A decision that saw Abbotsford’s top bureaucrat leave his job at city hall has cost taxpayers more than a quarter of a million dollars. According to details made available to The Abbotsford News through a freedom of information request, the city paid former city manager Gary Guthrie $263,316 on his retirement in September 2007. Describing the payment as “compensation,” the figures provided by the city’s human resources department unveil that Guthrie’s payment included 67 weeks of salary ($229,552) and 67 weeks of pension ($22,671). Guthrie announced his decision to leave the city’s employment via an internal staff e-mail in mid-September. Two days later, Abbotsford Mayor George Ferguson confirmed that Guthrie had decided to retire as city manager with immediate effect. He was promptly replaced by city finance chief Dan Bottrill, who is currently serving as the acting city manager. Ferguson said on Tuesday that the total paid to Guthrie was the result of a formula that was laid out in his contract. The sum was also approved by council, he pointed out. “It’s fairly substantial but that’s one of the requirements of the contract,” he said. “It’s one thing replacing him, but there’s a cost factor to it: then you have to hire new people. It’s not an exercise you want to go through every day.” The search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, Ferguson said, pointing out that the city will advertise the position across the country.
As well as his salary and pension payout, Guthrie received 67 weeks of vehicle allowance ($7,728) from the city, as well as a counselling lump sum ($5,000), statutory deductions (4,905), 12 weeks of benefit continuation ($4,242), another lump sum of $2,150 and 67 weeks of cell phone allowance ($772). That brought the sub total to $277,020. A 140-hour vacation payout of $13,704 reduced the final figure to $263,316.
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