The next Barrie mayor and city councillors will be paid a little better for their time.
City council gave final approval Monday night to increase salaries, benefits and mileage for the next council members, to be elected in the Oct. 24 municipal vote.
“I don’t think any one of us around this table is here for the money, because if that was the case I don’t think any one of us would be here,” said Coun. Gary Harvey. "Because it’s not the greatest paying job, even with the increase.”
The city’s council compensation review committee recommended, for the 2022-26 term of office, increasing the base pay for councillors to $40,983 annually from $39,798, the deputy-mayor will get $7,500 on top of that, instead of the current $5,000; the annual car or transportation allowance will accelerate to $2,400 or $200 a month from $2,100 a year for councillors and to $3,600 annually or $300 a month from $3,300 a year for the deputy-mayor.
“Councillor, as it is right now, is not really meant to be a full-time job and people are not getting into it for the money,” said Coun. Sergio Morales.
The next mayor’s salary will increase from the current annual rate of $122,580 to $127,172 next year, $131,937 in 2024, $136,880 in 2025 and $142,008 in 2026. And the mayor’s car allowance will go to $6,600 annually or $550 a month from $6,000 a year.
Barrie’s mayor is also paid to sit on the Alectra board, the electricity company partially owned by the city. In 2020, it was $48,750, which was included in the mayor’s annual salary.
Council approved a motion Monday night recommending these increases, which will also include an extended health and dental benefits plan, along with life insurance.
The next mayor will be enrolling in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) pension program, but the next councillors will not.
Councillors noted the annual contribution to OMERS is significant — $4,691 for the deputy-mayor, $3,885 for councillors — and all would have to enrol with OMERS.
“It might have been different if it wasn’t a requirement that everybody is in or everybody is out,” said Coun. Clare Riepma. “We’re trying to attract people who may not normally be attracted to run for council, younger people and diverse people.”
“I don’t think at this point we can really justify adding all of council to that,” Harvey said.
“I think when council becomes a full-time job, it will be justified to be part of OMERS and we’re almost there, but I don’t think we’re quite there,” said Deputy Mayor Barry Ward. “Maybe in another four years, maybe in eight years, I think council will be at the point where it will become a full-time job. At that point a good argument can be made.”
Only Morales argued for councillors joining OMERS.
“We don’t want to add to conditions that makes serving on Barrie council something that only people who have the means to do (it) can do,” he said. “Governments shouldn’t be for those with necessarily family wealth or small businesses or the fortunate situation to do so. It should be for anybody.”
The compensation committee’s recommendations total almost $600,000 more during the four-year term of office, increasing to $2.93 million from $2.33 million, a hike of $597,281.
This is for the base salaries of mayor, deputy-mayor and councillors, health, benefits and pension, car allowance, employee and family assistance programs, and conference expenses, recommended to increase to $25,000 from $15,000 annually.
The 2022 municipal election candidate package will also include information on the time required and expectations to serve on Barrie city council, a list of external and internal boards and committees that require council member representation and the process for expressing interest in serving as deputy mayor, currently appointed by the mayor with council approval.
