By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Members of the County of Northumberland’s advisory committees receive no per diem reimbursement for their time or mileage reimbursement for their travels – but whether that should change will be discussed at county council’s Feb. 18 meeting.
The matter came up Tuesday at their Community Health Committee meeting as a request from the Physician Recruitment Advisory Committee, with acting Chief Administrative Officer Glenn Dees relay the concerns of Physician Recruitment Specialist Paula Mason.
Members of the committee who represent Ontario Health Team-Northumberland primary-care network physicians get some compensation, Dees said. As for committee members who are municipal councillors, he added, some get some compensation and some don’t. And community members as a rule get nothing.
Given that some of them drive from various locations throughout the county to attend meetings – and that many of them might do that as well for special recruitment events – Mason felt some mileage reimbursement would be a good idea.
“Participation remains voluntary, and it is considered a form of civic service. But there are inequities in the way the committee is currently functioning,” Dees summed up.
He also noted that the county policy of not paying per diems and mileage applies to all its advisory committee, and that granting this request might lead to a series of other committees wanting parity.
Councillor Bob Crate made the motion to ask for a staff report back on whether a change in policy – that would see some kind of per diem and/or mileage consideration – would be advisable and how much that might cost.
Councillor Brian Ostrander – not a committee member but sitting in – asked that the motion include a request for a larger discussion at the next council meeting.
