The Electoral Area Services Committee, a standing committee of the Capital Regional District, consisting of three electoral area representatives, in a regular meeting on May 4 recommended that the area directors’ remuneration be increased by about 10 per cent to $39,886 beginning in 2012.
The committee members are regional directors Ken Hancock of the Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area; Mike Hick, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area; and Garth Hendren from Salt Spring Island Electoral Area.
In requesting the increase, Regional Director Mike Hicks stated that with the increase, “they would be making the same amount as a councillor for Victoria.”
Hicks said the job of regional director was always advertised as a part time job but in reality he worked 160 hours a week and the compensation would help to attract good candidates for the role of regional director.
“The motive is to be fair to the regional directors and also have good governance for the JDF, and to attract the best we can, sometimes it’s worth paying a little bit more,” said Hicks. “It won’t take place until 2012. It’s a low but fair wage and the JDFEA can totally afford it because we don’t have a council.”
He wanted to take this to the people but said there was no mechanism to do that.
He went on to say that the JDFEA had a 0 per cent tax increase for the past two years, the lowest on Vancouver Island.
“For two years in a row we have run a very tight ship,” he said.