The Regional District of Nanaimo is going to hire an independent consultant to review the money being paid to its board of directors.
Are they being paid too much? Too little? How does their pay compare to other similar jurisdictions?
To ensure that the review process to be used by the consultant aligns with the vision of the board, staff has drafted terms of reference.
It will provide guidelines for identifying appropriate comparable regional districts, which staff indicated is an important component.
In reviewing data from other regional districts, the consultant has to consider population, budget and complexity of services for suitable comparison. Comparing both regional districts and municipalities will provide a more fulsome picture of the local government sector.
In 2016, board chair Bill Veenhof, the director for Electoral Area A, was paid $50,647 with expenses of $13,933. Area E Director Bob Rogers, meanwhile, made $29,237 with expenses of $8,485; Area F Director Julian Fell received $28,521 with expenses of $10,829; and Area G Director Joe Stanhope was paid $30,415 with expenses of $7,570.
Parksville director Marc Lefebvre was paid $15,463 and had expenses of $1,234, while Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek got $15,333 with expenses of $1,627.
Staff recommended the board approve the process and terms of Reference for an independent review by a consultant.
As well, the board will be asked to appoint an executive committee to review the consultant’s report on remuneration and make a recommendation.