mayor

Fort Frances council has rejected the idea of making the mayor’s position full-time.

Administration suggested an increased workload as a reason.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas, who is not seeking a second term, admits the job is well-paid, but the role has changed, requiring more time to be devoted than ever before.

“To be effective, I’m working full-time. It’s a full-time position,” says Hallikas.

“If you drive by, you’ll see my car here on the weekends as well. Because what you need to be doing is you have to be out there and networking, making connections, volunteering for all sorts of committees that you’re not required to be on, but that’s how you make connections.”

Hallikas says he is fortunate that with his pension, he can afford to live on a mayor’s salary.

Administration had proposed increasing it to as high as $50,000 a year, from the just under $38,000 now offered.

Councillor Mike Behan (BEE-un) says while he understands the value of a full-time mayor, such a salary bump was concerning.

“We have the problem of affordability in our community to afford a $50,000 a year position vis-a-vis the other communities that we are sort of comparing against,” says Behan

Councillor John McTaggart agrees.

“There are people in town who are having trouble making their mortgages, and houses are being repossessed,” says McTaggart.

“I think we need a balance between administration and mayor working together to make this work.”

Council did agree to increases of $500 a month for the mayor and $200 for members of council.

The councillor appointed deputy mayor would earn a salary that is 70% of the mayor’s.

The increases would take effect after this fall’s municipal elections.

Council also rejected a proposal to establish a new per-meeting payment that would have provided members of council an additional sum of up to $150 for every council meeting and $75 for every committee meeting they attended.

“We’re being paid a salary for 10 meetings. I don’t think we should be paying on top of that,” says Behan.

Additional allowances for Internet and phone services were also rejected.