There will be no last-minute goodbye gift for the 11 politicians leaving city council after the term’s final debate Tuesday.

In a request one soon-to-be former councillor called “appalling,” Dale Henderson sought to end his lone term at city hall with a push to give him and his fellow departees a severance package: one month of pay for every term served.

“Let’s unanimously have a group hug,” Henderson urged his colleagues in seeking across-the-board support for his idea.

Unfortunately for Henderson, like many of his proposals over the past four years it garnered not even the second vote needed to make it a formal motion. One colleague was especially outspoken in her opposition.

“I find it appalling that elected officials would request severance pay,” said Nancy Branscombe, who is leaving after two terms in Ward 6. “It’s public service. This is a part-time job.

“I find it so distasteful and appalling.”

Though he didn’t back Henderson’s motion, Bud Polhill — who lost his re-election bid and will leave politics after a quarter-century — indicated a severance for exiting council members may be worth considering.

It could help encourage more people to run for office in the future, he said.

Coun. Judy Bryant, who didn’t seek re-election in Ward 13 and leaves after 11 years, then moved a motion to have the task force that reviews council pay also study giving a one-month severance to departing politicians, regardless of their tenure.

It appeared unlikely that Bryant’s proposal would have applied to this council.

The motion lost 9-4, with Bryant, Henderson, Polhill and Harold Usher in support. All others were opposed, though Sandy White and Stephen Orser were absent.

A whopping 11 of 15 city councillors are leaving office. Polhill, Joe Swan, Stephen Orser, Paul Van Meerbergen, Denise Brown and Sandy White were defeated in the Oct. 27 election. Russ Monteith, Joni Baechler, Branscombe, Henderson and Bryant opted not to seek another term.

Usher, Bill Armstrong and Paul Hubert were re-elected. Matt Brown, a ward councillor this term, was elected mayor.

patrick.maloney@sunmedia.ca

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