City of Penticton payroll exceeds $23 million

PENTICTON – The City of Penticton spent nearly a quarter of a million dollars on mayor and council salaries and expenses last year, but that was only a fraction of the total $23,449,480 spent on salaries and expenses at City Hall in 2017.

Figures from the Statement of Financial Information report, released late last week, reveal the City paid Penticton’s six councillors and mayor a total of $224,635 in remuneration and expenses in 2017, recently released Statement of Financial Interest documents show.

Mayor Andrew Jakubeit took home $64,208 in salary and submitted $5,720 in expenses last year. Coun. Judy Sentes had the second highest expenses on council coming in at $4,697.

All six councillors were paid approximately $23,000 each in salary.

Councillors Helena Konanz, Judy Sentes, Andre Martin also took home an additional $13,000 from the regional district for their service on the regional district board of directors, with Jakubeit paid more than $14,000.

The city had 105 employees earning more than $75,000 last year, up from 97 in 2016, for a total cost of $11,258,228.37, which is up $1,611,754.21 from 2016.

No one at city hall has broken the $200,000 level, but some are getting close.

Lineman Frederick Weir made $190,595.04, followed by general manager of infrastructure Mitch Moroziuk, who made $189,501.22.

Journeyman lineman Geoff Mander pulled in $185,882.94, while chief administrative officer Peter Weeber made $178,990, and electrical utility sub-foreman Amory Walliser accounted for $177,392.09 of the city payroll.

A total of 56 employees joined the six-figure club this year, earning more than $100,000.

At least 33 salaries were affected by significant overtime incurred due to emergency events in the city last year, some of which was recovered through the province.

Another 10 salaries also increased due to overtime which occurred due to the Telus fibre optic project, with all monies attributable to that project recoverable.

Six severance agreements, ranging from two weeks to six months compensation, commenced between the city and its employees last year.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.