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.
Flin Flon City Councillor Dave Kennedy was the lone voice of opposition Tuesday when he voted against a three per cent raise for himself and Council. The raise would see each councillor pull in an additional $274 per year, the mayor an extra $470, and the deputy mayor an added $326. The total cost to taxpayers would be $2,440 per year. "I think these increases to Council should be tied to a four-year term," said Councillor Kennedy, "and they should come about at some period that's either just before or just after (an election)." Councillor Cal Huntley, who made the motion, said three per cent raises keep Council "in the ballpark" in terms of a fair wage and prevent a more substantial increase from eventually being put forth. The final two readings of the motion are expected to be voted on at the next Council meeting, slated for December 16. The raise would bring the annual indemnity paid to each councillor to $9,393, the mayor to $16,119, and the deputy mayor to $11,213. The six councillors each spend eight months as deputy mayor during their four-year terms. Councillor Kennedy currently holds the position. Municipal Administrator Larry Fancy said the raise would keep the councillors' indemnities "in the middle of the pack" compared to the rest of the province but the mayor's salary "may be a little on the low side." This wasn't the first time Councillor Kennedy voted against a raise for Council. In 2001 and 2002, he was the only councillor to oppose a raise, once commenting that the councillors were "well overpaid."
