Members of Steinbach city council will be getting an increase in pay. Meeting in committee Tuesday night, councillor Earl Funk moved that council accept the recommendations from the Mayor's Task Force on Council Remuneration, except the clause that would give them a $100 per month technology allowance. The changes will see the mayor's pay go from about $33,000 per year to $44,000 and councillor's pay go from about $13,000 to $18,000. Councillor Susan Penner seconded the motion noting this is still well below the $30,000 per year that councillors are paid in the RM of Hanover.

Mayor Chris Goertzen says this is an uncomfortable topic for council and that's why it asked an independent task force to prepare recommendations.

"We didn't want to make the decision solely on our own information but we wanted a perspective from people outside council to give us some recommendations. Those recommendations were accepted by council today and they will come forward in the future at a regular council meeting."

The pay raises will add about $40,000 a year in costs to the city's budget. Goertzen says the increase looks like a lot if you look at it in percentage terms. But he adds, when you look at it dollar wise, it's not nearly as significant.

"The important thing is that we as council need to make sure that we set this up for future councils so that we can get excellent people on council, that people get compensated accordingly and that we continue to have a functioning third-largest city in Manitoba."

Councillor John Fehr noted that, when you consider all the hours put in by council members, they are probably getting paid less than minimum wage. Goertzen says the hours of council members extend well beyond the many meetings they attend.

"When you're a mayor or councillor, you're always a mayor or councillor, whether you're in the grocery store, whether at your own business, whether you're at home answering the phone. But, at the same time, council members don't do this for the pay, they do it because they love their city and they want to make a better city. At the same time, we want to make sure that appropriate compensation is paid for the time and effort that is put in."

Council was unanimous in approving the motion. Goertzen says the committee motion will be presented at an upcoming city council meeting for final approval.