NORD Salaries Released

Starlee Speers Astral Media Radio (Vernon)

The North Okanagan Regional District paid staff over five million dollars in salaries last year. NORD Chair Jerry Oglow explains a cross section of people are needed to provide the skills required. "In terms of the salary levels we pay, we are competitive, it's a very competitive market place out there. We have attracted and we are retaining a high level of expertise." Administrator Brian Reardon led the six figure salary club at NORD with a salary of over $153, 000. Nearly $87, 000 dollars could be saved this year with the elimination of the Manager of Policies position. As well, Oglow says, the severance pay agreement for former administrator Barry Gagnon ends in a few months. He was listed as earning nearly $163,000 this year despite leaving NORD in 2006
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Don Quixote Note: The Chairman of NORD should acquaint himself with the actual terminology with regards to the "severance package for the former administrator." so he can answer these questions in the future. From an e-mail last year from NORD: (June 24, 2007 1:02:33 PM ) (In response to some of my questions )

Question: If this is described as a "severance package" then why is it not on the Statement of Severance Agreements for 2006?
ANSWER The reason why the payments to Barry Gagnon where not included under this section of the Statement of Finance Information, but included under the Employees Earning over $75,000 Per Annum and Expenses Paid on Their Behalf was because the Regional District did not terminate Mr. Gagnon but entered into a contract with him for a fixed term.

Question: Was any of it charged to the taxpayers from the City of Vernon? (I was told that the CAO was a charge only to the Electoral Areas and I hope this is right ?)
ANSWER: The contract for the former CAO was charged to 020 – General Government, which was the responsibility of the Electoral Areas.

My Reply to this e-mail was:

Thank you for the answers to my questions. Of utmost concern to me was your answers that indicate that the entire package was expensed in 2006 (except for some unidentified costs that may come up of a minor nature) and that the entire package and any ongoing costs have not been charged and will not be charged to the Vernon Taxpayer.

With this understanding, it appears I have no Dog in this Fight and I thank you for responses.
I got to admit if I was in the Electoral areas I would be one pissed off taxpayer.

'August 15, 2008, is the revised completion date of the contract.'