The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor On the same night they tied their wage increases to those of municipal employees, city councillors were challenged as to why their out-of-town reimbursements remain so much higher. At last week's council meeting, taxpayer advocate Blair Sapergia pointed out that while councillors receive up to $100 a day for trips, city workers get a maximum of $50. 'I think if it's good enough for the city workers it should be good enough for our council,' he told council. 'A city worker is a city worker, as far as I'm concerned.' The reimbursements _ known as per diems _ cover costs such as taxi rides and meals when municipal personnel are out of town for training or conferences. Sapergia's suggestion brought a detailed response from Municipal Administrator Mark Kolt. 'The types of events that council goes to are different types of events than typically city workers are at,' he said. 'In most cases, the events that city workers go to _ and I include myself in that _ are...conferences where you don't have expensive luncheons to go to with other people who are attending.' But he said 'it's a little more complicated' when elected officials attend conferences with provincial or federal leaders with whom they are trying to build rapport. When it comes time for supper, these individuals are not going to eat at a cheap fast-food place, Kolt said. See 'There...' on pg. 6 Continued from pg. 3 'You're not just trying to take in calories _ there's a whole other dimension to it,' he said. 'It's very rare that you can get by doing what everyone else is doing at a conference like that, and getting those linkages (with people), without a higher amount (of money).' For his part, Coun. Tim Babcock said that just because a $100 allotment exists does not mean it is always used. Referring to the recent Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention he attended, Babcock said he would be shocked if he spent $50 a day on meals given the volume of free food. 'And it's not as if, you know, 'Oh, I have $100 so let's go eat at Red Lobster every night and get the king's feast,'' he said. 'You know, it doesn't happen.' Sapergia soon asked whether $50 is enough for city workers, to which Mayor George Fontaine said Sapergia's point was taken 'but this isn't a negotiation.' Later that evening, council passed the final reading of a new bylaw to tie their pay raises _ retroactive to 2011 _ to those of unionized city employees. Coun. Skip Martin was the lone voice of opposition because he does not agree with making the move retroactive. Highlights Other highlights from the meeting: Council voted to sell the vacant lots at 12 and 14 Churchill Ave. to North of 53 Consumers Co-op for $7,400. The Co-op wants the corner lots, once leased by A & A Auto Services, for employee parking. Council voted to donate $50 to both the 80th Annual Flin Flon Men's Bonspiel and the 80th Annual Flin Flon Ladies' Bonspiel. Both events will be held in March. Council reviewed the Animal Control Officer's report for January. It noted that five dogs and one cat were captured, with all of the animals turned over to either the SPCA or a new owner.
