At their last public meeting of the year, Campbell River school trustees voted to give themselves a pay raise effective July 1.
The total annual increase amounts to $10,505, with a $1,593 increase for the chair, $1,612 for the vice-chair, and $1,460 each for the other five trustees.
Daryl Hagen, who has served on the board for decades, says the raise is based on a formula set up in 2005 intended to keep pay increases impartial and in line with other school districts, and attract people to run for elected trustee positions.
“I think it’s healthy so you can have good people who are running on the board,” he says. “This takes a lot of the self-recrimination factor out of it because it’s OK to give yourself a raise when you’re doing a lot of work.”
Trustees pointed out remuneration in Campbell River is at the lower end of the scale compared to other Island school districts.
After unanimously approving the raise June 20, they also voted to get staff to compare rates with other school districts throughout BC, to be reviewed at next year’s budget.
