As the cost of living soars and Edward River residents face a 4.4% rate increase this year, Edward River councillors have voted to give themselves a fee increase, taking them to the maximum pay bracket available for NSW rural councillors.
Councillors fees are set by the NSW Government according to a council’s classification.
For Edward River Council, councillor fees can range from $9,850 to a maximum of $13,030.
Council voted last week to pay themselves the maximum fee.
Councillors also voted to increase the mayor’s fee, paid in addition to the councillor fee to $28,430, also the maximum amount payable.
The fee range for Cr Betts is between $10,490 and $28,430.
Councillor Pat Fogarty was the only councillor to vote against the pay increases.
“We’ve pulled back on donations to the community, and funds to the community. I don’t see that this is going to alleviate the concerns of the community at all,” Cr Fogarty said.
Cr Fogarty reminded councillors they voted not to give themselves a pay rise last year.
“I can’t see any rationale that has changed from our perspective from last year,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Paul Fellows supported Cr Fogarty’s statement saying “we are expecting the community to shoulder the burden of our ongoing financials.
“I think it is quite hypocritical for us to expect a pay rise when everyone else is expected to shoulder the burden.”
Nonetheless, Cr Fellows voted to support the fee increase.
Cr Tarria Moore, in one of her longest arguments since becoming a councillor said she was underpaid for the work she does for Edward River.
“I wasn’t truly aware of how many hours it took and how much energy it took out of us to be able to complete the task to the quality that we try to. I feel that we don’t get paid enough,” she said.
Cr Moore also said she felt the mayor did not get paid enough either.
“We have to focus, understand, ask questions, come back, re-read, seek further clarification, come back, re-read. Like there is so much involved in understanding the information that is put in front of us.”
Cr Moore spoke about the time it took to understand the operational plan and budget and grasp what the community was asking the council to do to reduce the deficit.
"I truly believe that what we get paid already is well and truly below what we are worth.
“Just to cover our basics, of the hours we actually put into it. As much as community members might think that some of us don’t - just because they might not see us in the public eye - doesn’t mean that we’re not out and about and doing what we’ve been put on the stand to do.
“I’m absolutely feeling we deserve not this basic amount, we should even consider the increase that the maximums be the minimums.”
Cr Linda Fawns moved the motion for the fee increase to encourage diversity on the council and encourage others to nominate for council.
“We need to look at how we encourage young people to step up and represent their community,” she said.
“We don’t claim a lot of other expenses. I think this is a very small ask to keep with the times.”
Edward River Council’s councillor expenditure report from January to June 2022, the most current available on council’s website shows the councillors had more than $45,000 in expenses in the six month period.
This included $1446.56 for Cr Moore’s private vehicle expenses, $1831.72 for Cr Fawns to attend conferences and seminars, and over $30,000 for professional development for all councillors.
These expenses are paid on top of the councillor and mayoral fees.
In total, the councillors had the following expenses:
Mayor Peta Betts - $8,896.87
Deputy Mayor Paul Fellows - $6,356.65
Cr Linda Fawns - $6235.47
Cr Tarria Moore - $5,850.31
Councillors Pat Fogarty, Harold Clapham, Shirlee Burge and Marc Petersen all claimed $4,403.75 for IT costs and professional development only.
Council is required to publish these expenses every six months however no report is available on the website for July-December 2022.