Proof of competency
Powell River mayor and councillors are voting to give themselves a raise [“Council seeks pay parity,” February 15], but why the new formula for setting how much they get?
What are their reasons for changing the traditional ways of setting public-servant wages? More importantly, are they worth what they’re earning now? It is not the hours, but their competency is what I suggest needs to be evaluated.
Why shouldn’t the mayor and council be subjected to individual job evaluations? Many employees have to live with that, especially if they want raises. Don’t we need to know if they’re earning what they make now? Never mind giving them a raise just because they’re nice people.
They do talk a lot, we hear the words regularly. I suggest that they need to prove they have acted competently and in the best interest of the residents of Powell River.
I’m sure an impartial committee with a mix of public service employment professionals and the public could do the job. We could start by comparing what they have accomplished with the goals they set at the beginning of their terms, specifically and with impartial criteria and measurements.
Joseph Ravick
Glacier Street
Councillors deserve more
I have a lot of sympathy for our city councillors in their effort to achieve fair remuneration for their hard work [“Council seeks pay parity,” February 15].
It is never easy for political representatives to raise their own pay. But the recommended increase is so modest I am almost inclined to suggest they raise it higher. A raise from $16,000 to $19,000, given the work they do for all of us, is barely adequate. When you consider that our provincial MLA and federal MP receive more than $100,000, our councillors look like volunteers with honorariums.
They do far more work now than they have in the past, ironically, because the provincial and federal governments have downloaded so much onto local government.
We should all support the increase.
Kay Bremner
Wildwood
