Wilmot mayor calls for the development of a council remuneration-review policy

Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen has asked township staff to prepare a policy that would, if approved by council, have the township undertake regular reviews of council pay and benefits once during each term of council.

At the Sept. 8 committee of the whole meeting, clerk Kaitlin Bos presented a report to councillors informing them of Salonen’s mayoral direction to have staff bring back a council remuneration review policy for consideration at council’s November committee of the whole meeting.

In Bos’ report, she provided councillors an overview of current council remuneration, including current base salary levels and comparative data from similar municipalities, as well as considerations for potential changes, such as transitioning the mayor’s role from part-time to full-time, while outlining various models for determining appropriate compensation. The report recommends establishing a formal policy for regular remuneration reviews during the third year of each council term, incorporating public engagement and a full assessment of compensation components.

“Often times in municipalities, there is an annual review in the budget year leading into the next council,” Salonen said. “We did not have a process, so in discussion with the clerk, she asked that I provide direction so that we could then get a process going and she wasn’t just arbitrarily bringing up information that hadn’t been requested. So that’s where that came from on wanting to get into a process as well as getting a formalized policy before council to consider.

“So, any changes that council may consider in the budget would not be happening for this council. I want to make that clear to the general public.”

In 2025, the mayor’s position in Wilmot Township comes with a salary $39,425, while councillors are paid $21,872 – both of which have remained stagnant since council voted in 2023 not to increase council salaries. Council also chose to forgo cost of living increases in 2024 and 2025.

In addition to her mayoral salary, Salonen also receives a salary of $49,282 from the Region of Waterloo for her role as a regional councillor.

For comparison, other council remuneration in nearby municipalities as of 2024 were as follows:

• Wellesley: mayor - $32,979; council - $17,880

• North Dumfries: mayor - $41,443.68; council - $22,457

• Woolwich: mayor - $37,604.36; council - $22,059.92

• East Zorra-Tavistock: mayor - $24,812.06; council - $17,713.17

• Perth East: mayor - $32,415.77; council - $19,399.66

“I do work on the (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) healthy democracy advisory board, and on that, we discuss ideas and concepts and we’re really trying to find a way to engage more and diverse people to enter into the political realm – in particular, in municipal politics – and run,” Salonen said about why she wants council to consider transitioning the mayoral position from part-time to full-time.

“A lot of the body of research that is coming forward is that one of the barriers is compensation when it comes to these positions. There are people who are interested in these roles but, due to financial reasons, the commitment from a time perspective doesn’t always work out that they’re able to hold these positions even though they might bring value to the roles.”

Speaking from personal experience, Salonen said the hours she is paid to work in comparison with the hours she actually works – especially now that mayors in Ontario have added responsibilities following the expansion of the province’s strong mayor powers earlier this year, including proposing the annual budget – simply don’t balance out.

By reviewing council remuneration regularly through a standardized process, Salonen said it could ensure compensation is fair for both councillors and the mayor, allowing people of all socio-economic backgrounds with skills that could prove valuable for the township to run for election.

A full council remuneration review policy will be brough to council for consideration at its committee of the whole meeting in November.