The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) board has voted for a wage increase for directors that will come into effect after the next election.
The board agreed during a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 24 to increase director remuneration by 15 percent.
Earlier this year the board appointed an independent review committee, made up of Shelley Chrest, Ken McRae and Stefan Ochman, to review the current remuneration, review other municipalities and receive input from current directors about their roles and workloads.
Through this discussion, the committee helped draft a report and came up with a new bylaw for director remuneration.
The recommended 15 percent increase will cost the regional district approximately $16,000 in 2023. The base director’s remuneration (which includes 21 board meetings and 12 regional hospital district meetings per year) will increase from $7,586 per year to $8,724 per year.
Electoral Areas directors will receive an additional amount of $3,095 per year. The chairperson will receive an additional $7,738 per year, while the vice-chair will receive an additional $1,548 per year.
Beaver Creek director John McNabb says the role of a director has changed over the last few years with the impact of the internet, as social media has led to directors interacting more frequently with the public than they used to.
“It’s not the job it used to be,” he said. “It’s going to be a more complicated and more invasive job in the future.”
Other directors agreed that the job is changing, and a higher wage will help encourage new people to run for the board in the October election.
“Drawing in new directors, it’s really important that they have support,” said Cherry Creek director Dianne Bodnar, who is finishing her first term on the board.
The pay increase won’t come into effect until after the October 2022 election.
“We are making the decision not necessarily for ourselves, but for future government,” said ACRD board chair John Jack.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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