The Editor,
Re: "Directors reject fee slash," News, Dec. 5.
Mayor and council of Richmond appoint representatives from Richmond Council to represent our city on the Board of Directors and Committees of Metro Vancouver. The public sector salaries database of the Vancouver Sun for 2010, indicates Mayor Brodie was paid more than $113,000 and councillors were paid more than $53,000.
Elected officials are not paid by the hour, the day, or the month, but they are paid by the year. This compensation is for their services every day of the year. Some councillors will devote more time to their civic duties than others. Some members of council have another job while others are retired and have more time to attend to civic responsibilities.
While at Metro Vancouver, they receive $346 for each half-day meeting and for meetings more than four hours, it doubles to $692. Citizens of Richmond have already compensated them to represent us. I see this as double dipping. They should be reimbursed for expenses such as transportation, parking or loss wages from their job. If Metro Vancouver wants to reimburse their board members for their services, then these funds should be directed to the City of Richmond, not the councillors.
What's next, compensation for ribbon cutting or attending a meeting to welcome people to Richmond at a convention or a sports event?
Robert A. Jackson Richmond
