BIGHORN – Elected officials for the Municipal District of Bighorn will earn more money next year after approving changes to their remuneration and per diem rates during a council meeting on Oct. 9.
Council voted 4-1 to increase their annual salary by 14 per cent and unanimously approved increasing their per diem rate by $5 to $175 per day. Councillor Erik Butters voted against increasing their remuneration.
The changes mean a councillor will earn $25,266 per year while the reeve will earn $32,095. The changes come into effect Jan. 1, 2019.
Municipalities across the country have been adjusting their remuneration and per diem policies after the federal government announced in 2017 that elected officials would no longer qualify for the one third tax exemption they can currently claim.
Shaina Tutt, director of finance, said the changes will help bring councillors’ salaries more in line with comparable municipalities in the region, such as Clearwater County and Brazeau County.
“This would bring you closer to the median,” said Tutt, adding even with the adjustment councillors’ salaries will still be below average.
“If we don’t change it and then the new rules come into play you will be taking home even less than you currently earn and it keeps you extremely low in the averages with comparable municipalities.”
She told council she would have proposed the changes regardless of the federal government’s decision in order to keep councillors’ salaries in line with other jurisdictions.
Reeve Dene Cooper said the adjustment to councillors’ compensation follows a similar adjustment to salaries and wages for staff with the MD this year.
“This is not about councillors only. It’s about all remuneration across the board in the municipal corporation,” said Cooper.
