Tofino and Ucluelet each recently released a Statement of Financial Information, laying out the salaries and remuneration for both towns’ district offices and municipal councils in 2018.
Serving populations of 1,932 and 1,117 respectively, according to the 2016 census, Tofino’s district staff payroll totalled $2,278,323 and Ucluelet’s totalled $1,685,569.
Similar-sized communities on Vancouver Island include Port Hardy, pop. 4,132, which reported a staff payroll of $2,178,425 and Cumberland, pop. 3,753, which reported a staff payroll of $2,159,996.
Larger communities predictably saw larger staffing budgets with Qualicum Beach, pop. 8,943, reporting a $5,056,959 payroll and Comox, pop. 14,828, reporting its payroll at $5,316,291.
Each town’s Chief Administrative Officers were the West Coast’s highest-paid bureaucrats in 2018, with Tofino CAO Bob MacPherson earning $156,368 and Ucluelet CAO Mark Boysen earning $128,287.
Qualicum Beach CAO Daniel Sailland earned $161,491. Comox Administrator Richard Kanigan earned $140,029. Port Hardy CAO Allison McCarrick earned $129,493. Cumberland CAO Sundance Topham earned $129,016.
MacPherson was one of eight Tofino employees to earn more than $75,000 in 2018.
The other seven were: Equipment Operator George Hubert, $99,404; Director of Financial Services Nyla Attiana, $109,892; Manager of Public Spaces, Cultural and Visitor Initiatives, April Froment, $98,454; Manager of Community Sustainability Aaron Rodgers, $98,454; Manager of Engineering and Public Works Ricardo Araya, $93,409; Fire Chief and Manager of Public Services Brett Baker, $84,404; and Manager of Corporate Services Elyse Goatcher Bergman, who earned $84,404.
READ MORE: Tofino approves 48% tax increase over next five years
Boysen was one of seven Ucluelet employees to earn more than $75,000. Ucluelet’s Manager of Parks and Recreation Abby Fortune earned $95,304; Manager of Public Works Warren Cannon earned $94,920; Manager of Community Planning Bruce Greig earned $94,219; Planner 1 John Towgood earned $80,909; Public Works Foreman Steven Lang earned $80,617; and Bylaw Officer Brent Ashton earned $75,438.
Both town’s municipal council remunerations were skewed by October’s municipal election as incoming and outgoing councillors only earned a portion of their allotted stipend. Tofino’s council also approved a raise to their annual salaries in the fall, increasing the base-rate for each councillor from $11,410 to $15,000 and the mayor’s base-rate from $19,708 to $30,000.
READ MORE: Tofino council approves pay increase
Tofino paid its seven-member council $105,102 in 2018.
The councillors who did not run for re-election in Tofino were Coun. Greg Blanchette, who earned $11,412 and declared $1,501 of expenses in 2018; Coun. Cathy Thicke who earned $12,472 and declared $4,025 in expenses; and Coun. Ray Thorogood who earned $11,232 and declared $1,675 in expenses.
All four Tofitian incumbents who ran in 2018’s election kept their seat. Mayor Josie Osborne earned $22,456 and declared $5,459 in expenses; Coun. Al Anderson earned $14,404 and declared $3,631 in expenses; Coun. Dorothy Baert earned $14,454 and declared $5,489 in expenses; and Coun. Duncan McMaster earned $13,339 and declared $1,725 in expenses.
The new councillors elected in October were Britt Chalmers, who earned $1,775 and declared $1,142 in expenses; Andrea McQuade, who earned $1,775 and declared no expenses; and Tom Stere, who earned $1,775 and declared $679 in expenses.
READ MORE: Tofino mayor Josie Osborne re-elected
Ucluelet paid its five-member council $103,167 in 2018.
The town’s outgoing mayor Dianne St. Jacques earned $24,671 and declared $5,343 in expenses before opting not to run for re-election in October.
Outgoing councillors Randy Oliwa earned $16,444, declaring $4,532 in expenses; and Sally Mole earned $17,084, declaring $4,827 in expenses.
Coun. Mayco Noel spent most of the year as a councillor before being elected mayor in October and earned $17,811, declaring $4,140 in expenses.
READ MORE: UPDATED: Mayco Noel voted Ucluelet’s new mayor
Coun. Marilyn McEwen was the only incumbent councillor re-elected and earned $22,417, declaring $4,974 in expenses.
Newly elected councillors Rachelle Cole earned $1,542 and declared no expenses; Jennifer Hoar earned $1,092 and declared $67 in expenses; and Lara Kemps earned $2,102 and declared no expenses.
READ MORE: Behest of the West: I can’t find sense in these salaries
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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