The Halifax West
Cleary's motion would have restricted any further increases to council's pay until either November
requested last fall by deputy mayor Steve Craig.
But both Craig and Cleary's efforts weren't all that appreciated by some of their colleagues.
“I do not understand why
Walker claimed his residents in Halifax–Bedford Basin West don’t care about his salary and suggested Cleary and Craig’s reasons for bringing the issue forward were personal.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have run for council if you didn’t want the conditions that come with
Those comments earned Walker a gentle reminder from mayor Mike Savage not to question his fellow councillors’ motivations.
Other councillors were just tired of being pilloried in the press about the matter.
“I don’t see the point of doing this every three, four years and falling into the pitfalls we have, that are basically a media construct,” said Richard Zurawski.
“I’m done with this, OK?” said a weary Bill Karsten, who apparently had fought his last “battle on [this] hill.
“I say this respectfully to our CAO who is beloved in this community; it’s a flaw to have him give us that recommendation,” said Karsten, about the upcoming staff report. “I can’t say it any clearer than that because anywhere where you see good governance from coast-to-coast-to-coast, it’s somebody external that makes the decision.”
The motion from Cleary came a month after
Cleary's motion was ultimately deferred by a vote of 10-7, to be discussed again once Craig's staff report comes back at the end of April.