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North Bay council has approved itself an across the board wage increase at the committee stage.  The proposal still has to pass a full council vote, likely next Monday.

The proposal would boost the mayor`s salary by 10 percent to about $65,000.   The largest salary hike is for the deputy mayor which goes up by 30 percent to just under $27,000.

A councillor`s pay would jump about 25 percent to roughly $23,700.   The proposal includes annual CPI increases and the new salaries would take effect New Year`s Day.

Meanwhile councillor Mac Bain wanted to deny pay hikes to councillors who vote against an increase. Bain says when he`s raised salary issues in the past, some councillors voted against them but willingly accept the increase after the fact.  

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That`s despite lambasting him in the media after the debate.  In Monday`s debate, Derek Shogren and George Maroosis flat out rejected Bain`s suggestion with Maroosis calling it a new twist on voting.  

Councillors Mark King and Jeff Serran opposed the increases altogether with Serran saying it`s not the right time.   The proposal also calls for city council to get benefits or eight percent more in salary in lieu of not signing on for benefits. 

One element that was not included in the salary raises was bringing back an old practice of paying members of council to sit on agencies, boards and commissions.

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