The city of Port Moody spent $22,168,354 on salaries last year, plus another $948,788 in taxable benefits, payouts and expenses, according to the city’s annual statement of financial information (SOFI), which was presented to council on Tuesday.
That’s a little more than 1.5% higher than city salaries cost in 2016 when the city was on the hook for retroactive payments to its firefighters following signing of a new collective bargaining agreement. Those payments contributed to a boosting the city’s payroll by more than 10% from 2015.
City manager Tim Savoie was Port Moody’s highest paid employee last year, earning $208,102 plus taxable benefits and expenses worth $13,101.
Of the 116 city employees who earned more than $75,000 in 2017, more than half — 60 — topped $100,000 in annual salary. That’s five fewer employees than earned six figures in 2016.
Mayor Mike Clay earned a base salary last year of $58,980 plus a $29,490 tax-free allowance; he claimed $8,307 in expenses, the most of anyone on council. Each councillor received a base salary of $23,448 plus a tax-free allowance of $11,449. Those figures were pro-rated for departed councillor Rick Glumac, who resigned his seat after he was elected as MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam, and his successor, Hunter Madsen.
The provincial Financial Information Act requires local governments to release their spending reports by June 30 of each year. The reports include audits, debt schedules, payments for goods and services more than $25,000 as well as compensation for employees and council.
