Wilmot looking to develop new pay policy for elected officials

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The mayor of Wilmot Township has directed staff to create a report on council remuneration.

As previously reported on, a mayoral direction was brought to council as information, with the understanding a review would be done by the township’s clerk and manager of legislative services, Kaitlin Bos. What was evidently clear at Monday night’s regular council meeting is councillors are not looking for a bump in pay anytime soon.

“This direction was not brought necessarily as a budget item and right now we are not even discussing budget or even the increase,” said Mayor Natasha Salonen. “We are talking about a governance policy to look at every four years to be reviewing for the future council.”

Salonen added her goal is to have any future council decide the remuneration for the following one.

“This is about governance and getting a policy in place that we currently don’t have in this municipality, where many others do.”

All members of Wilmot council have received the same salary since 2023. Mayor Salonen earns $39,425 a year while councillors are paid $$ 21,872. All roles are assumed to be part-time, but the future report will examine the possibility of the mayor’s role becoming full-time.

A recent council report lays out several considerations for the future of municipal leadership compensation. Among the proposed changes is the potential transition of the mayor’s role from part-time to full-time, with models suggested for how appropriate pay could be determined if approved by a future council.

The report also recommends creating a formal policy to review remuneration during each council term. That process would include public engagement and a comprehensive review of all compensation components, ensuring transparency and consistency in how pay levels are set.

Ward one Coun. Stewart Cressman asked who would be compiling the report since Bos is leaving the township in a month.   

“I would assume it would be tasked to the incoming clerk. The second question is, at what stage will the discussion about a full-time mayor going to be had? If it is a policy for the next council, when is that debate going to be held?”

Cressman, who made the motion to freeze the salaries of council members several years ago, added he wouldn’t feel comfortable going to constituents and asking for double-digit salary increases and then increase the stipends of elected officials.

“To my mind, that just doesn’t sit well.”

Salonen responded by reiterating the motion on the floor was only about policy and added the idea of the mayor being full-time would not come to the next council for consideration.

“The only way it would come forward is if councillors want to see that as an amendment to the budget.”

Bos explained she would be preparing the draft policy before her time at Wilmot is done. It will come to the committee of the whole meeting on Nov. 3.      

Ward two Coun. Kris Wilkinson said it’s an important procedure for council to explore.

“We are committed to seeing what the proposed policy would be. It would still be open for debate, for change, and I agree there is no reason for council at this point to suggest we should increase our salary. I agree that holding a freeze for our entire term of council is appropriate given the circumstances we uncovered.”

The report compared the pay of Wilmot’s elected officials with comparable municipalities such as Wellesley, Kingsville and Essex. Wilkinson added salaries rise, the cost of living increases and having a sound policy in place is important to ensure regularly scheduled reviews will occur.

“Even if a policy were to come forward to suggest that council receive a salary increase, it would still rest with council at budget time to also make that decision whether or not to accept it.”

Ward three Coun. Harvir Sidhu said there is never a right time to discuss a hike in the pay of elected officials, but a concrete policy would allow future councils to make a decision based on township rules.

“I want to make it abundantly clear that voting in favour of this is not saying we are going to give ourselves a raise. It’s just to set a policy, and when it comes forward, that’s when we make our decision on what the staff recommendations are.”

The only member of council to oppose the motion to receive the report was Coun. Steve Martin. The Gazette reached out to the ward four councillor but did not receive a response by press time.