As of 2009, 208 city employees were earning $75,000 or more per year -and 62 were taking home more than $100,000 per year.
City manager Derek Bates topped the list at City Hall with a 2009 salary of $194,263 and $10,406 in expenses. However, Bates was only the 56th highest-paid municipal employee in B.C.
On Friday the Vancouver Sun released a data base of pubic sector salaries on its website, www.vancouversun.com/news/public-sector-salaries.
Vancouver's city manager earned $313,577 in 2009 and top TransLink officials earned up to $552,722 per year.
The top five earners at the City of Prince George in 2009 were Bates, general manager of development Bob Radloff at $158,035, corporate services director Kathleen Solits at $157,115, administrative services director Robert Whitwham at $152,528 and fire chief Jeff Rowland at $140,708.
According to the 2009 Labour Force Survey conducted by the federal government, the national average salary for senior government managers and officials was $96,096 per year. In the private sector, the average salary for senior managers was $90,480 to $94,016 per year, depending on the sector.
Calls to Mayor Dan Rogers for comment on city wages were not returned as of press time.
Regional districts were not included in the Vancouver Sun database. However, in the June meeting of the board of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, the district's financial services department reported out on the number of top wage earners at the district as part of the 2010 financial statements.
In 2010 there were 13 employees at the regional district earning over $75,000, of which three earned more than $100,000.
District CAO Jim Martin led the list at $143,425 in 2010.
"When we look at determining wages for [union] exempt staff, we look at other regional districts," Martin said. "We do an analysis to make sure we're in the middle of the pack."
City managers also look at wages to ensure the district is able to attract quality candidates for positions, he said.
"Much like we do with collective agreements, the board approves the [salary] range for bargaining," Martin said. "We pay people based on that range, experience and qualifications."
