City manager Jim Puffalt was the highest-paid city employee last year, according to the 2020 public accounts report, bringing in nearly $34,000 more than the next employee.
Puffalt earned $205,731.26 in regular remuneration and $6,000 for other remuneration for a total take-home pay of $211,731.26. The next highest-paid employee was city comptroller Sandra Campbell, who earned $171,793.88 in remuneration.
The public accounts report lists all remunerations, contracts and grants over $50,000 that the City of Moose Jaw distributed. During the June 28 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to receive and file the report and post it to the city website.
Top paid staff
After Campbell, other well-paid city employees were:
- City clerk/solicitor Myron Gulka-Tiechko: $146,743.76
- Finance director Bryan Acker: $146,237.88 in regular pay and $2,473.31 in other remuneration
- Human resources manager Albert Bromley: $142,792.93
- Parks and recreation director Derek Blais: $138,951.19
- Public works and utilities director Darrin Stephanson: $136,874.62 in regular pay and $869.12 in other pay
- Director of information technology Wade McKay: $125,658.50
- Director of engineering services Bevan Harlton: $125,256.60
- Director of planning and development Michelle Sanson: $123,655.78 in regular pay and $3,476.70 in other pay
- City treasurer Brenda Hendrickson: $120,719.26 in regular pay and $2,052.94 in other pay
- Information services manager Ryan Nelson: $113,991.07
- Manager of economic development Jim Dixon: $110,947.13
- Deputy city treasurer William Fraser: $104,543.37
- GIS supervisor Bret Rowlinson: $100,410.02 in regular pay and $217.76 in other pay
Grants
In 2020, the City of Moose Jaw issued a grant of $56,805.50 to the Moose Jaw and District Seniors Association.
Council pay
A total of $254,200.44 was paid in remuneration to city council in 2020, while members claimed $3,023.13 in expenses.
The public accounts report showed:
- Coun. Doug Blanc received $4,165.37 in regular pay
- Coun. Heather Eby got $27,774.17 in regular pay and claimed $30 in expenses
- Coun. Crystal Froese received $27,924.54 in regular pay and claimed $1,632.55 in expenses
- Coun. Jamey Logan got $4,796.75 in regular pay
- Coun. Dawn Luhning received $27,789.69 in regular pay
- Retired Coun. Scott McMann got $23,759.17 in regular pay and claimed $649.99 in expenses
- Coun. Kim Robinson received $4,165.37 in regular pay
- Retired Coun. Brian Swanson got $22,466.95 in regular pay
- Retired Coun. Chris Warren received $23,519.26 in regular pay
- Mayor Fraser Tolmie received $87,939.19 in regular pay and claimed $710.59 in expenses
Contractual expenses
The City of Moose Jaw issued $51,133,857.08 in contracts to businesses and contractors last year. The lowest expense was $50,165.75 to the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the highest expense being $5,140,534.36 to NIS Contractors Ltd.
The top 10 contract expenses last year were:
- NIS Contractors Ltd.: $5.1 million
- KMS Construction Ltd.: $4.54 million
- Westridge Construction Ltd.: $4.50 million
- SaskPower: $3.2 million
- Cypress Paving Ltd.: $3.19 million
- Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant: $3.15 million
- City of Regina: $1.372 million
- Spectra Venue Management Services: $1.370 million
- Superior Truck Equipment Inc.: $1.2 million
- Pro Tec Electric Ltd.: $1.02 million
There were also expenses for First Response Legal of $172,793.70 and MLT Aikens LLP of $115,493.07, which caught the eye of Eby. She wondered if city hall was spending less on outside legal expertise based on changes made in the legal department.
“I will have to research that. I don’t know,” replied Gulka-Tiechko. “Those are global payments over the year, so I don’t know what they consist of.”
It would be good to have that information since council uses that data to make decisions, Eby said.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 12.
