New Westminster Record July 19 2018

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LOCAL NEWS – LOCAL MATTERS

THURSDAY JULY 19, 2018

IS THERE A MOVE IN YOUR FUTURE?

H O M E T O W N

N E W S P A P E R

Man accused of assaulting dog Cayley Dobie

cdobie@newwestrecord.ca

Police would like to speak with a man who allegedly kicked a dog at the Queen’s Park dog park. The incident happened on June 4. According to the New Westminster Police Department, a man, who was at the park with his own dog, allegedly kicked another dog before running off. Officers were called, but the man was gone. Flyers circulating on social media allege there have been two incidents of the man kicking a dog at the park. In both cases, the flyer alleges the attacks were unprovoked. New Westminster Police could only confirm the June 4 incident. “A New Westminster resident reportedly had her dog off leash when it lunged at a male who was running by with his dog.The man allegedly kicked her dog several times before leaving,” police wrote in an email to the Record. The man is described as a Caucasian, mid-30s, with a medium build and sandy brown hair. He is about five-foot-11 and was wearing a T-shirt and shorts at the time of the incident.

LEGO MY CITY: Maria Tashkova and five-year-old Damian check out downtown New Westminster done in Lego as part of the People Gotta Move exhibit at the New Westminster Museum. Read the full story on page 3. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

End council retirement payouts: Progressives Lauren Boothby editorial@newwestrecord.ca

The New Westminster Progressive Electors Coalition is calling for an end to a remuneration policy that sees outgoing members of council take home tens of thousands of dollars in retirement pay. The city’s policy pays mayor and council, in a one-time payout, 10 per cent of their annual indemnity for each year on council in separation allowances, up to a maximum of 12 years. Mayor Jonathan Cote, who has been a member of council since 2005 and mayor since 2014,

would take home $60,183.28 if not re-elected. Councillors Bill Harper, Jaimie McEvoy and Lorrie Williams would receive $36,636.91 each, with Chuck Puchmayr receiving $26,635.85. Councillors Mary Trentadue and Patrick Johnstone would draw $15,927.30 each. Progressives council candidate Daniel Fontaine said the funds should be spent elsewhere. “We think when taxpayers look at these types of pension payouts for city council positions, they look around and they see roads that aren’t well-maintained, they see open ditches in Queensbor-

ough, they see services that are not in their community,” he told the Record. “Our group felt that, as a message to taxpayers, that we’re going to respect the funds they send to city hall.” The party is pledging to put forward a motion to rescind the policy, if elected. If the motion doesn’t pass, they would ask city staff to deposit the retirement funds into the city’s rent bank. The group also says they will not vote to increase their pay while sitting on council, but instead vote to determine the pay of future council members, a policy that would only come into effect

following the next municipal election in 2022. Cote says the independent, arm’s-length review of council compensation in 2008 recommended separation allowances because councillors do not receive a pension or retirement benefits. “The policy has been effective in providing an independent assessment of remuneration and has taken council salary out of the hands of elected officials,” he said in an emailed statement. “Conducting another independent review would be costly and would duplicate the work done in 2008.” Coun. Patrick Johnstone agreed

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that current policy, including the retirement bonus, was acceptable. “I guess it comes down to whether you think that people who work for city council are actually doing jobs or not,” he said. “I honestly think it’s a real job, it’s a serious job. It requires a lot of time and energy, and if we want people to serve on these jobs, we need to compensate them.” Johnstone said that because elected officials don’t have access to the municipal pension plan, the separation allowances make sense. “I wouldn’t ask a police officer not to receive a pension after doing their work for the city, right?”

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New Westminster Record July 19 2018 by New West Record - Issuu