I was disappointed to read that some Dillon Town Council members apparently believe that a foremost (perhaps the foremost) reason for serving on the Town Council is for financial gain — “… a considerable increase in compensation could attract more qualified candidates to run in future elections.” “… there is not much incentive for people to run for Town Council because the compensation is so little.”

What about serving the community as an incentive? I’m not opposed to council members being paid, and perhaps more than they are currently receiving — I accepted my check when I was on the council. But while increasing the pay may result in a greater quantity of candidates, it will not, in my opinion, increase the quality of candidates — and may even have the opposite effect.

A single-minded focus on maintaining and improving the quality of life for the residents of and visitors to the town should be the incentive for seeking a position on the Dillon Town Council. The financial compensation, whatever it is, is merely a token of appreciation.