Council for the Rural Municipality of Ritchot is considering a pay raise.

Currently, councillors earn $17,380.92 per year, while Mayor Chris Ewen takes in $33,955.39 annually. Council has given first reading and if approved it will see councillors make $18,000 next year, while the Mayor will collect $35,000.

(Ritchot Mayor Chris Ewen)Ratepayer Dawn Harris is questioning why an increase of more than three percent is needed when the cost of living increase in this province is only half that amount.

"I think it's well earned," says Ewen. "I have never respected such a hard working group as much as I have my council and they deserve that little bit of a bump so that they don't feel like they are being cheated on their hard earned hours in their real jobs."

Ewen says sometimes councillors in Ritchot will use vacation days from their other job in order to attend municipal functions. He notes councillors are not paid enough and the amount they make is not enough to make anyone want the job.

Harris is also questioning why the mayor in Ritchot makes nearly double that of councillors, when the difference is much less in neighbouring municipalities.

Councillor Jeannot Robert has indicated councillors have no problem making half what the mayor makes.