By Lyonel Doherty

Oliver Town council is seeking information about benefits and a stipend program for acting mayors.

That’s the resolution that council passed on Monday after discussing remuneration for future councils.

Councillors listened as Chief Administrative Officer Cathy Cowan presented a remuneration comparison study involving nine municipalities with similar populations.

“Overall the consumer price index has kept us in line with other communities,” she said.

Cowan noted the average annual remuneration (including expenses) for these communities (Armstrong, Creston, Duncan, Gibsons, Grand Forks, Kent, Osoyoos, Oliver and Peachland) is $29,058 for the mayor and $15,220 for councillors.

Including an expense allowance, the mayor of Oliver receives $26,792 and councillors receive $14,289.

In Osoyoos, the mayor receives $23,322 while councillors receive $15,496.

Cowan said council may want to consider including an acting mayor remuneration in the range of $114-$118 per month for councillors. If council wants to implement this, the increase to the annual budget would be $1,368 to $1,416.

Cowan noted the Town of Osoyoos provides extended health and dental coverage for council members.

If the Town of Oliver wants the same for future councils, that would represent an increase of approximately $8,375 to the legislative budget, Cowan pointed out.

Following the report, water councillor Rick Machial moved that council merely receive the report, saying council is “very well paid.”

In fact, Machial said he didn’t realize how much council was costing the taxpayer.

“It’s a lot of money for the little town of Oliver . . . I don’t have an appetite to charge the taxpayers more.”

Councillor Petra Veintimilla said it’s nice to know that the Town is keeping pace with other communities.

Mayor Ron Hovanes said Osoyoos “took some heat” a year ago when it increased its stipend. But he said a younger councillor with a family could really benefit from an enhanced stipend.

Machial’s motion to simply receive the report and do nothing was defeated. Hovanes and councillors Veintimilla, Maureen Doerr and Larry Schwartzenberger opposed Machial’s motion.

A new motion to have staff bring back a report on benefits and an acting mayor stipend was carried.