Citizen committee eyes public input for council pay review

A committee made up of five citizen volunteers will spend the next six months studying the paycheque and benefits package Calgary’s mayor and councillors receive.

And, as part of their review, the committee could choose to seek input from the public.

For several years, council salaries have been automatically adjusted every January using a formula based on Alberta average weekly earnings reports by Statistics Canada.

The committee will examine if that system should continue when a new council is elected in 2017.

Between 2010 and 2016, city council salaries have increased about 19 per cent, from $97,551 to $116,312.54, while the mayor’s pay has climbed 23 per cent, from $177,100 to $218,306.05.

City hall’s five general managers earn base salaries between $190,500 and $321,500, while the city’s directors earn from $131,500 to $240,000, according to the city’s 2016 salary disclosure list.

The council compensation review committee, which met for its first business meeting at city hall on Thursday morning, will also be examining the benefits package elected officials currently receive.

That includes a $9,400-per-year car allowance for councillors (the mayor is provided a city-owned vehicle for business and personal use), medical and dental benefits, business travel insurance and so on.

Peter Bowal, the chair of the new committee, said the volunteer members have taken on the “herculean task” of starting from scratch and providing a report to council on compensation recommendations by May, 2017.

Bowal said the group wants to get as much information as possible about other councils’ compensation packages, and the first step for the new committee is to approve a draft request for proposal (RFP) that will study pay and benefits packages in other municipalities.

“My sense is we’d be looking at cities that are the same size,” he said.

After that information is gathered and considered, the group could seek input from the public through focus groups, and from councillors themselves and the mayor.

If we’re making decisions about council members ... council members should be part of that. We should hear from them.

“We haven’t decided yet to what extent the public will be involved,” Bowal said Thursday.

“You heard me say earlier, I personally believe if we’re making decisions about council members, that council members should be part of that. We should hear from them.”

Once data is gathered, the council compensation review committee will present council with their findings, though that doesn’t mean Calgary’s elected officials will accept what the group proposes.

“Council can do whatever they want with it, it’s just a recommendation for them,” Bowal said.