The Independent

Lambton County councillors could soon be getting a pay increase.

Councillors have given the first approval for an increase of six per cent for 2025 – about $1,720 more for the year – bringing the annual pay for the elected position to $29,332 during a committee meeting. Council will have to approve the increase at its next full council meeting.

In 2022, the county looked at all elected officials salaries and decided to try to keep it in the range other governments Lambton’s size. At the end of 2024 a survey showed that while the warden’s pay of $88,363 was within the range, and the deputy warden’s salary of $43,935 was about $3,000 higher, the councillors were not paid at the same level as their counter parts.

Warwick Township Mayor Todd Case said while he’s content with what he’s receiving to do the work of the county, without regular adjustments, council will have to make tough decisions in the future to increase the rates by much larger amounts. “The reason that this report shows up is because we were so out of whack for so many years, and then all of a sudden there would be a huge increase that would come along …We always said Lambton County was a median range payer.”

Sarnia City/County Councillor Bill Dennis didn’t like the optics of politicians voting themselves raises, saying people shouldn’t get into politics for the money. “Politicians are the only ones that can give themselves raises, and the public resents that.

“Given today’s environment, I think the optics of this are horrible and terrible.”

But Lambton Shores Councillor Dan Sageman pointed out he had to leave work to do the business of the county and that costs him money in a time when the costs of mortgages and food are rising.

“If we want to attract a diverse crowd of people that want to be councillors, we need to take into account people such as myself, who take time away from our jobs and our business and lose money in that respect, to come here and do this.”

Sageman says the pay structure should continue to keep pace with rising prices “to make sure that we get people that are from different walks of life and different economic opportunities.”

The increase, if approved next month, will cost $25,800 for the 15 councillors.