Sixteen staff members of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) earned more than $75,000 in 2018.
The total value of those 16 employees’ compensation, including their wages, overtime and taxable benefits came to $1,657,452.11, according to the district’s recently released Statement of Financial Information which includes data up to Dec. 31, 2018.
They also had $63,096.92 in reimbursed expenses.
Their combined earnings represent about 45 per cent of the $3,559,205.57 paid to all employees last year.
Staff received more overtime pay because of last summer’s wildfires, as Laura O’Meara, Senior Financial Assistant with the RDBN told Lakes District News.
“In some cases, the overtime paid out was more than 25 per cent over base salary. Due to the wildfires we also had a large increase in expenditures and new suppliers,” she said.
Six staff members earned more than $100,000.
Melany de Weerdt, former Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was the highest paid employee and earned $190,257.31 with $6,574.21 in expenses.
De Weerdt had been CAO for almost three years when she left her position on March 15.
Cheryl Anderson has been acting CAO since that time, and last year she earned $120,432.35 and had $12,531.40 in expenses.
Curtis Hegelsen will start as the new CAO on July 1.
READ MORE: New regional district CAO starts on July 1
Jason Llewellyn, Director of Planning, earned $154,313.80 and had $2,396.94 in expenses.
John Illes, Chief Financial Officer, made $123,382.03, with $8,031.61 in expenses.
Richard Wainwright, Chief Building Inspector, earned $109,015.55, with $4,006.76 in expenses.
Rory McKenzie, Director of Environmental Services, made $107,542.18 and had $1,639.22 in expenses.
Charlie Sherwood, Operations Foreman, earned $96,141.66, with $3,815 in expenses.
Haley Jeffrey, Emergency Services Manager earned $94,535.88, with $2,832.25 in expenses.
Jason Berlin, Chief Building Inspector earned $89,239.85, with $5,663.51 in expenses.
Jason Blackwell, Regional Fire Chief, earned $88,963.40 and had $5,296.88 in expenses.
Lenard Demarce, Landfill Operator 2, earned $86,390.81, with $614.19 in expenses.
Wendy Wainwright, Executive Assistant, made $85,297.75 and had $603.18 in expenses.
Janette Derksen, Deputy Director of Environmental Services earned $84,090.44 and had $2,108.33 in expenses.
The earnings of RDBN employees who made less than $75,000 came to $1.9 million.
Last year the RDBN’s revenue was over $18.3 million and there was a surplus of $2.1 million.
The list of salaries for public service employees who earned more than $75,000 per year is published in the Province of British Columbia Public Accounts.
Blair McBride
Multimedia reporter
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