Council defers pay increase to after election

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Tillsonburg council deferred a decision on the next council's remuneration rate.

A report from Ryan Wood, the town’s budget and finance planning coordinator, was on the agenda of the Oct. 13 meeting, and outlined the bylaw that requires setting the remuneration for the 2026-2030 council. The bylaw requires a review in the final 24 months of the current council, with the new remuneration rate taking effect on the first day of the new council.

Wood sent surveys out to 250 municipalities for comparison, and received 54 responses. Based on the information provided, including a comparison of capital and operating budgets, he recommended keeping the mayor’s remuneration the same and increasing pay for the deputy mayor and councillors.

The mayor's current remuneration is $47,283. The deputy mayor receives $23,621, and councillors receive $22,019. All elected officials have $1,440 in expenses, receive health benefits, a laptop, a per diem for traveling to conferences or meetings on town business and mileage at the CRA rate. Wood suggested the deputy mayor receive $32,209 and councillors $27,059.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy pointed out Carleton Place has a population of 12,500, but an operating budget of $34 million and a capital budget of $113 million, and said this was high. She added the town is roughly the size of Tillsonburg and has five times the budget.

“Some of these numbers are actually astounding,” she said.

Wood said the municipalities provided the numbers, but there’s potential that other associated areas could be included. He gave Tillsonburg Hydro as a local example.

Gilvesy also noted Middlesex Center has about the same population as Tillsonburg but a $75,000 combined operating and capital budget.

Director of Finance Renato Pullia said capital budgets change year to year and clarified that the scoring process used only operating budgets to determine recommended remuneration.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres suggested deferring the report, saying it could come back before year-end, which is the requirement.

“We’re going to defer it, and for the most important reason is we have two councillors not here tonight, and it’s not fair to do this without our full complement of council members,” he said.

Councillors Bob Parsons and Chris Parker were absent from the meeting.

Council passed the deferral.