By Cecilia Nasmith
The question of what constitutes fair compensation to members of council was hotly debated by Cobourg council Monday at its committee-of-the-whole meeting.
Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin put forth a motion calling for what she termed a modest $2,000 bump as of Nov. 15 – the beginning of the next term of council. Her rationale was to offset to some small degree the fact that councillors get no compensation for expenses incurred through council business done in their own home offices.
This modest raise would mean $44,477 plus benefits for the mayor, $31,073 plus benefits for the deputy mayor, and $26,285 plus benefits for each councillor.
The debate began when Councillor Emily Chorley passed along comments she had heard that council should get fair compensation – and by fair, she means at least minimum wage, which is not the case given the hours worked (not to mention the level of responsibility the position carries).
Chorley pointed to the work this council has done to ensure women have more opportunity to take their place in municipal government. “Fair” compensation would remove the economic barriers to this ideal, she insisted.
Mayor John Henderson suggested this might be ascertained by hiring a compensation specialist.
“I am the first to admit the role of councillor has changed dramatically, in my own personal opinion, from what it was when I began 10 years ago. There needs to be a new set of eyes on this,” Henderson said.
Councillor Brian Darling was willing to make an amendment to this effect, but said he was mindful of Cobourg's “hundreds and hundreds of people who volunteer in this community, that step forward.
“To me, a portion of this job is, you are giving up some of your time for your community. I would hate to see the day come when the role of council is strictly for a paycheque.
“If you are not involved in this community, you shouldn't be doing this job,” Darling declared.
Councillor Nicole Beatty sees what was termed “fair” compensation as a way of removing the barriers that may stand in the way of some who would otherwise wish to become more involved in local government.
She dismissed the present compensation as “borderline insulting, when we are being paid well below minimum wage at 30 hours a week.”
Beatty made an amendment to hire the specialist Henderson had mentioned. Asked how she would finance that, Henderson offered to cover it partially through the Mayor's Operating Budget. The amendment called on this cost to be offset through this avenue and through the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund to a maximum of $5,000.
Darling pointed out that the staff report puts the compensation of Cobourg council at a relatively high level when set beside comparator municipalities.
“We are at the high end,” he said.
“If the consultant comes back and says council is paid well above average, is council willing to reduce its salary or stick with the numbers in (Seguin's) motion?”
Seguin pointed out that the entire community has been through a very rough time with the COVID pandemic, with job losses, business losses and personal losses – which is why she had originally moved for that modest increase. Her own research into neighbouring municipalities had led her to agree with Darling.
“We are extremely well compensated, compared to our neighbours,” she stated, adding that she did not look kindly on a motion that caused extra work for staff and took extra money out of the budget – and in the end, true to her word, she voted against Beatty's amendment.
In fact, Beatty said, councils throughout Ontario are not paid equitably or fairly – though she insisted she is not in it for the money. Her motivation for her work on council and with nonprofits is to advocate for change.
With Seguin voting against, Beatty's motion passed, calling on staff to conduct a review of council compensation in concert with a compensation specialist, with recommendations to come back to council at its June 20 committee-of-the-whole meeting.
