There was no desire among School District 83 trustees to adjust how they are compensated annually.
At its Nov. 18, 2020 meeting, the school board agreed to follow its current remuneration policy which links annual adjustments to the consumer price index (CPI). Based on the CPI average for 2019, trustees will see a 2.2 per cent pay increase for 2020.
Prior to the board approving the increase, Quentin Bruns, trustee for Electoral Area 2 (City of Enderby/CSRD Area E/District of Sicamous/Regional District for the North Okanagan Area F), suggested remuneration be tied to something “more concrete” such as student numbers. He explained remuneration could mirror annual student numbers, increasing or decreasing with the annual student population.
“I like that because I think it avoids that bit of navel gazing as to what we’re worth, as well as trying to compare ourselves to other districts and what they’re doing,” said Bruns. “It takes that sort of controversial element out of our hands.”
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Marty Gibbons, trustee for Electoral Area 3 (Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C and F), did not support straying from the current policy. He said, “It’s just dangerous to really start getting creative on this topic.”
The supported remuneration for 2020, beginning Dec. 1, 2019, is as follows: $16,946 for the board’s chairperson; $15,405 for board vice-chair; and $13,865 for trustees.
Board chairperson and Salmon Arm trustee Amanda Krebs noted the increase amounts to about $300.