359 Vaughan employees crack Sunshine List in 2016
163 firefighters raked in $100,000 or more due, in part, to a negotiated annual salary increase, overtime, city says

yorkregion.com
April 6, 2017
By Adam Martin-Robbins

The number of City of Vaughan employees earning $100,000 or more topped 350 for the second consecutive year, according to data released by the province March 31.

In 2016, 359 people working at the city raked in six-figure salaries. While that's up one from 2015, the last two years have seen a 52 per cent hike in the number of employees on the so-called Sunshine List compared to 2014 when 236 made the list.

The increase from 2014 to 2015 was driven, in part, by the large number of firefighters climbing the salary ladder.

In 2015, 163 firefighters cracked the list, a 55 per cent jump from 105 in 2014.

At the time, Fire Chief Larry Bentley said 2015 was a “payroll leap year,” meaning for those collecting a paycheque every two weeks there were 27 pay periods instead of 26, which happens roughly every 11 years.

Secondly, he said, the force racked up some overtime in order to “maintain service levels.”

But 2016 wasn’t a payroll leap year yet the number of firefighters on the Sunshine List was exactly the same.

A city spokesperson said unionized firefighters went through a collective bargaining process last year that resulted in annual salary increases.

As well, some firefighters’ earnings were pushed over the $100,000 mark as a result of shift premiums and overtime.

Take out firefighters and Vaughan paid 196 employees $100,000 or more last year.

John Mackenzie, deputy city manager of planning, pulled in the highest salary at $216,234.03.

Following him was Mary Reali, deputy city manager of community services, at $195,264.22, and Tim Simmonds, chief of corporate initiatives and intergovernmental relations, at $194,798.62.

Reali’s predecessor was also on the list despite having not worked at the city for two years.

Former commissioner of community services Marlon Kallideen, who abruptly departed in January 2014, was paid $185,655.45 last year.

Their salaries outstripped that of city manager Daniel Kostopoulos, who was paid $145,159.64. But he started in the post at the end of June. Before that he worked at the Region of York where he earned $162,931 in 2016.