Like us on... freepressbc
Follow us on... @FernieFreePress
50
-2 ve. dA
1
451
3-42
Your Source for 44 Mother’s Day Gifts & Cards n 12
Thursd a y , Ma y 5 , 2 0 1 6
Serving the South Country, Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford since 1898
FR E E
Charity blossoms at Rocky Mountain Village Pizza & pasta
250-423-4231
MON-TUES MADNESS! Ask us for details.
1221 7 Ave, Hwy 3 Fernie
WWW.FERNIEPIZZAANDPASTA.CA
ELK VALLEY
Outdoor Connections - Page 13 ENTERTAINMENT
Ilona Webster at Arts Station - Page 19 FERNIE
Members of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Rocky Mountain Village Rosa Rocca, Gloria Blakey, President Wilda Quail and Charlotte Leffler prepared gifts for the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend. For more on the story, turn to page 5. Photo by J. Cronin
Fernie City Council to receive wage increase By Leah Scheitel Free Press Staff
FSS students at Annex Pond - Page 20
SPORTS
Start of the rugby season - Page 21
F
ernie city councillors and mayor will be receiving more money for their duties come July. The Council voted in favour of increasing their stipends, which would be included in the 2016-2020 Financial Plan, at a Special Budget Meeting of Council on Feb. 29. Currently, councillors receive $12,000 for their duties while the mayor receives $20,000 per annum. This is in line with the Council Remuneration and Expense Repeal Bylaw, which was enacted in May 2007. Under the new stipulations, councillors will receive $18,000 per annum, which is a 50 per cent pay
increase. The mayor will receive a $16,000 pay increase, bringing the total wages for the mayor’s seat to $36,000. This equates to an 80 per cent pay increase. Council has not altered this bylaw since 2007. One of the aims in increasing the remuneration for council is to ensure that “no person is dissuaded from running for office because they cannot afford to.” This is described in a Jan. 21 Staff Report given by City of Fernie’s Director of Financial and Computer Services, Carla Fox. “It is also recognized that some Elected Officials must take time away from their work and may suffer a reduction in pay, and also some must make arrangements for child
AT THE
care, which should be considered by the remuneration package,” read the report. The increase will make council’s total wages $144,000 per annum instead of the current $92,000 per year. Currently, the Mayor is paid $4.50 per resident of Fernie while each councillor is paid $2.70. With the increase, the mayor will be paid $8.09 per resident and each councillor will receive $4.05 per resident. In comparison, Sparwood’s mayor receives $33,750 per year, which equates to $9.33 per resident while their councillors earn $14,499, which is equivalent to $4.01 per capita. Elkford is just slightly below on a per capita comparison. Their Mayor earns $19,315, equaling $7.84 per
Club use Restaurant
Adults $19.99 | Seniors & Members $17.99 | Kids 3 & Under Free Reservations Required
Three Seating Times Available: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM
Call 250-423-4115 or Email clubhouse@skifernie.com
capita. The council members receive $8,995 per annum, which results in $3.65 per capita. While Council has voted in favour of the remuneration and it is incorporated into the 2016-2020 Financial Plan, they would only receive half of the increased stipend this year. Council and Mayor will receive the full amount in 2017. Under the new remuneration package, Mayor and Council will receive a two per cent increase each year from 2017 to 2020 in relation to the consumer price index and to adjust for inflation. The report also reads that the “increase would need to be funded by a taxation increase or a decrease to another expenditure.”
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 4pm-9pm Chef's Choice 3 Course Menu $45 BUT if you MAKE A RESERVATION your receive 20% off! $36!
Call now 250-423-2056 or online