Councillors with the City of Corner Brook will vote late this month on whether or not to increase the remuneration they receive.
During Monday night’s public meeting Coun. Bernd Staeben presented a notice of motion to repeal the city’s existing council remuneration and reimbursement regulations and any related amendments effective Dec. 31, 2018 and to then approve a new set of regulations, with the increases, effective Jan.1, 2019.
The notice of motion read by Staeben said the regulations were enacted in 2003 and have had a number of amendments since then.
It also states that the federal government’s Bill C44 removed the ability for any municipality to pay up to one third of a councillor’s remuneration as a non-taxable expense allowance.
The current version of the city’s remuneration regulation had included this condition, and has to be removed in order to comply with federal legislation.
As a result of this legislation change, it’s being proposed to adjust the council remuneration effective January 2019 accordingly to reflect a neutral impact on a council’s net salary.
The proposed regulations also include an automatic review of the council remuneration in the third year of each council’s term. Any recommended change as a part of that review in remuneration would not be implemented prior to the first month of office for the newly elected council.
Council will discuss and vote on the new regulations on Nov. 19.
What the change will mean to council’s remuneration:
Currently the mayor receives $34,500 per year, of which $11,500 had been non-taxable
Under the proposed regulations the mayor would receive $39,300
An increase of $4,800
The deputy mayor currently receives $24,000 per year, of which $8,000 had been non-taxable
That deputy mayor’s remuneration would jump to $27,120
An increase of $3,120
Councillors currently receive $22,500 per year, $7,500 of which had been non-taxable
Remuneration for councillors would rise to $25,380
An increase of $2,880
Council briefs
Contracts awarded
CORNER BROOK Corner Brook city council approved three contracts during its public meeting on Monday night.
Council approved extending the phosphates for corrosion control contract with Univar Canada for one year to Nov. 30, 2019 at a cost of $62,340.04 (HST included.)
It also approved awarding Univar a two-year contract for the supply of soda ash to be used in the water treatment process at a cost of $121,325 (HST included) per year.
And Kemira Water Solutions Canada was awarded a two-year contract to supply polyaluminum chloride coagulant, another water treatment chemical, at a cost of $473,742.50 (HST included) per year.
Fall leaf collection on this week
CORNER BROOK The City of Corner Brook is conducting its annual fall leaf collection this week.
Residents can place clear transparent bags containing leaves only at the curb on their regular garbage day. They are asked to have the bags out by 8 a.m. and to keep them separate from normal weekly garbage.
Residents can pick up free clear transparent yard waste bags at city hall. Each household will be given up to 10 bags.
City holding a curbside give-away November 9-11
CORNER BROOK Residents of Corner Brook looking to get rid of some unwanted but reusable items can put them out at the curb this weekend.
The city says to simply place a “FREE” sign on the items so that treasure hunters will know they are there for the taking.
Any items not taken during the curbside give-away must be removed from the curb by dusk on Nov. 11.
Examples of items that may be set out for giveaway include books, CDs and DVDs, furniture and small appliances, sports equipment, toys, tools and construction materials.
Aquatic centre feasibilty study agreement terminated
CORNER BROOK With the swimming pool at Grenfell Campus now being considered as the site of the region’s new aquatic centre, the feasibility study that had been started by the City of Corner Brook and its partners has been halted.
Tract Consulting had been tasked with carrying out the study and had completed phase one, but the possibility of using the Grenfell site eliminates the requirement for phase two of the study — site selection — and will change phase three and the overall direction of the study.
So, on Monday night council voted to terminate the agreement it had with Tract Consulting for the remaining two phases. It was noted that progression beyond phase one was dependent on the results of that phase and that the city had the option to terminate the agreement after each phase. Terminating the agreement comes at no cost to the city.
Council moves ahead with rezoning
CORNER BROOK Corner Brook city council voted Monday night to rezone the property at 678 O’Connell Drive from residential to light industrial.
The change was requested by the owner of Bud’s Auto Body so that he might be able to move another part of his business, a towing service, to that location.
The request was opposed by residents of the area and the city held a public hearing with a commissioner on the issue. The commissioner’s report on that hearing recommended that the property be rezoned.
Mayor Jim Parsons said the business that locates there is a secondary matter the city would have to consider at a later date.
The property owner would still have to go through the process of applying for a permit to develop the site.
Council voted to adopt the commissioner’s recommendations and to submit the zoning amendments to Municipal Affairs for approval.
Deputy Mayor Bill Griffin declared himself in a conflict of interest on the matter and abstained from voting.
