Tecumseh Mayor, Gary McNamara will receive a raise in the new year

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara in Tecumseh, Ont., on May 1, 2018. (Rich Garton / CTV Windsor)

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara will make more money in the new year after council voted to give him a raise.

A consultant who was contracted for a payroll review by the Town of Tecumseh reported back to council Tuesday evening.

"They compared the mayor and councillor salaries against those of similar municipalities and they found that while counselors were paid within the 65th percentile, the mayor wasn't within that range," says Lydia Miljan, political analyst.

"It's always awkward. The optics always look bad, but I think that the way that they've done it is at least shows that they're not giving themselves a raise. True, it does look bad that you know, we have an affordability crisis and taxpayer dollars are going to be spent and giving more money to the mayor, but at the same time the mayor has said to the same crisis as the rest of us."

Council approved the pay increase unanimously with McNamara recused from that decision.

The raise goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.