How missing council meetings could cost councillors in Georgetown
A proposed bylaw could cost the Georgetown council members a portion of their honorarium if attendance at town council meetings is not above 80 per cent.
If passed, the bylaw would see a percentage of the performance portion deducted from the $2,800 honorarium councillors receive if they miss meetings.
Georgetown councillor Michael Gallant is chair of the standing committee of finance, he said the new bylaw would be an improvement if it passes.
"This new one puts into place new practices and new codes and also probably an increased responsibility of members of council," said Gallant.
The new bylaw proposes council members will only be paid the full performance portion of their honorarium if they attend more than 80 per cent of council meetings.
The proposed bylaw states a meeting refers to a regular monthly council meeting, special meeting, an in-camera meeting, an emergency meeting, or a Standing Council Committee of the Town.
If a councillors`attendance is between 61- 80 per cent, they`ll get 80 per cent of their performance portion of their honorarium.
The more meetings councillors miss, the more the performance portion of the honorarium, which is about $700, drops.
A councillor who can only get to 50 - 59 per cent, they will receive 60 per cent; if a councillors` attendance is less than 50 per cent they only get 25 percent.
The proposed bylaw has passed the first reading and will have its second reading and resolution at Georgetown council's next meeting Feb.16.
Gallant said there would be exceptions to the proposed bylaw such as sickness.
"Sometimes people miss meetings every now and then. But it's something that we are addressing in this bylaw," Gallant said.
The proposed bylaw will also address rules on mileage, overnight accommodations, and for honorariums to be passed on to estates if a council member dies.
