The list of area public sector employees on the “Sunshine List” ballooned to 625 people in 2017.
That marks a significant increase from just two years ago, when less than 450 people in the region made the 2015 list.
On March 23, the province released its annual “Sunshine List” of public sector employees with a salary of at least $100,000.
The list, which includes provincial and municipal governments, crown agencies and corporations, Ontario Power Generation and publicly-funded organizations, has been released every year since 1996.
The $100,000 salary threshold has not changed and according to the provincial government, would be $151,929 if adjusted for inflation. The adjustment would reduce the number of names on the list, which now totals over 320,000 people, by 85 per cent.
Christine Van Geyn of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said in a press release the Sunshine List has grown substantially in the last two decades.
“No matter how you slice it, $100,000 is a lot of money, and there are an awful of lot government employees earning it,” she said, noting the number of “middle management” workers has “ballooned.”
Topping the list
The highest paid employees in the Wellington County area are Bruce Lauckner, CEO of Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integration Network, who made $334,315 (up from $324,523 in 2016) and Dr. Nicola Mercer, CEO of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, who made $301,340 (no change from 2016).
The Waterloo-Wellington LHIN has 32 employees on the list with salaries ranging from $101,005 to $334,314. The health unit has 16 of employees on the list, with salaries ranging from $108,057 to $301,340.
Municipalities
The 2017 local list includes 67 municipal employees (up 14% from 59 in 2016), 41 from Wellington County alone (up from 34 in 2016).
County employees on the list include:
– Eddie Alton, social services administrator, $166,784;
– Andrea Lawson, director of human resources, $162,858;
– Kenneth Dehart, county treasurer, $162,858;
– Janice Hindley, museum and Wellington Place administrator, $162,858;
– Murray McCabe, chief librarian, $162,858;
– Laura Holtom, Wellington Terrace administrator, $151,787;
– Gordon Ough, county engineer, $149,232;
– Donna Bryce, county clerk, $141,502;
– Kevin Mulholland, construction and property manager, $137,218
– Aldo Salis, director of planning and development, $134,773;
– Peg Mehlbauer, director of care, $128,642;
– Susan Farrelly, assistant director of human resources, $126,264;
– Mark Paoli, manager of policy planning, $121,783;
– Luisa Artuso, director of children’s early years, $120,066;
– J. Paul Johnson, operations manager, $120,066;
– Susan Aram, manager of financial services, $120,066;
– Stuart Beumer, director of Ontario Works, $120,066;
– Mark Eby, construction manager, $120,066;
– Chanda Gilpin, assistant chief librarian, $120,066;
– Doug Waram, director of information technology, $120,066;
– Tricia Burrough, resident care manager, $116,406;
– Sean Farrelly, employment planning and strategic operations leader, $115,263;
– Linda Redmond, manager of planning and environment, $111,187;
– Harry Blinkhorn, housing operations manager, $109,385;
– Mark Bolzon, manager of purchasing and risk management services, $109,385;
– David Etherton, technology services manager, $109,385;
– Suzanne Schwartzen-truber, assistant administrator of Wellington Terrance, $109,098;
– Ram Das Soligo, manager of solid waste services, $109,015;
– Sarah Wilhelm, manager of development planning, $108,925;
– Pat Rogerson, payroll manager, $108,868;
– John O’Donnell, roads superintendent, $108,623;
– Steve Mumby, senior developer, $107,552;
– Judith Goodall, registered nurse, $106,085;
– Ryan Pettipiere, director of housing, $105,860;
– Gary Cousins, director of planning and development, $105,165;
– Richard Clark, environmental services manager, $103,424;
– Colleen Cudney, life enrichment manager, $102,469;
– Patricia Ridgeway, nutrition services manager, $102,469;
– Carol Woods, registered nurse, $102,352; and
– Muchael Cushing, roads foreman, $102,176.
Wellington County Warden Denis Lever, though not included on the Sunshine list, made a combined $134,748 as county warden ($110,727) and Puslinch mayor ($24,021).
