A third party independent panel will review how remuneration is calculated and make recommendations to the new board

Metro Vancouver has scrapped amendments to a bylaw approved last month which would have meant pay and benefit increases

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – Following public outcry, the Metro Vancouver board has unanimously voted to cancel a remuneration package it had approved for itself last month.

It wasn’t just the increase in pay and benefits they approved for themselves that upset people, it was the way it was done. It was voted on at a Friday meeting during spring break with very little in the way of a public conversation beforehand.

“The results of, I would say, some significant feedback and response — some from directors themselves — this is appropriate for us to revisit this matter,” said Vancouver City Councillor Raymond Louie.

Port Coquitlam Mayor and Board Chair Greg Moore also acknowledged the backlash from the public, and applauded board members for bringing the issue back to the table. “I think it takes great leadership of this group to actually say, ‘Yes, we might have missed the mark on this and we want to bring it back for reconsideration. We want to take a look at it.'”

Moore says he stands by the principles of what members were trying to achieve with the move.

“We still need to try to figure out ways to attract good people to run for local government, not only here in Metro Vancouver but across this province. We need to look at ways that also allow someone that might come mid-career [or] at the beginning of their career to be able to transition out of being in public life, back to their original careers.”

Board goes back to Smith, who offers a response to Councillor @RaymondLouie’s comments on pay in #WestVancouver. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/golWycTXEO — Hana Mae N. Nassar (@HanaMaeNassar) April 27, 2018

Moore had originally argued the increase in compensation was to offset the impact of federal changes, which will reduce director pay. He believes the federal budget-related changes need to be factored in.

“I think it’s hard enough to find good people to run for local government… They usually ask you, ‘How much do you get paid?’ and I say, ‘I get paid this, but if you get this job, it’s going to go down by about 15 per cent.’ It just does not make it attractive.”

“I think there are a lot of people that look at the remuneration, look at the transition out of it, look at the scrutiny — especially around the social media side and how ugly that can be for our society and dysfunctional for democracy — and say, ‘You know what? I’m not going to do it. I’m just going to stay in my private sector life and enjoy my family, my life, my income.'”

Third party panel to review

The board has now decided to bring in an independent review panel to evaluate director compensation.

“I felt strongly, as I chatted with some of the other directors, that bringing a third party independent group to look at how remuneration happens — not only here in Metro Vancouver but across Canada — was the right way to go forward,” Moore explains.

The panel will be made up of representatives from both the private and public sectors. It’s possible it could recommend an even higher pay increase than originally proposed, but Moore adds the group could also reduce it.

The lack of consultation was one of the main points the public and others have taken issue with. Moore says how similar votes will be conducted in the future is also something the panel will discuss.

“I hope the independent panel will bring back not just best practices on how you calculate remuneration, but actually how you get to that point of a decision as well,” he says. “I can use my own experience in Port Coquitlam. We brought a third party independent group in and they consulted with different groups… made recommendations.”

However, he questions whether holding a public meeting to discuss remuneration would be productive. “But I’m going to be hard stead to see if anybody comes out and says ‘yes, I think we should pay elected officials more.’ So I think you’re going to create a no-conversation.”

Tensions flare

On a scale of one to 10 — with 10 being the worst — Moore says Friday’s board meeting was one of the tougher ones rating it a 12.

“I know most of you. I’m a human like everyone else. I didn’t sleep last night, I’ve had many conversations with my wife about this. This is something that is always in your head, it’s always percolating through. And for me, and I think part of my success both as mayor and as chair, I try to work hard to predict what’s going to happen in the meeting so that I can chair the meeting as best I can, and I can allow all the directors to make sure their voices are heard and that we move in the same direction… I know leading up to this meeting, I tried to play through every scenario that could happen here today, and it was a very difficult topic and it was heated at some points.”

He’s referring to the flare up with West Vancouver Mayor Michael Smith, who criticized the way the original remuneration vote was handled, and opposed in today’s vote in part because of it.

“Putting it on an agenda after the original agenda was sent out at spring break, no need to rush it through because it’s not effective until November,” Smith said in meeting.

Smith took jabs at Metro Vancouver’s governing board, and questioned why decisions like these are made by a “finance and inter gov committee” many of the directors don’t even sit on.

Board goes back to Smith, who offers a response to Councillor @RaymondLouie’s comments on pay in #WestVancouver. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/golWycTXEO — Hana Mae N. Nassar (@HanaMaeNassar) April 27, 2018

“The bottom line is it’s curious that they unanimously voted to rescind the bylaw, and I was the only one that publically opposed the bylaw,” Smith said after the meeting. “The majority of them, the vast majority, supported it and now they unanimously voted to rescind it, and I’m the villain.”

He says personal attacks during the meeting were “terrible”, and claims he’s avoided taking part.

“Greg Moore calls me the Donald Trump of Metro. You know, my children and grand children hear that, my friends. That’s not appropriate.”

Councillor Raymond Louie had mentioned wage increases within a few municipalities, including one in West Vancouver that apparently saw about a rise of 15 per cent.

“This organization is supposed to be for municipalities working together for the betterment of the region, for the betterment of our region’s taxpayers,” Smith said post board meeting in response. “That’s what I think we should be doing in there, and I don’t think a lot of them realize that.”