Title
PROPOSED COMPENSATION REVIEW STRATEGY
Ms. McAlpine discussed a survey she had initiated of municipalities with population between 100,000 and 200,000 (based on Statistics Canada 2016 population numbers). She indicated that the municipalities sent the survey consisted of a mix between single tier and lower tier, and that she had not received responses from all of the municipalities. Ms. McAlpine advised that the survey consisted of questions related to the 1/3 tax free provisions, if the municipality was single, lower or regional level, when the Mayor and Councillor remuneration was last updated, methodology applied to annual escalation, the Mayor and Councillor honoraria and if their Mayor and Council receive remuneration for appointments to boards and committees. Ms. McAlpine asked the Committee to provide suggestions regarding any other content it may wish to be added to the survey.
The Committee discussed content of the survey, the parameters of the review and an approach to developing a proposed strategy. Members of Committee asked questions and received responses from City staff related to:
• The Mayor’s position being a full time position and Councillor position being considered as part-time;
• The value of considering factors such growth rate in relation of the comparator municipalities and the availability of such information for the 2018-2022 time period;
• The process and timelines associated with the recommendations from the Council Compensation Review Committee and past recommendations of the previous Committee versus the decision of Council;
• The methods that could be utilized to obtain feedback from the public on Council compensation and the value of such feedback;
• The participation of the members of Council at the County level;
• Whether the Committee could include a recommendation to adjust compensation should services delivered by the City be altered significantly;
• The development of a compensation philosophy to guide the Committee’s recommendation;
• The types of retirement benefits/plans provided to members of Council by the comparator municipalities;
• The surveys provided to members of Council in the past related to compensation;
• The compensation associated with attendance by members of Council to conferences;
• The potential to utilize private sector metrics, unemployment rates, gross domestic product;
• The current City of Barrie, Provincial and Federal unemployment rates;
• That the City of Barrie’s population is not anticipated to exceed 200,000 by 2022; and
• That the compensation amount should be adequate to attract candidates for Council.
The Committee discussed that the proposed strategy for the review would be an agenda item at the next meeting.
The Committee requested that information or consideration on the following items be provided for the next meeting:
• Survey results from the comparator municipalities including the percentage change in population numbers between 2011 and 2016 and non-union economic adjustments; and
• Unemployment rates and gross domestic product statistics related to the City of Barrie.