91原创 Township Councillor Kim Richter wants to take a closer look at council salaries.

The veteran councillor made a notice of motion at the end of the Jan. 16 council meeting, noting members had just received a 鈥済enerous鈥� pay increase.

The motion was to be discussed at Monday鈥檚  (Jan 23) meeting.

鈥淧ay increases should be linked to performance. It shouldn鈥檛 just be automatic every three years,鈥� Richter said.

She indicated the motion will ask Township staff for a detailed review of the council pay process that will take economic factors, among others, into consideration.

, days before they were formally sworn into office, the mayor and eight councillors received an automatic pay increase. Mayor Jack Froese鈥檚 salary jumped by nearly $1,000 per month, rising to $105,456 from $93,724, while the salaries of Councillors David Davis, Grant Ward, Richter, Bob Long, Bev Dornan, Steve Ferguson, Charlie Fox and Michelle Sparrow rose by almost $7,000 a year to $42,936 from $36,043.

Since 2003, a councillor鈥檚 salary has more than doubled, and the mayor鈥檚 has risen by nearly 70 per cent.

Froese said last week that while he respects the decision of past councils, 鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean we can鈥檛 take a second, third or even fourth look at something ... there may be a better way of doing it.鈥�

Froese said he understands the issue of council salaries 鈥渉as definitely been on the minds of some people,鈥� but noted 鈥渋t will be up to council to decide鈥� whether anything will change.

He referred to a process that started in 2000, when a Remuneration Task Force was established to review and report on council鈥檚 remuneration.

There is some need to be competitive as well, Froese said, if the Township wants to attract good people to run for council.

鈥�(Council salaries) should be competitive, yet fair,鈥� he said.

鈥淏ut everyone has different ideas on what 鈥榝air鈥� is.鈥�

鈥� with files from Natasha Jones