Fire services staffers represent largest Sunshine List employee group for Newmarket, Aurora

Yorkregion.com
March 24, 2016
By Chris Simon

Newmarket and Aurora had plenty of big earners on this year's Sunshine List.

Earlier today, the Ontario government released its annual list of public sector employees who earned more than $100,000 - commonly referred to as the Sunshine List.

Newmarket CAO Bob Shelton was the top earner amongst Newmarket, Aurora and Central York Fire Services employees, pulling in $253,705.46 in salary in 2015.

In Newmarket, that's followed by former corporate services commissioner Anita Moore ($191,585.38), development and infrastructure commissioner Peter Noehammer ($179,156.16), community services commissioner Ian McDougall ($176,036.71), engineering director Rachel Prudhomme ($169,544.61) and communications director Wanda Bennett ($167,143.49).

"It gives good transparency to the public to what the pay levels are in the municipal sector," Shelton said of the list. "We need the expertise required to deliver the services and meet the legislative requirements for a municipality. We have to be able to attract and retain and have checks and balances in place to protect the interests of the taxpayer. The town looks at comparator municipalities and council has established a policy line for payment."

In total, 121 Central York staff members, 45 Newmarket employees and 30 Aurora staffers made the list. Newmarket Public Library CEO Todd Kyle ($154,249.92) and deputy CEO Linda Peppiatt ($114,830.66) also made the list, but their salaries were not filed under the town heading.

Aurora had five employees who tied for the top salary ($169,202.53) - parks and recreation director Al Downey, financial services director Dan Elliott, planning and development director Marco Ramunno, infrastructure and environmental director Ilmar Simanovskis and building and bylaw director Marie Van Leeuwen. Legal services director Warren Mar earned $168,702.73 and Aurora Public Library CEO Jill Foster collected $156,027.13.

The fire service’s top earners include Fire Chief Ian Laing ($178,352.20), and platoon chiefs Arthur Bellar ($161,079.74), William Lorimer ($157,638.51) and Daniel Palmer ($157,378.23).

A significant percentage of the fire service’s staff is on the list. There are 150 Central York employees in total, compared to about 900 full and part-time staffers with the Town of Newmarket.

"Generally, firefighters, through the arbitration process, are being paid the same," Shelton said. "They're constantly moving to the same rate. That is what municipalities are experiencing across Ontario. You start to see a significant part of that workforce over the 100,000 mark, but it takes into account the conditions of the job and what they're faced with. There's a danger pay component."