qathet Museum and Archives Society is requesting additional funds from qathet Regional District (qRD) in 2023, primarily to adjust wages to help recruit and retain staff.
At the qRD finance committee meeting on February 9, regional directors heard a delegation from museum representatives, requesting the adjustment.
Museum society treasurer Tim Wall said there was a request for funding from qRD. According to a spreadsheet provided by the museum, in 2022, the regional district provided $210,000, and the request for 2023 is $243,000, which is a $33,000 increase.
“The main reason for that budget increase is, we have revamped the pay grid for the staff in the museum,” said Wall. “We have trouble retaining staff and also recruiting staff.
“I asked William [Adams, executive director] to do an evaluation of the competitive factor of wages in the museum and the standard of living in Powell River. He was to determine whether we were a living wage employer or whether we were not. We are not a living wage employer and could not meet the standard for living within Powell River.”
Wall said the biggest change in expenditures in the proposed budget was in the salary line, which brings salaries up to a living wage.
“It’s a competitive rate within the industry of museums within BC,” said Wall.
Wall said the museum recently had a vacancy in the program coordinator position, so Adams revamped the positions so that the curator position the museum has had an impossible time trying to fill has been taken on by Adams.
“He’s qualified as a curator,” said Wall. “He’s turned his position into executive director and curator. We have three applicants for an assistant curator and program director position. We’ll have a multi-talented staff; they’ll work as a team and bring extra people into the museum.”
Wall said because of unfilled positions, the museum has a surplus and will be able to use some of the money for a shelving system that will bring organization out of chaos.
Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox asked about a budget line item showing a significant increase in maintenance and repair. Wall said there was an asbestos abatement program going on.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said looking at salaries, there was a jump of about 26 per cent.
“I know you’re not the only organization in town having staffing issues,” said Gisborne. “If the cost of living and staffing shortages continue to be a problem in the future, have you come up with any other options so next year we don’t have another 26 per cent increase?”
Wall said the positions have been revamped so that people who are applying for positions are qualified for them. He said also, there was a part-time executive assistant working 20 hours per week who would be going to 40 hours a week. Wall said this will take some of the administrative pressure away from Adams.
