For years, the role of Councillor in Norfolk County has been considered a part-time job—but that may be changing.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, staff presented a report aimed at adjusting council and mayoral salaries to better align with similar municipalities. However, councillors left the meeting requesting another staff report with additional information.
Councillor Adam Veri got the ball rolling, asking staff to explore more options when determining the pay scale—and perhaps more importantly, what the role of councillor truly entails.
Veri said having a part-time councillor in Norfolk just doesn’t cut it anymore.
CAO Al Meneses agreed with Veri, saying now is the right time to define the expectations so future candidates understand the commitment involved.
Mayor Amy Martin—who has served both as councillor and now as mayor—also supports better compensation for councillors.
She noted that this decision will influence who decides to run in 2026.
Other councillors asked staff to explore additional factors in the review.
If council becomes a full-time position, they want benefits to be considered as well.
In other municipalities, councillors are also compensated for sitting on external committees and boards.
Currently, in Norfolk, a councillor who sits on four boards earns the same as one who sits on none.
Still, not everyone was on board with increasing pay.
Councillor Doug Brunton felt the current compensation seems fair, based on the numbers presented.
The updated report is expected to return to council in June or July.