â–ş Listen Live
â–ş Listen Live

Nelson city hall payroll up 8.1% in 2022

The City of Nelson’s payroll grew over $1 million between 2021 and 2022, according to its statement of financial information, a rate of 8.1 per cent.

The inflation rate in the same period was 6.8 per cent, a record 40-year high.

The city paid $12,837,733 in salaries plus $275,036 in expenses for a total of $13,112,769 in 2022. The previous year, it paid $11,980,302 in salaries plus $66,161 in expenses for a total of $12,046,463. The difference was an increase of $1,066,306.

Thirty-one employees made at least $100,000 in 2022, unchanged from the previous year, while 74 employees made over $75,000, up from 63 in 2021.

The totals include Nelson Hydro but do not include the police department, whose salary figures have not traditionally been made public.

The top earners among staff were:

NamePositionSalaryExpenses
Kevin CormackCity manager$194,644$5,723
Scott SpencerNelson Hydro general manager$193,317$1,797
Jason ProcyshynNelson Hydro lead lineman$162,262
Jordon RothkopNelson Hydro lineman$150,141$473
Trevor HardingNelson Hydro lineman$149,092$473

All but Harding were also among the top earners the previous year.

Among the elected officials, new and returning:

NamePositionSalaryExpenses
Nicole CharlwoodCouncillor$22,826$5,051
John DooleyMayor$54,219$8,916
Rik LogtenbergCouncillor$28,129$5,893
Janice MorrisonCouncillor/Mayor$32,772$3,372
Keith PageCouncillor$28,129$8,814
Leslie PayneCouncillor$5,379$473
Jessie PineiroCouncillor$5,379$473
Cal RenwickCouncillor$22,826
Kate TaitCouncillor$5,579$473
Jesse WoodwardCouncillor$28,129$2,702
Total$233,166$36,166

Logtenberg, Woodward, and Page were all re-elected last fall and therefore served a full year, while Payne, Pineiro, and Tait were new to council. Charlwood and Renwick did not stand for another term while Dooley was not re-elected. Morrison was previously a councillor before being elected mayor.

The total paid in stipend to councillors was up $27,697 (13.5 per cent) over 2021, but a much bigger increase, both percentage-wise and in actual dollars, was seen in expenses, which jumped $31,570 (687 per cent).

The reason? Travel.

“We had postponed all travel through the pandemic,” Logtenberg explained in an email.

“We’re back to regular business now, which involves conferences like Union of BC Municipalities and Federation of Canadian Municipalities. These conferences are our best chances to meet ministers and senior staff so that we can make the case for better provincial and federal policy related to our city and for more investment in our region.”

Councillors also attended other conferences and meetings and the new councillors attended a Local Government Leadership Academy training for conference, which happens once per term.

Greg Nesteroff
Greg Nesteroff
Greg has been working in West Kootenay news media off and on since 1998. When he's not on the air, he's busy writing about local history. He'll soon publish a book about the man who founded the ghost town of Sandon.

Continue Reading

chnv Now playing play

ckkc Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Warmer-than-normal fall expected in Kootenays

The Kootenays should again see a warmer-than-typical fall.

Nelson police reports major drop in several crime categories

The Nelson Police Department credits a drop in several key crime categories to proactive efforts by officers and the public. 

Public sector workers escalate job action as strike enters third week

The B.C. General Employees Union and the Professional Employees Association are escalating job action as their members enter a third week of strikes. 

B.C. approves environmental certificate for massive LNG project on northern coast

British Columbia has given the green light to a floating liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility on B.C.’s northern coast. 

B.C. forecast to reach record high $11.6B deficit this year

British Columbia’s deficit is only going up, according to the latest budget update.
- Advertisement -