In Centre Wellington, nine employees made the list:
– Andrew Goldie, CAO, $175,606;
– Brian Detzler, managing director of community service, $138,504;
– Brett Salmon, managing director of planning and development, $135,550;
– Colin Baker, managing director of infrastructure service, $133,330;
– Brad Patton, fire chief, $116,954;
– David Boyle, chief information officer, $114,386;
– Randal Bossence, chief building official, $111,603;
– Kerri O’Kane, manager of legislative service/clerk, $108,609; and
– Mark Bradey, financial manager/deputy treasurer, $105,084.
Of the remaining municipalities, 17 employees made more than $100,000 in 2017:
– Guelph-Eramosa CAO Ian Roger, $134,416;
– Guelph-Eramosa public works director Harry Niemi, $113,732;
– Guelph-Eramosa finance director Linda Cheyne, $112,976;
– Guelph-Eramosa parks director Robin Milne, $108,313;
– Erin water superintendent Joseph Babin, $108,287;
– Erin roads superintendent Greg Delfosse, $102,779;
– former Erin clerk Dina Lundy, $107,515;
– Erin finance director Ursula D’Angelo, $107,917;
– Mapleton CAO Brad McRoberts, $121,260;
– Minto CAO Bill White, $152,527;
– Minto treasurer/deputy CAO Gordon Duff, $111,506;
– former Minto public works director Brian Hansen, $104,131;
– Minto fire chief and deputy CAO Christopher Harrow, $104,732;
– Puslinch CAO Karen Landry, $138,434;
– Puslinch public works director Donald Creed, $104,886;
– Puslinch finance director Mary Hasan, $104,562; and
– Wellington North CAO Michael Givens, $121,706.
Provincial parliament
Local MPPs Ted Arnott of Wellington-Halton Hills and Randy Pettapiece of Perth-Wellington made $129,254 and $116,550 respectively in 2017.
Education
The Wellington Catholic District School Board has 69 employees on the list, down from 73 last year, with salaries ranging from $100,099 to $219,504. Director of education Tamara Nugent tops the list.
Martha Rogers, director of education, made the most ($224,506) in 2017 for the Upper Grand District School Board. There are 251 employees, with salaries ranging from $100,041 to $224,506, on the UGDSB list this year, up from 202 last year.
Health and wellness
There are 30 local hospital workers on the list this year, ranging from $100,540 to $217,885, including top earner Stephen Street, president and CEO for Groves Memorial Community Hospital and North Wellington Health Care Corporation (NWHC).
Along with 32 employees from the WWLHIN and 16 from WDGPH, there are eight employees of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin, ranging from $101,916 to $169,417 for executive director Fred Wagner.
The Children’s Aid Society of Guelph and Wellington has 11 people on the list, with salaries ranging from $100,009 to $157,604 for executive director Sheila Markle.
Executive director Silvana Castaldi, who made $106,698 in 2017, is the only employee of Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis on the list.
Executive director Joan Nandlal-Robinson of the John Howard Society of Waterloo Wellington made $111,019. Hospice Wellington executive director Patricia Stuart made $106,346.
Jodi Colwill of the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team made $107,748 and Michelle Karker of East Wellington Family Health Team was paid $115,003.
Other
Innovation Guelph’s executive director Anne Toner Fung and director Kristel Manes made $144,750 and $100,300 respectively.
Community Living Guelph Wellington executive director Laura Hanley was paid $125,008.
Former Wellington County councillor Rob Black, now a Canadian senator, earned $134,767 as chief executive officer of Rural Ontario Institute and $46,798 as a county councillor.
Police
Within the Wellington County OPP detachment, 104 employees made the list for 2017.
The highest detachment salary was for Sgt. Michael Ashley, at $186,562. Next was Inspector Scott Lawson, detachment commander, who made $156,425 last year.
Conservation
The Grand River Conservation Authority has 24 employees on the list, up from 22 last year, ranging from $102,095 to $197,220 for CAO Joseph Farwell.
The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority has one employee on the list, general manager Wayne Brohman, who made $102,200.
The Maitland Valley Conservation and Credit Valley Conservation authorities did not have any members on the list for 2017.
To view the complete Sunshine List visit www.ontario.ca.
