Hefty Hikes For RDCO Bureaucrats
This Castanet Article highlights the reasoning in our argument to push forward as fast as possible with the Governance Study for North Westside. To continue to pay salaries for “our” local government when we have no control over these large increases is insanity. As the Regional Director for Central Okanagan West I don’t know where these increases were discussed or how they were approved. There is no way I would have supported them. As a Board Member I’m ashamed at the lack of transparency and oversight applied to as sensitive issue as this. In a community composed of young struggling families and seniors on fixed income this size of pay increases are extremely insulting. Obviously there are no checks and balances in the system or they have been removed or bypassed either way … unacceptable. This is just another example of the little regard these bureaucrats and senior management have for us.
Management wages highlighted in the article by % increase were:
- Fire and inspection services manager Dan Wildeman saw the largest year-over-year increase at 14 per cent. Wildeman’s salary went from $104,486 in 2014 to $118,521 last year.
- Chief administrative officer Brian Reardon, the highest paid senior employee at $197,110, saw his wage increase by 12 per cent.
- Community Services Manager, Christopher Radford – $162,926, plus 10 per cent
- Director of Parks, Murray Kopp – $138,285, plus seven per cent
- Chief Financial Officer, Marilyn Rilkoff – $171,515, plus six per cent
- Five year Collective Agreement signed this year at a cost of 8.5% over five years.
- Looks like senior management took care of themselves at 6-14% last year alone.
I have been unable to get hard numbers on the Electoral Area contribution toward Administrative Overhead but I suspect (based upon the handling of all other EA budget functions) that the Electoral Areas pay far more than their fair share in these salaries. All areas of Central Okanagan West and COE as well need to demand to participate in this Study to ensure that their interests are addressed. Should the North Westside move forward in the process and incorporate then that would have a significant taxation impact (you’ll pay for it all) on the areas that remained as an unincorporated electoral area/s.
If you live in the North Westside sign the Petition in support of a Provincially Funded Governance Study/Committee. For more information go to the North Westside Communities Association web page. Also further reading at Governance – Information Obtained from the Ministry for Community, Sport & Culture. If you live in the other areas make some noise and insist to be included in the process.
