A change in the remuneration policy for councillors attending council-approved meetings was passed at last night's Creston town council meeting. Councillors receive a $100 stipend for a full day of meeting and travel, and $50 for a half-day. They will now receive stipends for designated meetings in town.
The previous policy, Mayor Ron Toyota said, acted as a disincentive to hold planning sessions in town, because councillors who have other jobs have to take time off without pay, but only received stipends if the planning sessions were held out of town.
“What we pay out in stipends for in-town planning sessions is more than made up for in the savings of travel, meals and remuneration costs incurred when they are held out of town,” he said.
A policy was passed that will allow the mayor, all councillors and the town manager to attend all Union of BC Municipalities and Federation of Canadian Municipalities conventions. The sole restriction is that elected officials who are not planning to run in an upcoming election or who know they are about to resign should not attend conventions.
Previously, the policy said that “at least three councillors” could attend the provincial and federal conventions.