There Are Ways To Ensure The Result

Wednesday, March 30, 2011 03:45 AM

There is an old sayinig, "if you want to get the result you’re looking for, make sure the people who are making the decision are on your side."

That couldn’t apply more than with the appointment of a group of people to look at the salaries that are paid to City Councillors and the Mayor.

The people chosen by City Council are, Dave Yarmish, who in recent years has carved himself out a job acting as a health consultant, Michael Kerr, former President of the Chamber of Commerce, Tom Madden former City department head and Ann Martin former City Councillor.

It is interesting to note that there is not one person for example who comes from a small business, perhaps a union background or someone who represents the rank and file taxpayers of the City, the blue collar worker.

If you want to get a feeling of how everyone feels about what is a fair pay scale, you should be inviting them to participate, but that won’t be happening.

None of the four people who were selected will have any trouble meeting the tax bill this year or for that matter in the years to come, and that must be viewed as a credit to them. There are however thousands of people, many retired, one income families, who do not enjoy the same luxury and they too must have a say in how the City operates, given the fact that they are the ones who pay the City's bills.

So in a few months we will get a recommendation that the remuneration should go up, it will be passed by Council. It will come into play next year , to ensure that it is not an election issue this Novemb er. Well maybe only a tiny one.

It all comes back to saying, if you plan it right, the result is predictable.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 03:45 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: szd on March 30 2011 6:22 AM

Very well said and unfortunately true on all accounts. Thanks Ben

Posted by: Slim2229 on March 30 2011 7:51 AM

Short, concise, accurate, tells it like it is, thanks Ben.

Posted by: PrinceGeorge on March 30 2011 8:20 AM

It's the same principle that the PM uses when stacking the Senate with HIS senators. He gets the results HE wants, not necessarily common sense ones and the ones which are good for the country.

Posted by: BCRacer on March 30 2011 11:14 AM

I also believe that if you have someone on council who's back you have scratched then your requests will receive better reviews and better chance of being granted.....
possibly case in point the Performing center.... though I haven't heard that many who think it should happen at this time i have a coin that says it happens, probably soon, and is passes easily?
any odds?.

Posted by: Surefire on March 30 2011 1:23 PM

Welcome to Harperville B.C.. Well what do we do about ensuring there is an honest government at the wheel to steer B.C. in a just manner? Do we vote in an other (f)iberal government or try the N.D.P.'s again or try the conservatgives? It seems the liberals have too much baggage for my liking. The N.D.P. have made mistakes, but they haven't stolod from the B.C. electorate. I'm sorry but the liberals have wandered too far off of the charts for me to even consider them.

Posted by: Surefire on March 30 2011 1:30 PM

Further to the above post the only person from our elected officials that I would like to see again is Councilor Brian Skakun. But this time I'd like to see him as mayor.

Posted by: Palopu on March 30 2011 8:26 PM

I dont have a problem giving a small increase to the City Councillors as they do not get paid much in regards to what they do. (Most of them)

They have to attend probably 20 meetings of Council, and then a large number of Committe Meetings, and of course listen to the whining and snivelling from taxpayers.

They get paid approx $22,000.00 per year which is not a hell of a lot of money. Their pay should at least be an average of the pay for Councillors in other Citys like Victoria, Nanaimo, Coquitlam, Kamloops, Kelowna.

Insofar as the Mayor goes, he is over paid at approx $93,000.00 per year, which is about $30,000.00 per year more than the Mayor of Kamoops, and a tad higher than the Mayor of Kelowna. Both bigger citys with bigger populations.

The Mayor's salary should be decreased.