Council approves new policy
During the March 21st Regular Council Meeting, a new Spending and Amenities Policy intended to establish transparent spending management practices for the City's elected officials was approved by Nanaimo's Council.
The new policy brings together a number of existing policies already in place and formulates them into a single document, while also taking steps to address concerns with compliance associated with current financial policies.
Acting Mayor's Compensation $1,189.00/yr.
Included in the policy is the introduction of an Acting Mayor's compensation, a change brought about by increases in duties resulting from Council's new portfolio system. The base pay for a Councillor at the City of Nanaimo remains at $35,438, an amount within the medium of wages paid at comparable municipalities. The City of Nanaimo has not previously provided compensation to the Acting Mayor's position. The introduction of the Acting Mayor's compensation will amount to an additional $1,189 per year, per Councillor.
The new policy will be applied to the following areas:
* Council remuneration
* Attendance at in-town or out-of-town meetings
* Training and development
* Expense reimbursement
* Legal fees
* Association fees and membership dues
* Provision of certain equipment and furniture for use by elected officials
* Council initiatives
You can view/download a copy of the policy from the city website HERE.
The new policy provides a consistent oversight process for expenditure for and by elected officials ensuring the best value for taxpayers dollars.
"Many of us consistently speak of transparency in government; in my opinion this is an important step in the right direction." - Councillor Gord Fuller
"Having all of these policies in one consolidated document will allow people to easily find the information that is related to spending taxpayers money by Council." - Councillor Jerry Hong
here is an interesting article in response to all this -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nanaimopoliticalbastion.com/city-politics/featured-editorial-open-letter-transparency/