King Township staff on the ‘sunshine list’

April 2, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
Surrounded by high-paid civil servants throughout York Region, King Township seems rather tame – only eight of its staffers made the “sunshine list” in 2013.
Under the Public Sector Disclosure Act, salaries of civil servants earning $100,000 or more each year are made public.
King’s CAO Susan Plamondon was on top with a salary of $186,395.86 and $1,358.76 in taxable benefits. She received an increase over her 2012 salary of $175,994.
Next in line was Brian Grubbe, chief building official, who pulled in $139,476.98, a little under $3,000 more than he was paid in 2012.
Robert Flindall, director of engineering and public works, earned $131,933 and $1,008.60 in benefits.
He was followed by Planning Director Stephen Kitchen who earned $113,341.27, just 3 cents more than Clerk Kathryn Smyth, who was paid $113,341.24.
Joseph LaPlante, deputy director of engineering and development, earned $112,229.67, while Jeff Schmidt, now former director of finance and treasurer, earned $108,55.264.
Fire Chief Jim Wall made the list in 2013 with a salary of $100,755.09.
By comparison, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville had 26 staffers on the list and Bradford West Gwillimbury had 17, with their town manager James Currier earning $180,000. Aurora had 26 on the list, with CAO Neil Garbe earning $197,507.18. Nearby Caledon, with a population of roughly three times that of King, had 31, with their CAO Doug Barnes earning $216,000.
Mayor Steve Pellegrini earned $109,765.78 as supervisor, business systems community services for the City of Brampton.
“I’m very comfortable with what we pay our staff,” Pellegrini said. “We’re on the frugal side of the equation. We get more than our value from these individuals.”
Plamondon’s salary is the second-lowest for a CAO in York.
The mayor also observed that many firefighters make more than King’s chief, as does a chief mechanic in the City of Vaughan.