North Coast Review
[This story originally appeared on The North Coast Review, a blog based in Prince Rupert that contains “items of interest to those living on the North Coast of BC.”]
A city report on employee remuneration was reviewed at Monday’s Prince Rupert City Council session.
The report shows which city staff members have jumped into the upper tiers of the salary schedules over the last 365 days, with some new names and increasing numbers making their way onto the listings for this year. (Some of the highest-earners are listed lower down in this blog post).
Those findings come from the annual release of the Report on Civic Employee Remuneration and Expenses, a document which is included as part of this year’s Statement of Financial Information for 2020 (SOFI).
The annual listings of those employees making more than $75,000 is required to be disclosed by the municipality as part of the Financial Information Regulations. The statement is usually released as part of the large final stream of financial information that is delivered each June.
The growing number of those crossing over the reporting threshold of $75,000 continues a trend which has seen more names added to the upper tier of the list in recent years.
This year finds 88 names listed in the 2020 SOFI disclosures as part of the latest report.
That compares to the 77 names recorded in 2019 and the 74 that were accounted for in 2018.
The boost to the reporting lists comes as the city increases staffing or fills in positions suspended in the past by the current council, with many of the recent hires now crossing over that threshold of $75,000 required for the more in depth accounting.
As it was for the City Council compensation, the travel restrictions of 2020, had a significant impact on the value of travel expenses, which were down significantly from 2019.
Salaries for 2020 that were provided to those working in the upper level of Civic Administration included:
City Manager Robert Long
Remuneration and Taxable Benefits — $256,165
Other remuneration — $18,414
Training and Related travel expenses — $0
Business Travel and Other expenses — $7,260
(Expense amounts make for decrease from last years report)
City Financial Office Corinne Bomben
Remuneration and Taxable Benefits — $164,526
Training and Travel expenses — $2,081
Business Travel and Other Expenses — $1,521
( Expenses amount makes a decrease from last years report)
Director of Operations Richard Pucci
Remuneration and Taxable Benefits — $153,712
Training and Travel Expenses $0
Business Travel and Other Expenses — $22,312
(Expense amounts make for a decrease from last years report)
Manager of Economic Development and Transportation Paul Venditelli
Remuneration and Taxable Benefits — $106,444
Training and Travel Expenses $0
Business Travel and Other Expenses — $32,509
(Salary and Expense amounts make for an increase from last years report)
Corporate Administrator Rosa Maria Miller
Remuneration and Taxable Benefits — $102,740
Training and Travel Expenses $2,630
Business Travel and Other Expenses — $158
(Ms. Miller joined the city’s staff in 2019, the 2020 salary is a significant increase from her starting salary level of 2019)
Recreation Director David Geronazzo and Civic Planner Zeno Krekic are both listed in the 2020 SOFI report at levels below 100 thousand dollars, both left the employ of the city in 2020.
One of the largest blocks in this year’s salary list comes from the membership of the Prince Rupert Fire/Rescue Department, along with members of the roster of 911 Fire dispatchers.
The total salaries and expenses from those Fire/Rescue listings accounted for just over $2.2 million for 2020.
The remainder of the positions that are listed from the SOFI report span a number of departments from both civic administration and operations.
