Peachland council had a lively discussion on Tuesday (Nov. 26) about changes to remuneration for councillors.
After debate, council approved increases to per diems and travel allowances, sparking differing opinions on the value of the changes.
Councillors will now receive $50 for events lasting less than four hours and $100 for those lasting more than four hours. These per diems cover additional time and expenses for official activities, such as conventions and conferences.
Councillors regularly attend three major conventions: the Union of BC Municipalities, the Southern Interior Local Government Association, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. These events typically span a week, and the new policy ensures councillors are compensated for their time. The district’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) must approve any other events eligible for per diem payments.
Another amendment increased annual business and conference travel allowances. The mayor’s allowance rose to $15,000, while councillors’ allowances increased from $3,750 to $5,000.
Councillor Terry Condon opposed the changes, questioning the lack of scrutiny on how funds are used. “To simply provide us with a budget that says you have up to ‘x’ amount, doesn’t matter what the amount is, doesn’t really ask us to justify why we are going on these various events,” he said.
Mayor Patrick Van Minsel emphasized the importance of attending conventions. “A prime example is our childcare,” he said. “We would have never gotten that without going to those conferences. I see this as a return on investment. If you invest in your council, your return will be there.”
Condon acknowledged the value of conferences but argued they should be part of the job. “To me, that’s included in the stipend that I get as a councillor,” he said, adding that he supported reimbursing reasonable expenses with proper receipts.
Councillor Alena Glasman agreed with the mayor, highlighting the costs some councillors incur to fulfill their roles. “Proper remuneration for what we are doing is important,” she said. “There are a lot of people I know who would never throw their hat in for an election based on the fact that we make less than poverty level.”
Condon maintained his concerns, saying, “The purse strings seem to be open a little further than the kind of scrutiny that I think we need to be under.”
In addition to the per diem and travel changes, council voted to raise the deputy mayor’s salary by 10 per cent. Currently, the deputy mayor earns the same as a councillor, $19,000 per year.
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