Recently directors at the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) voted to give themselves a small raise of 1.8 per cent and a per meeting payment increase to $111 from $103. At the meeting, one director made mention of the fact the media were in attendance, chastising us for our interest.
You bet I'm interested! How the directors deal with the item of remuneration tells us a lot about them. Do they devalue themselves and say no raise is needed, they are simply public servants, or do they think they're kings and queens and give themselves a huge pay hike to match their egos?
In this case, neither was true, and I'd say directors found a common ground that was acceptable, at least to me.
I have to attend multiple SCRD and District of Sechelt meetings nearly every week, and sometimes I leave those four-hour marathons wishing I was being paid a little more for the suffering it caused me.
More often than not, those long meetings only result in a few stories for Coast Reporter, but we make sure we're there to keep informed and pass on interesting information to the public. Plus, you never know when something juicy might come up. The most boring headings can hide within them an amazing controversy or plan that's in the works. If we didn't go, we wouldn't know - and neither would you.
But at least I can show up and leave only thinking about those few stories that need to be written. Directors, mayors and councillors must give the same consideration and thought to each and every item, no mater how trivial it may seem, because you can bet it matters to someone.
That consideration starts long before a meeting is called to order with the reading of dozens of documents and background information so that when an item is introduced, our public servants know what they're talking about. At least we hope that's how it works.
If someone doesn't do their homework, it becomes obvious during discussion and the public is a fickle friend. If they feel they are not being heard or their concerns are not valued, our elected officials will hear about it.
Recently Sechelt Mayor Darren Inkster noted in a meeting that the public is starting to get venomous in their emails to council and he cautioned the public to be careful they are not saying anything libelous in their comments. From that comment, I would guess that being a councillor or director or mayor isn't all sunshine and roses. You need to have a thick skin to take the attacks, which, by the way, I feel are totally unwarranted. We elected these people to run our communities, and while we may have comments to make, there is no reason they can't be made in a civilized manner.
These politicians are still people, and I'd like to think they are doing the best they can. You can disagree; just keep that disagreement civil.
With all our elected politicians have to deal with, perhaps we could pay them a little more. If I were a director voting on what my pay should be, I'd put in a motion for something a little higher than a 1.8 per cent raise and $8 more per meeting. And I'd slide the reporter a twenty just for showing up.
