Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (May 27/02) - The Hay River town council has voted itself pay increases.

The biggest increase goes to the mayor's position. The compensation rises from a $19,600 annual package to $35,000.

Other members of council get increases of roughly 10 per cent. The deputy mayor's pay goes to $9,900, the assistant deputy mayor to $8,910 and councillors to $7,520.

The bylaw outlining the increases passed final reading as part of a special meeting on May 21.

Mayor Duncan McNeill says the last time there was a change in the remuneration was in the 1980s.

McNeill explains that, to help council decide on appropriate pay, administration looked at three other tax-based municipalities in the NWT: Fort Smith, Yellowknife and Inuvik.

Even with the increase for the mayor's position, McNeill notes, "Mine is still the lowest of those tax-based municipalities."

It is now just below the remuneration paid to the mayor of Fort Smith.

McNeill says pay to municipal politicians is a sensitive issue, but the change did not create much public discussion.

The mayor says he works between 25 and 30 hours a week on town business.

"Council felt it was inappropriate to be as busy as that and be paid so little," he says.

As mayor, McNeill did not actually vote on the bylaw.