Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

New figures

Vernon mayor and councillor salaries clarified, set to increase

Nov 3, 2023 | 12:15 PM

An error in the calculation for Vernon’s mayor and councillor salaries has been found and corrected.

At the regular meeting Monday, Oct. 23, a salary increase based on population and a four year rolling Consumer Price Index (CPI) average was proposed by city staff, which would have seen the mayor’s salary increase by $620 annually and councillors by $230.

Council inquired as to whether the system was fair as a decrease in the CPI could lead to the salaries declining on an annual basis, and staff was tasked with reviewing the system and providing clarity on the remuneration calculation.

A new report to council said there was an error in the calculation, and a four year rolling average Cost of Living Adjustment rate of 3.25 per cent should have been added to the base rate, and then be multiplied by the rolling CPI average.

With the error corrected, the proposed new salary for Vernon’s mayor would be $116,307 for 2024, while the salary for councillors would be $43,033. Those figures represent a $4,150 pay increase for the mayor, and an extra $1,535 for councillors.

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The new council remuneration figures, and the explanation of the error, will be presented to council at their regular meeting Monday, Nov. 6.