Elected officials give a portion of their salary for nearly 10 years

News 2 February, 2018

Photo courtesy Mario Ouimet
The municipal council of Saint-André, during his swearing-in in October 2017. Before: Josianne Sirois, Suzanne Bossé, Ghislaine Chamberland. Behind: Guy Lapointe, Benoit St-Jean, Alain Parent, and the mayor Gervais Darisse.

Stephanie Gendron

Friday, 2 February 2018 10:43

UPDATE
Friday, 2 February 2018 10:47

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SAINT-ANDRÉ-DE-KAMOURASKA| for nearly 10 years, the elected representatives of a village of the Bas-Saint-Laurent pour a good portion of their salary in a fund that has helped to buy half of a natural reserve, as well as funding for a project to store and affordable housing.

The elected of Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, Bas-Saint-Laurent, back together around $ 4000 per year. It is about one-quarter of their annual salaries. Since the end of the year 2009, they have established a fund of 33 410 $, spent as for projects in the village.

“It is a free decision to each of the elect, and it is tax deductible. It is as a gift, simply”, said the mayor Gervais Darisse.

In 2017, the mayor of Saint-André, a municipality of about 600 people, received a salary of 5416 $ and every councillor has received 1804 $. “This is not because we are overpaid, it is by conviction. We didn’t elect to pay,” explains the mayor.

Buy a nature reserve

This money was used to illuminate the bell tower of the church, beautify the village, to partially fund a housing project and buy the half of the natural reserve of the Fouquette river.

“Also, for example, we funded a brochure on the aboiteaux. As it was a pedagogical tool, it would have been challenged to use the taxes of the taxpayers. The funds of the elected officials was used to this,” adds the mayor.

Their initiative gave a citizen the idea of participating in fund of the elect. He handed over a $20.

The mayor said that elected officials show the example. “When the elected representatives of the community put their hands in their pockets, it gives you the taste, when fund-raisers. People give and are generous. It gives the taste to the people to give,” said the mayor.