Friday, 29 June 2012 02:00 Penticton Herald staff
Penticton city manager Annette Antoniak may be the highest-paid city employee, but Mayor Dan Ashton still considers her a bargain compared to the head administrators in other B.C. municipalities. According to the city's recently released 2011 statement of financial information, Antoniak tops the municipal salary grid with annual remuneration of $160,664. The annual statement, required under provincial legislation, includes a list of 59 city employees earning more than $75,000 a year. Thirteen city staffers earned more than $100,000 last year. Ashton said Antoniak has made a big difference since being hired in September 2010. "We, in my opinion, negotiated a very fair contract for not only the citizens of Penticton, but also for Annette," he said. "We've got a terrific individual that has made substantial, positive change here." Admitting he is well known for being a fiscal conservative, Ashton pointed to a substantial reduction in tax requisitions over the past two years. He believes Antoniak has helped council take a leadership role in fiscal management among B.C. municipalities. "I'm very happy with the direction, but we have to continue to be diligent," he said. "Other communities are having to go through this. "Because of the economy, not only worldwide but here in the Valley, we have to be cognizant of the fact that it's difficult for a lot of people out there." Antoniak's salary compares to the $250,752 the City of Kelowna paid its city manager, Ron Mattiussi in 2011. With Kelowna being much larger than Penticton, its payroll includes 20 city staffers earning more than $120,000 a year, compared to four Penticton city employees earning more than that amount. The Penticton list includes Jack Kler, the city's former director of corporate services who earned almost $127,000 in 2011 -- the last full year of his severance agreement after being laid off in March 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment