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Two New West employees make the $200,000 club in 2019

Annual report details council and staff expenses
New Westminster city hall
New Westminster is calling on the federal government to make a national pharmacare program a priority.

Nearly 300 civic employees made the City of New Westminster’s sunshine list for 2019.

The City of New Westminster recently released its annual statement of financial information, which includes a number of reports, including one that lists employees earning remuneration and expenses of $75,000 or more. In addition to the $31.2-million tab for the 283 employees who received remuneration of $75,000 or more (up from 268 in 2018), the city also paid $25.9 million in remuneration for other city employees, excluding sworn members of the police department.

Two city employees topped the $200,000 mark in 2019 – down one from the previous year.

Chief administrative officer Lisa Spitale was once again on top with remuneration of $234,988. Fire Chief Tim Armstrong squeaked across the $200,000 threshold at $200,574.

Eighteen city employees – 14 men and four women – topped the $150,000 mark in 2019.

Jim Lowrie, director of engineering, wasn’t too far out of the $200,000 club, taking home $198,967. Next in line were: Dean Gibson, director of parks and recreation – $189,752; Rod Carle, general manager of the electrical utility – $187,953; Richard Fong, director of human resources – $180,662; Emilie Adin, director of development services –   $177,273; and Colleen Ponzini, former director of finance – $171,727.

Members of the city’s senior management team, fire chiefs and electrical utility employees are generally the top-paid
City of New Westminster employees.

Pierre Gaudrealt, manager of the electrical utility, took home $170,907 in 2019, followed by: Curtis Bremner, assistant deputy fire chief at $164,462; Steve Kellock, senior manager of recreation services and facilities at $161,211; Colin Milaney, a powerline technician at $159,148; and Alvin Chok, chief information officer at $158,339. Next up were deputy fire chief John Hatch at $157,742 and assistant deputy fire chief Rob Dick at $156,884.

The remainder of the city employees who earned over $150,000 last year were: Julie Spurrell, chief librarian – $155,368; Michael Nash, manager of electrical services – $155,276; Craig MacFarlane, city solicitor – $154,510; Jackie Teed, senior manager of development services – $151,290; and  Arne Hannula, manager of electric engineering design and planning – $150,072.

According to the statement of financial information, 170 employees earned between $100,000 and $200,000 in 2019. In addition to those earning $150,000 and up were: 13 employees receiving $140,000 to $149,999; 20 employees earning $130,000 to $139,999; 34 employees taking home $120,000 to $129,999; 49 employees receiving $110,000 to $119,999; and 35 employees getting $100,000 to $109,999.

All totalled, 111 employees had remuneration of $75,000 to $99,999.

Council pay

The tab for New Westminster city council topped $500,000 in 2019.

The annual statement of financial information includes a report outlining the remuneration and expenses for members of city council. In addition to $453,050 in remuneration for the six councillors and the mayor, the 2019 tab included $51,289 for expenses such as attendance at conferences, seminars, training, community events and city-sponsored events.

Mayor Jonathon Cote was tops in remuneration at $133,596, while all six council members received $53,242.

Coun. Jaimie McEvoy led the way on the expense front, claiming $12,722 in expenses in 2019, followed by Coun. Chuck Puchmayr at $10,358. Next up were Coun. Nadine Nakagawa at $6,909, Coun. Mary Trentadue at $5,789, Cote at $5,761 and Coun. Chinu Das at $5,490, with Coun. Patrick Johnstone trailing behind with expenses of $4,259