One of the first things the new Council in High River will have to deal with after the election is a report on their pay.

The Manager of Legislative Services Kara Rusk says administration compared High River council's pay with 19 other similar sized municipalities.

"They're very close but they (High River) are still under, which just based on the feedback council gave at the council meeting, they're not doing it for the pay, they're doing it to make the community a better place," she says. "So I think we've got the right people in the seats and they're doing it for all the right reasons.

Councillor Don Moore said he and another councillor sat down a few years ago and determined when they took all the meetings and special events and other obligations they attended it worked out to about $.70 an hour.

The Town of High River Mayor is paid $53,266 compared to the median of the other 19 communities which is $57,632.

The median for councillors in the 19 other communities surveyed is $27,968 while High River councillors make $26,289.

However per diems were well below the average.

The Town of High River Per Diem is $125 with no difference between a half day or full day.

Median Full Day Per Diem is $238 while the median half day Per Diem is $104.

Rusk says she'll be bringing back recommendations to increase the Per Diem and also a plan for compensation for cell phone use while on town business whether the Mayor and Council use Town issued phones or their own.

Administration also recommends that a procedure be set up including set amounts for reimbursement of meals and that liquor purchased with meals will not be reimbursed by the Town.

To date, no council members have submitted reimbursement for alcohol but it's felt it would be best to have a policy on the books.

 

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