Former Mayor Allocates Councillor Attendance Fees to Animal Shelter

A compensation for… dogs. And, no offense to the quadrupeds he loves so much, Mario Arduino, former mayor of the peninsula, has decided to allocate it directly to dogs. It will go to the «Rifugio animali felici» of Desenzano, a small and commendable local association that deals with stray animals and provides meals and aid to abandoned dogs and cats — the attending fee due to city councilors. “That’s what I decided,” — he explains after formalizing the decision with a letter sent to the City Hall secretariat.

Decisions on the Compensation of Councilors

This is a logical consequence of the firm stance taken during the city council meeting that took place a few evenings ago, which decided the fees to be paid to the local administrators. Increased compensation that would allow nearly 6 million lira to be paid to the mayor of Sirmione. Surveyor Maurizio Ferrari has decided to receive, contrary to what was previously allowed, an indemnity of 3,200,000 lira.

He will receive about 1,400,000 lira, less other assessors. But it was the «attendance fee» allocated to councilors that prompted the firm stance of the former mayor, identical to that adopted in 1985. “The State grants us 35,000 lira as a stipend for participating in the Council meetings, which always last several hours,” says Arduino.

I consider this an unacceptable compensation for a councilor who makes decisions that also have civil and criminal implications. I do not accept charity offerings.