Vernon's mayor says its the cost of running the city. In figures released today in the city's 2008 annual report, overall expenses went up 3 million dollars over the year before, including an extra two million for salaries and benefits. Mayor Wayne Lippert agrees its a big increase. He tells KISS FM, "It's always a concern because we're always looking at budgets and what's going on there, but we do have to operate the city. The wages that are there reflect the number of employees we've had to hire to fill the needs of the city." Lippert points out some of the increases are due to the city taking over the tourism and economic development functions from NORD. "Some of those positions are getting revenues back from our partners in Greater Vernon."
41 city staff were paid $75,000 or more last year, up from 27 in 2007. 19 of the 41 were with the Fire Rescue department.
Also released in the annual report, was the amount paid out to council members last year. Mayor Lippert had a salary of $61, 510, along with expenses of $3,563, which he says was for meetings and conferences. "We need to be able to go do things. A lot of those expenses are either going to UBCM to meet with (BC cabinet) ministers there, or travel back and forth to Victoria and Vancouver to meet with ministers." The three incumbent councillors re-elected last November, Patrick Nicol, Buffy Baumbrough and Jack Gilroy, were each paid 19,843 for their services. Baumbrough had expenses of $3,407, Gilroy: $1,822, and Nicol had no expenses. Former councillor Juliette Cunningham, who ran for mayor last November, had expenses of $2,350.
Click HERE to view the 2008 annual report.
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