Peggy Revell
With the province’s release of the annual “sunshine list” last week, it looks like education and health care salaries make the bulk of those earning $100,000 plus in the region.
Education
Principals and vice-principals across the Rainy River District School Board have hopped onto the list this past year, with the board seeing an additional dozen names added to those already making more than $100,000.
This includes principals Al McManaman, who became principal at Fort High beginning in the 2009/10 school year ($119,131.77), Leslie Barr Kellar ($109,487.81), Darryl Gannon ($107,090.40), Lucinda Meyers ($106,253.15), Kendall Olsen ($106,253.15), James Chorney ($105,490.44), and Kerri Tolen ($106,253.15).
As well, vice-principals Jennifer Baker ($100,964.81), Pegeen Keffer ($104,823.96), Donna Kowalski ($100,023.50), and Donald McBride ($100,934.50), and Ian Simpson ($104,004.05), and teacher Gary Lipinski ($119,535.60) also have been added.
Current RRDSB chair Mike Lewis, who was elected to the board just this past fall, noted these salary increases stem back to 2008 when contract negotiations between teachers and the board, overseen by the province, occurred.
These contracts included automatic salary increases, Lewis noted, and so following those contracts being signed, similar agreements with vice-principals and principals also would have been negotiated.
“There’s no magic number that’s been given,” he remarked. “Those are all things were negotiated back in 2008, over four years, and that goes until 2012.”
Senior administration, aside from those who recently were hired for their positions, have longer contracts where annual increases would have been determined.
Having moved up from superintendent of education to director of education, Heather Campbell saw her salary jump from $135,259.00 to $166,748.24 for 2010.
As well, former Student Success Leader Casey Slack, who was hired as the new superintendent of education mid-2010, saw his 2009 salary rise from $112,854.00 to $131,138.10 in 2010.
Superintendent of Business Laura Mills, saw her salary rise by more than $8,000—from $140,928.00 to $148,991.11.
Sylvia Parker, the board’s “School Effectiveness Leader,” saw her salary go up from $111,882.00 to $124,500.79
Meanwhile, returning to the list were three principals—Bill Daley, who saw his salary rise from $100,008.00 to $110,609.10, Gord McCabe, whose salary also rose from $107,480.00 to $115,209.85, and Dianne Thompson, who saw her salary go from $100,323.00 to $112,402.13.
Also seeing an increase in salary was Paul Elliot, a teacher who also is vice-president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, who saw a rise in salary from $154,845.00 to $162,454.44.
On the other hand, numbers at the Northwest Catholic District School Board administration salaries saw decreases.
Director of Education Mary-Catherine Kelly’s salary went down from $186,045.50 to $184,670.45.
Both Superintendent of Education Al Cesiunas and Superintendent of Business Chris Howarth saw their salaries drop by a little over $1,000 to $134,675.97
Also seeing a decrease was Student Success Leader David Sharp, whose salary dipped from $122,007.04 to $121,046.90.
Joanne Querel, the School Effectiveness Leader, saw her salary rise slightly from $120,420.58 to $121,046.93.
Five principals remained on the list this year—and all saw a drop in salary: Teresa Dennis went from $111,562.42 to $110,697.86, Ron Fryer from $106,140.33 to $100,031.76, Brendan Hyatt from $111,562.51 to $100,938.78, Mark Lugli from $111,562.42 to $110,697.86, and Margot Saari from $111,562.42 to $110,697.86.
New to the list was principal Guy Durand at $106,306.83—added after Atikokan’s school was amalgamated with the NCDSB last year.
Riverside Health Care Facilities, Inc.
Once again, Riverside CEO Wayne Woods is one of the area’s top earners with a $228,000 salary in 2010—the same amount he earned last year.
Rainycrest Long-Term Care administrator Edith Bodnar saw a slight salary increase from $109,373.13 to $110,413.68
Meanwhile, Lori Maki, executive vice-president and chief nursing officer, saw her salary dip from $163,418.14 in 2009 to $156,610.02 in 2010.
Marna Martin, Registered Nurse First Assistant, stayed at roughly the same level for 2010 at $113,319.92.
Three RNs also slightly surpassed the 100,000 mark, including Debbie Canfield ($103,680.90), Shelley Gustafson ($107,518.45), and Dianna Whalen ($101,964.20).
Rainy River Health Centre’s manager of care, Tammy McNally, made the list at $100,721.30
Northwestern Health Unit
The Medical Officer of Health, Dr. James Arthurs, saw a big salary jump from $222,345.55 to $262,986.53.
CEO Mark Perrault also saw a rise in his salary—jumping from $115,799 to $123,602.
Also seeing a rise in salary was Chief Financial Officer Lois Bailey, going from $101,105.59 to $105,197.45.
Director of Health Protection, Arlene Lesenke, saw a raise from $107,396.41 to $108,880.13 while Director of Environmental Health, William Limerick, also saw an incrase in salary—from $106,784.63 to $110,668.83.
New this year to the list was Family Services Director Donna Cutler, with a salary of $100,642.44
Local Health Integration Network-North West Ontario
Gwen Dubois-Wing—the Chief Executive Officer with a salary of $276,823.85 for 2010—an amount she received despite resigning just a couple of months into 2010 after being with the LHIN since 2005.
Her salary in 2009 was $276,343.04.
CEO Laura Kokocinski, who took over from Dubois-Wing, earned a sum of $211,791.65 in 2010—up from the $171,734.12 she earned in 2009 as Senior Director of Performance Integration & Community Engagement.
Filling Kokocinski’s former position was Susan Pilatzke, earning $129,281.74 in 2010, up from the $111,938.73 salary she had as a senior consultant for integration.
Also seeing a boost was Brian Ktytor, who as Chief Information Officer/E-health Lead had his salary jump from $129,230.85 to $161,929.34.
Among other LHIN staff who also made the sunshine list, and saw an approximate $3,000 raise each in their salary, were Senior Director of Performance Contract Allocation Andrew Gallardi ($187,155.35), Senoir Consultant for planning Heather Gray ($112,431.32), Senior Consultant of Funding and Allocation Kevin Holder ($114,802.80), Senior Consultant, Performance and Integration, James Restall ($108,200.04), and Senior Consultant, Funding and Allocation, Liisa Simi ($119,274.94).
Northwest Community Care Access Centre
Administration in this agency also saw salary increases this past year.
CEO Tuija Puiras saw a 2010 salary at $177,996.00—up from $173,012.90)—while Ian Ritchie, director of client services, saw a salary increase to $109,212.45 from $102,526.87.
Senior Director of Client Services, Paula Donylyk, saw her salary jump from $130,822.36 to $131,536.62 while Senior Director of Corporate Services, Linda McClelland, saw an increase from $131,754.92 to $132,826.28.
New to the list this year was L. Susan Knowles, Senior Director, Human Resources and Organizational Development, with a salary of $108,729.12.
Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board
Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board CAO Donna Dittaro saw a 2010 salary increase to $147,603.40, plus an taxable benefits of $2,274.66 (which also count as income).
This is an increase in total of $13,452.27 from 2009’s salary of $135,063.07, with taxable benefits of $1,362.72.
“I have not seen [Dittaro’s] contract—and until I am able to do so, I really can’t comment,” said La Vallee Reeve Ross Donaldson, who came on as chair of the local DSSAB this past fall following the municipal election.
“It’s something that the board is going to look at strongly before the end of the year, for sure,” he pledged.
Justice System
With salaries in the 250,000 plus range, judges from the Northwestern Region of Ontario were the region’s top earners in 2010.
This includes Regional Senior Judge for North West Region, the Honourable Justice Marc L.G.H. Bode, who earned $269,215.48 in 2010.
Judges also include Dianne Baig ($250,149.81), Peter Bishop ($268,075.87), Joyce Elder ($250,149.81), Donald Fraser ($268,748.58), Jennifer Hoshizaki ($250,149.81), Alan McKay ($250,149.81), Joyce Pelletier ($250,149.81), and Frank Valente ($250,149.81).
Local Crown attorney Robert “Buster” Young saw a dip this year in salary—from $199,019.50 in 2009 to $194,035.62 in 2010—while local Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell’s salary generally remained steady at $115,111.72.
Police services
Local OPP detachment commander Insp. John Kendrick earned $125,094.90 in 2010. Kendrick became detachment commander midway through 2009, when he earned $114,867.49.
While there are more than 50 OPP officers across the district, names are listed alphabetically—not regionally—alongside all other officers in the province who make over 100,000 alphabetically under the Ministry of Correctional Services & Community Safety.
Treaty #3 Police are grouped together, though, and its Chief of Police, Henry DeLaRonde, pulled in a salary of $134,131.24, with taxable benefits of $11,946.93, for 2010—up from $130,038.20 and $2,820.42, respectively, in 2009.
Deputy Chief of Police Larry Indian, meanwhile earned $122,825.76—up from $117,308.66.
S/Sergeants Richard Darling and James Harty slightly surpassed the 100,000 mark, earning $100,432.57 and $103,618.05, respectively.
Five sergeants also made the list, including Fred Jack ($103,018.51), Tara Kelly ($102,607.45), Gary Lockman ($112,997.57), Daniel O’Connor ($102,262.76), and Joseph Pahpasy ($104,617.09), as well as three constables, Kimberly Boucher ($104,909.42), Scott Phillips ($101,789.02), and Dennis Smith ($100,484.54)
Salary decreases
A handful of those annually on the list saw their salary’s drop.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton saw a dip this past year, going down to $116,550 from $124,155.76.
Town of Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig took a bit of a pay cut—dropping to $129,285.70 from $132,486.77.
Confederation College’s Anne Renaud saw her salary drop from $107,713.04 to $101,474.85 this past year.
As well, Vik Nowak, executive director of Family & Children’s Services of the Rainy River District, saw his salary go from $115,489.99 to $114,260.83.
Overtime, retirement gratuities, and vacation pay are just some of the factors which can play into an employee making the list one year, or not.
No other municipalities or First Nations within the district reported having employees paid over the $100,000 mark.
The complete version of the salary disclosure list is available online at the Ministry of Finance’s website at www.fin.gov.on.ca, including the salaries for certain public sectors, such as the provincial ministries, Hydro One, and Crown agencies which are not organized by region.
As part of the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, the province requires all provincial government, Crown agencies and corporations, the Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One and its subsidiaries, as well as publicly-funded organizations, to disclose the names, positions, salaries, and taxable benefits of employees who are paid more than $100,000 in a year.
