 per cent one time increase.

Bylaw 952 states that The Chairperson of the Regional District of Mount Waddington will receive $1830 (previously $1381.80) per month as payment for all Board and Committee meetings and for the discharge of the duties of office. In addition, the chairperson will also receive $180 ($172.22) for each Regional Board Meeting attended.

Each Electoral Area Director will receive have the payment as the chairperson or $915 (previously $797.23) per month as payment for all board and committee meetings and $180 for each Regional Board Meeting attended.

Each Municipal Director will receive 40 per cent of the payment as the Chairperson or $737 (previously $625.06) per month as payment for all Board and Committee meetings and will also receive $180 for each Regional Board Meeting attended.

In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chair or, in their absence, the Acting Chair will receive an additional payment of $250 for each Regional Board meeting they act as the presiding official.

An additional meeting rate of $180 will also be paid to members attending personnel committee meetings, policy meetings, and other meetings deemed by the board by separate resolution.

“We are a rural district and when someone has to come to a committee meeting from Alert Bay, from Port Hardy - it’s a commitment of a full day or a half a day,” noted Are A - Malcolm Island Director Heidi Soltau, adding “So personally for me, to get someone else to run for this position, to make it worth their while, I thought it was important to pay for committees.”

Fletcher also noted that using the Chairperson’s remuneration rates as a fixed ratio was modeled after Port Hardy’s remuneration bylaw as it is a “simpler way of doing things.”

Once the bylaw passes third reading and adoption, it will take effect on January 1, 2019.

“I’m certainly aware from this seat how much time goes into it and it’s hard to even add it up an calculate it sometimes,” said RDMW Chair, Andrew Hory, adding “It’s worthwhile, but I do think it should be reduced in its financial impact on people when you are giving up your time to be here.”

Bylaw 952 will be heard for second and third reading and adoption at the next RDMW board of directors meeting.