Will RDOS directors vote themselves a raise this week?

South Okanagan Regional District directors could be looking at a 12 per cent raise in pay this week if they accept the findings of an appointed committee to review their pay structure.

The elected officials compensation committee recommended the bump because a tax exemption for municipal officials ended on Jan. 1 of this year.

While many other municipalities unilaterally bumped their own pay in response, Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen board of directors opted to create a five person citizen committee to review compensation for the loss of the tax break and remuneration for the board in general earlier this year.

The committee recently completed a study of the issue and are providing a recommendation at the upcoming board meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5.

Committee members Bill Ross, Frank Armitage, Lanny Smith, Lionel Trudel and Tim Hodgkinson are recommending an 11.9 per cent increase in director remuneration.

The increase would result in rural directors making an additional $2,629.36, increasing their annual income from $22,095.48 to $24,724.84.

A municipal director’s pay would rise by $760.18, from $6,388.08 to $7,148.26.

Board Chair Karla Kozakevich would see her annual remuneration rise $3,943.20, from $33,136.2 to $37,079.4.

The increases would result in an additional $60,000 to be budgeted to cover the increased costs, which would equate to an annual cost of $1.11 per residential residence.

The City of Penticton created a similar committee to deal with the compensation question before voting to give themselves a raise.

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