School District 43 trustees saw an average jump in pay of about 10%, according to the most recent Statement of Financial Information documents published online this week.
SOFI documents for the 2019-2020 school year ending June 30, saw trustees making more than they did previously.
However, one trustee opted out of the pay hike.
Coquitlam trustee Jennifer Blatherwick who has raised concerns about trustee pay in the past makes $7,399 or roughly 16.5% less than her trustee colleagues, according to income figures released this week.
She told the Tri-City News in an email that she requested in 2019 “that my indemnity remain at $43,750 going forward.”
While the trustee pay hike is reflected in the 2019-2020 documents, the change took place in 2019.
That’s when the salary was raised to make up for changes in a new tax rule that took away a 30% tax free indemnity for municipal politicians. Trustee pay is automatically updated each year to reflect an average of Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam councillor pay.
At the time Blatherwick suggested that the pay of Anmore village council be added to the calculation but the suggestion was not adopted.
Trustee wages and expenses are as follows, according to the SOFI documents:
Coquitlam trustees
Jennifer Blatherwick: $43,895 Expenses - $707
Carol Cahoon: $51,294 Expenses - $1,062
Barb Hobson: $53,504 Expenses - $2,944
Craig Woods, vice-chair: $52,754 Expenses $1,195
Anmore/Belcarra
Kerri Palmer Isaak, chair: $54,214 Expenses $1,581
Port Moody
Lisa Park: $51,294 Expenses $1,108
Keith Watkins: $51,294.36 Expenses 0
Port Coquitlam
Christine Pollock: $52,399 Expenses $1,262.73
Michael Thomas: $51,294 Expenses $881.74
