A Saint John councillor is proposing fewer but better-paid council members in the city.
Brent Harris plans to introduce a motion that would reduce the 10-member council to six.
Currently, there are two councillors for each of the four wards and two at-large councillors.
His proposal, called “Democratic Reform,” would see the two at-large councillors remain, but just one member for each ward.
Harris also proposes increasing council salaries to a “full-time salary” of $59,000, up from the current $34,500.
The councillor said this would ensure members “can focus on the work of the municipal council, community engagement, and committee work.”
“Currently, one of the challenges we face for our elected officials is a wide disparity between the output and engagements of councillors who are required to continue to work full-time and work their council business haphazardly and those councillors who are retired and can put in more work,” Harris wrote in a report to council.
“It is difficult enough to imagine running for office, and made all the more difficult if the remuneration doesn’t provide a full-time wage if one is successful in getting elected.”
Harris is also proposing bylaw changes that would see the mayor give an annual performance review to each council member.
He also wants the mayor to have the ability to vote on all motions at council, not just in the event of a tie.
The proposal is expected to come before council at a future meeting for discussion.
