The school district finance committee has approved a 2.5 per cent indemnity increase for trustees. 

The committee recommendation will be presented to the Central Okanagan Board of Education for final adoption at an upcoming board meeting. 

The stipend increase is in accordance with board policy to grant indemnity increases in accordance with the BC Consumer Price Index (CPI)  for the period of July 2, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

If approved, the overall increase in the budget will amount to $4,800 a year. 

The indemnity increases break down to rising from $24,941 to $25,564 for trustees, from $26,341 to $27,000 for the board of education vice-chair and from $28,469 to $29,181 for the board chair. 

Trustee Lee-Ann Tiede, the finance committee chair, said the policy to follow the CPI allows trustees to not face the uncomfortable debate of giving themselves a pay raise, but rather have it based on established and transparent criteria, as the CPI guideline is one followed by numerous other school districts.

Board chair Julia Fraser also noted trustee indemnity is important for giving all residents the economic opportunity to serve in public office as school trustees, for it not to just be an attainable goal for the wealthy. 

"We need a diversity of skill sets and backgrounds to serve on school boards so they represent a broad spectrum of the community," Fraser said. 

"Trustee candidates should not be divided between those who can and those who can't financially."