The topic of council’s pay once again dominated the chambers of Shire Hall, with county council voting to approve an increase in pay.
Prince Edward County Council revisited a motion to adjust council’s pay, which had been deferred during a previous meeting after council was unable to reach consensus on how to proceed.
Previously a third party review by Stratford Group was undertaken, to compare council’s compensation to other municipalities. They came back with several options for council in regards to adjusting pay.
Three options that would adjust the pay rate were considered. The first option would set the compensation to the average rate of 19 Ontario communities surveyed, the second was determined by the average of 6 single tier municipalities surveyed, and the final one was to set pay to the rate identified as the minimum livable wage in the county. A fourth option to keep pay rates the same was also considered.
The first option would see councillors paid at a rate of $31,675 and the mayor at $68,028 annually. For the second option, councillors would be paid $40,422 annually, with the mayor getting $96,590. The third option would result in councillors being paid $47,000, and the mayor $96,590. Right now, councillors receive $29,645 and the mayor is paid $59,290 annually.
Councillor Kate MacNaughton pushed for higher rate of pay, supporting the second option, to make it viable for people with lower incomes to participate on council.
“This gets us past a post where someone can actually, if they’re stepping away from a job or if they can’t find they cannot carry a job while they’re a councillor, this this makes it perhaps possible to live so it opens the door further,” said Councillor MacNaughton.
Councillor Chris Braney was against increasing pay, saying they shouldn’t make this decision right before the upcoming ballot question to review the size of council.
“I just find that this is all premature, because I want to wait for the outcome of the ballot question. I want to hear what residents have to say,” said Councillor Braney. “If we do this now, we could very well be in a scenario where we’re doing it again in a year and a half.”
After some debate, council voted to proceed with option two, on a recorded vote. That vote passed 8 to 6, with councillors Roy Pennell, Brad Nieman, Phil Prinzen, David Harrison, Corey Engelsdorfer, and Chris Braney voting against it.
The new pay rate will take effect on January 1st 2027.
