Stipend could increase to $69,000, depending on hours/responsibilities, if recommendations accepted
The next Woodstock mayor could receive a significant pay increase after the next election, if the council approves a bylaw amendment.
At the Nov. 25 meeting of the Woodstock Town Council, an ad-hoc committee presented recommendations for updated remuneration, which would take effect after the next election.
“Since amalgamation, we’ve seen the role go from essentially a part-time role to more of a full-time job,” explained councillor Norm Brown. “We want qualified candidates to run for mayor and council, but the position of mayor, as we say, has become a full-time job, and no one’s going to be expected to leave a full-time job with a good salary to work for a lot less money.”
Mayor Trina Jones explained her experience to the council, noting she took on the role with the intention of it being part-time, only to find herself often working 60 to 80 hours a week to keep up with the demands of her work and council commitments. She said she left her previous job to focus full-time on her mayoral responsibilities.
Councillors said they’d spoken to other mayors across the province and found many were experiencing similar workload challenges.
“It has become a lot of work,” said Mayor Jones.
Currently, the mayor receives a $45,000 annual stipend with no additional compensation or benefits. The ad-hoc committee recommends significant increases that would take effect after the May 2026 election.
If the next mayor chooses to serve part-time, averaging 24-32 hours per week, the committee recommends a stipend of $32,000 per year, with up to $5,500 in additional benefits and supports, including retirement savings contributions, discretionary expenses, and professional development. Altogether, a part-time mayor could receive as much as $37,500.
If the next mayor commits to 32-50 hours per week, with an expected average of 40 hours, the committee recommended a $50,000 annual stipend, plus up to $11,000 in additional benefits and support.
In addition, if a full-time mayor assumes responsibility for Police Governance and Oversight, as the current mayor does, the group proposes an additional $8,000 in annual compensation. In total, a full-time mayor could receive up to $69,000 in yearly compensation.
Municipalities sometimes have a board to govern the police force. Some municipalities have the mayor take that responsibility. In some municipalities, police force governance responsibilities are handled by the CAO.
The Woodstock Council hopes these compensation changes will be more in line with the increased exceptions granted to the mayor over the last few years and will help encourage more quality candidates to apply for the position in the future.
Dan Murphy is the Executive Director of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB).
In an email to the River Valley Sun, he said municipal leaders’ workloads have increased exponentially since amalgamation, but wouldn’t comment on the amounts suggested by Woodstock Town Council.
“The work of the council has changed significantly through local government reform, with more responsibilities being placed on the mayor and council. It is important for councils to regularly review compensation to make sure it is adequate for the workload and in line with similar communities that offer similar services. UMNB encourages its communities to review its compensation regularly.”
Woodstock Council directed town staff to revise and update the council remuneration by-law and bring it back for discussion at their December meeting for consideration of first reading. After that, the public will be invited to provide feedback before the bylaw returns for second and third readings in January.
“I’ve never been mayor,” Councillor Jeff Bradbury offered. “Being the longest serving councillor around this table, [I see how] the workload has definitely increased. I welcome this discussion, I really do, because the demands now are a lot higher.”
During the municipal amalgamation process, a Government of New Brunswick steering group developed a salary range. In 2022, the local municipal transition committee set the remuneration amount. That committee included representation from the town and every Local Service District that would become part of the newly formed municipality.
By comparison, Oromocto, which is roughly the size of the municipality of Woodstock, pays its mayor $36,000 in remuneration. Their tax base is nearly twice that of the Town of Woodstock, due to CFB Gagetown.
In the western valley, remuneration varies. The mayor of the District of Carleton North receives $50,000. The mayors of Nackawic-Millville, Hartland, and Southern Victoria are paid $12,000. The mayor of Lakeland Ridges gets $12,500.
