Departing secretary treasurers have been costing School District 43 big dollars since January, 2013, and today taxpayers are shelling out for a top-level manager even though he left the district over 18 months ago.
The information is available in publicly available executive compensation data and the annual Statement of Financial Information school districts file each year at the end of June.
In November, 2016, a severance package was arranged for the former secretary treasurer Mark Ferrari that gave him two year’s pay, including a payment of $249,810 between June 1, 2017 and November, 30, 2018, meaning he still has five months of pay even though he left the district around October of 2016.
His exact date of departure was not provided to The Tri-City News because of confidentiality concerns and no further information is being provided about the compensation package because SD43 “cannot comment on personnel matters,” according to Peter Chevrier, manager of community relations.
In addition to his current pay, Ferrari was paid $104,772.60 for 12 months between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 even though records show he had left by Nov. 1, 2016.
The payouts are listed in publicly-available Public Sector Executive Compensation Disclosure Statements, now online, and in the Statement of Financial Information for the year ended June 30, 2017.
Ferrari’s departure was only three years after he started with the district and took place just two years after the current board of education was elected, meaning that trustees were well aware of the circumstances, which cannot be disclosed.
Ferrari, meanwhile, was hired in September, 2013, to replace outgoing secretary treasurer Rick Humphreys, who resigned Jan. 1 2013 by mutual agreement with the previous board of education and received a $160,23.64 severance pay out through to June, 30, 2014.
When Ferrari was hired a press release from the district stated that he was responsible for providing leadership and vision in the areas of corporate, financial, facilities and planning services.
He was hired to help the district deal with financial difficulties that surfaced during Humphrey’s tenure.
His replacement is Chris Nicolls, who has helmed the district in the secretary treasurer’s job since Nov.1, 2016, and was given the permanent appointment effective March 1, 2017, according to public documents.
Despite the cost, the board doesn’t make these decisions alone and has to adhere to the Public Sector Employers Act and the BC Public School Employers Association compensation management plan for executive and exempt positions.
“Staff compensation is in compliance with provincial regulatory requirements and appropriately filed annually with the provincial government. It is disclosed on our website under the Statement of Financial Information and on the Government of BC website under the Public Sector Executive Compensation Disclosure Statements section,” Chevrier noted in an email.
SD43’s annual budget, recently passed, is more than $373 million.
