Kingston Council Approves Pay Raise, Keeps Roles Part-Time

0:00Kingston City Council approved a pay raise for the next term starting November 15th, 2026. The mayor's salary climbs to $153,510 annually while district counselors get $53,000. $550 base pay. It passed in a 12-to-1 vote, keeping roles part-time. They scaled back big on support, though. Original plans for three full-time staff per counselor dropped to one full-time, one part-time, and a summer student. Travel budget shrink from $65,000 to $45,000, saving taxpayers over $150,000. Debate got heated around the table with some counselors saying, part-time gigs make it tough for parents or singles to run. Weeks can be exhausting without enough backup, but going full-time risks. Folks quitting jobs, losing pensions, just for four years. The report flags online abuse as a huge turn-off for candidates. New orientation includes harassment survival training to help with that mental toll and public pressure.

1:04Council plans to revisit full-time status later this decade, tied to award boundary review that could reshape the whole setup. That's the story for today. Calgary News Today, Driven by AI.