EDITORIAL – TNRD board demonstrates restraint with its annual pay increase

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE FOLKS WHO SIT AROUND the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board table have done an unusual thing. They voted to give themselves only a 2.6 per cent stipend increase.

It was a surprising, and positive, move given the board’s history of generosity to itself. In the past, pay hikes of 15 per cent haven’t been unheard of, including last year. They could have pulled a similar stunt when it came time for this year’s review of how much the board pays itself.

A report from staff noted that the board’s current policy is based on the B.C. Consumer Price Index. The annual increase is normally to be equal to the average of the previous three years of CPI. If the average is more than 4 per cent, board directors must decide on what the year’s increase should be. If lower, it automatically goes into effect.

The average of the past three years was 4.5 per cent. So staff recommended the board either give itself four per cent, 4.5 per cent, or some other number. It’s the ability to set a different number that’s a bit of a loophole — the board could have given itself another sizeable increase in the area of, say, 10 or 15 percent.

The justification for big increases is usually that other boards in the province are making more than the TNRD directors. Or, that directors work hard and deserve more. So it wouldn’t have been surprising if an increase for some higher amount had been put on the table by one or more directors.

But Chair Barbara Roden, in introducing the item, immediately proposed 2.6 per cent because it was the CPI for last year. Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell seconded it. There was zero discussion. The motion passed unanimously with the exception of Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta.

The lack of discussion was likely due to the fact directors hate to talk about their pay increases. Any debate will be reported by the media, and directors who speak in favour of an increase unfailingly receive bad press. There’s no evidence it’s ever hurt any of them at the polls come election time, but they’re sensitive about it anyway.

It’s a little strange, though, that they didn’t want to talk about such a low and reasonable increase. I guess they’re so used to being criticized for bigger increases that they figured they’d better stay quiet even for a modest one.

It would have been helpful for the public to know what was behind their decision this year, and why one director voted against it. But at least the board as a whole came down on the side of reason.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.