Eleven employees of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) earned more than $75,000 in 2016, and four of them earned more than $100,000. The combined earnings of the 11 employees in question represented nearly 36 per cent of the total remuneration of approximately $3.07 million paid to all RDBN employees in 2016.
According to the RDBN’s most recent statement of financial information, Gail Chapman, Jason Llewellyn, Janine Dougall, Hans Berndorff, Cheryl Anderson, Richard Wainwright, Roy McKenzie, Corrine Swenson, Charlie Sherwood, Jason Berlin and Deborah Jones-Middleton had combined wages and overtime totalling more than $1.11 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016. Together they also received $36,567 in taxable benefits, and another $43,893 in reimbursed expenses.
Gail Chapman, chief administrative officer, was the highest paid employee, receiving $165,524 in wages and overtime, $3989 in taxable benefits, and another $308 in reimbursed expenses. Director of planning Jason Llewellyn earned 110,814 in wages and overtime, received $3780 in taxable benefits and $3444 in reimbursed expenses.
Janine Dougall, director of environmental services, had wage and overtime earnings of $110,200, received taxable benefits valued at $3046, and had reimbursed expenses of $2385. Hans Berndorff, financial administrator, was paid $102,348 and received taxable benefits totalling $2053. Reimbursed expenses added another $2093 to his remuneration. Cheryl Anderson, manager of administrative services, earned $98,547 in wages and overtime, $3978 in taxable benefits and $4916 in reimbursed expenses. Chief building inspector Richard Wainwright’s wage and overtime remuneration was $98,442, and taxable benefits were $3676. His reimbursed expenses were $2790.
Roy McKenzie, field operations supervisor, received wage and overtime remuneration of $96,993, along with $2597 in taxable benefits, and $2255 for expenses incurred while on regional district business. Corrine Swenson, manager of regional economic development, earned $89,462 in wages and overtime compensation, had taxable benefits totalling $3781, and expense claims amounting $9360. Charlie Sherwood, operations foreman, received $85,280 in wages and overtime, $3234 in taxable benefits and $4993 in reimbursed expenses. Jason Berlin, who served as chief building inspector, received $82,564 in wage and overtime pay, had taxable benefits totalling $3725, and was given another $6555 in expense money.
Rounding out the list of regional district employees earning more than $75,000 was Deborah Jones-Middleton, who served as protective services manager. She received $77,315 in wage and overtime pay, had taxable benefits totalling $2733, and was given another $4790 in expense money.The earnings of employees who received less than $75,000 from the regional district last year amounted to $1,955,668.
The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (RDKS), a neighbouring regional district of similar size, has seven employees that earned over $75,000 in 2016, totalling $695,280 - which is approximately $422,000 less than what was paid to employees earning over $75,000 in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. The highest wage - $132,745 - was paid to the RDKS administrator.