The number of New Westminster school district employees earning more than $75,000 continues to grow year over year.
Two hundred and seventy seven people were paid more than $75,000 last year, compared to 262 employees the year before, according to last year’s statement of financial information report, which looks at remuneration and expenses paid by the school district between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018.
Of the 277 employees listed on the report, 40 of them earned more than $100,000. This includes principals John Tyler (New Westminster Secondary), Ken Millard (Lord Kelvin Elementary) and Kathleen Chad (Richard McBride Elementary) and senior district staff like superintendent Karim Hachlaf and associate superintendent Maryam Nasser.
In all, the school district paid more than $25.6 million in 2017/18 to employees who made more than $75,000 plus an additional $28.5 million to staff who earned less than $75,000. This is a slight increase over the previous year, when the school district spent about $23.8 million and $27.9 million, respectively.
The 2017/18 report also includes what the previous school trustees were paid. Most trustees were paid $22,187 each except for Mark Gifford and Kelly Slade-Kerr, who made $24,512 and $24,507, respectively. The pair were paid slightly more than their counterparts because they were chair and vice-chair.
Expenses claimed by trustees during the 2017/18 school year amounted to $3,213. Slade-Kerr, who did not seek election in 2018, and Gifford declared the most expenses with $1,020 each. Current trustee Mary Lalji and former trustees Jonina Campbell and James Janzen claimed $620, $539 and $14, respectively. Former trustees Casey Cook and Michael Ewen did not have any expenses.
Who made the most in 2017/18?
- Karim Hachlaf, superintendent: $143,527
- Robert Weston, director of human resources: $140,455
- Maryam Naser, associate superintendent: $133,395
- Allan Saugstad, principal, Island Discovery (home learners): $132,189
- John Tyler, principal, NWSS: $131,770
Note: former superintendent Pat Duncan, who retired Dec. 31, 2017, was paid $251,078 in 2017/18, while former secretary-treasurer Kevin Lorenz, who left the district last spring, was paid $202,267.
