Hanover School Division Trustees Reduce Indemnity Increase Against Policy
In a surprising move, trustees in the Hanover School Division have decided to reduce their indemnity increase, going against their own policy. Finance Chair Ron Falk explains that trustees determine their own indemnities, similar to MLA’s and city councillors, but they typically wait until negotiations are settled for all employee groups before considering salary increases for senior administration and trustees.
Years ago, the board passed a policy guiding indemnity increases for trustees in Hanover, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Winnipeg. However, with the CPI in Winnipeg at 7.7%, much higher than the 3.3% settled by employee groups for 2023, trustees felt it was necessary to deviate from the policy and opt for the lower increase.
For the current year, trustees also approved a reduced increase, aligning with the 3% settled by employee groups. Additionally, a $50 increase in the daily indemnity rate was approved, marking the first change in over 10 years. This indemnity compensates trustees for attending special meetings or events that may require time off work, but does not cover events like Christmas concerts.
The decision to reduce the indemnity increase showcases the trustees’ commitment to fiscal responsibility and aligning with the settlements of other employee groups. Despite the temptation of a higher increase, trustees have chosen to prioritize fairness and consistency in their compensation.