Report shows highest paid City of Moose Jaw employees per department in 2023

MOOSE JAW - The City of Moose Jaw has released its 2023 public accounts report listing the remuneration for all city employees and council members, with police and firefighters continuing to earn the most.

The report — presented during the July 8 regular council meeting and unanimously accepted — showed that council members’ remuneration and expenses last year were:

• Mayor Clive Tolley: $110,834.52 / $7,791.30
• Coun. Doug Blanc: $35,839.44 / $1,846.93
• Coun. Jamey Logan: $35,839.44 / $50
• Coun. Kim Robinson: $35,839.44 / $1,198.46
• Coun. Heather Eby: $35,813.38 / $0
• Coun. Dawn Luhning: $35,813.38 / $0

The total remuneration and expenses last year were $325,792.98 and $12,575.65, respectively, both of which increased from 2022 by $6,279.40 and $7,066.24, respectively.

Highest-paid city hall employees

Some of the highest-paid city hall employees last year were:

• Bevan Harlton, director of operations, $161,843.03
• Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation: $159,138.71
• Brian Acker, director of finance, $158,102.26
• Michelle Sanson, director of planning and development, $149,954.33
• Wade McKay, director of information technology, $149,921.95
• TJ Karwandy, director of human resources, $144,344.61
• Andrew Svenson, city solicitor/director of legislative and enforcement services, $133,743.69
• Brenda Hendrickson, city treasurer (retired), $133,462.12
• Maryse Carmichael, city manager, $128,740.35
• Sandra Campbell, city comptroller, $123,216.02
• Jim Dixon, now-former manager of economic development, $121,076.43
• Staci Dobrescu, manager of public works, $119,806.73
• Ryan Nelson, assistant manager of IT, $117,754.62
• Cory Oakes, operations manager, $116,523.62
• Tracy Wittke, city clerk, $116,523.62
• James (Jim) Puffalt, former city manager, $104,462.17; he also had the highest expenses at $21,629.02

Highest-paid firefighters

Some of the highest-paid firefighters last year were:

• Rodney Montgomery, chief, $175,429.20
• Michael Russell, deputy chief, $155,615.18
• Christoper Luiten, senior captain, $144,645.71
• Curtis Beler, senior captain, $144,491.72
• Robert Halsall, senior captain, $142,907.62
• William Howes, senior captain, $142,621.60
• Jae Unser, shift captain, $135,445.56
• Ryan Hopkinson, shift captain, $135,124.39
• Richelle Grocott, shift captain, $134,137.93
• Ian Clark, shift captain, $132,703.33
• Rodney Ansell, 16^th year, $124,952.06
• Jeremy Sanderson, 16^th year, $122,436.09
• Sterling Macdiarmid, 16^th year, $121,523.92
• Matthew Crocker, 16^th year, $119,576.48
• Craig Flanagan, 16^th year, $118,599.40

Highest-paid police

Some of the highest-paid police last year were:

• Chief Richard (Rick) Bourassa, $201,833.21
• Deputy Chief Rick Johns, $184,208.37
• Staff Sgt. Chad Scheske, $171,835.64
• Staff Sgt. Taylor Elder, $170,639.34
• Supt. Richard McKenna, $170,473.38
• Supt. Taylor Mickleborough, $170,473.38
• Staff Sgt. Sheldon MacNaughton, $164,799.41
• Sgt. Myles Coghlin, $162,985.68
• Const. Kyle Cunningham, 10^th year, $160,817.71
• Sgt. Kevin Adrian, $157,316.87
• Staff Sgt. Trisha Seman, $156,590.62
• Sgt. Randell Boechler, $156,274.10
• Sgt. Jason Watt, $155,518.04
• Const. Aaron Woods, 10^th year, $154,301.24
• Const. Jim Biniaris, 10^th year, $153,895.30

Contractors’ expenses

Some of the highest-paid contractors included:

• NIS Contractors Ltd.: $5,321,086.49
• Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corporation: $4,249,301.40
• SaskPower: $3,770,275.11
• Cypress Paving: $3,551,550.51
• Neptune Technology Group: $3,236,709.90
• Westridge Construction Ltd.: $2,390,894.21
• Ungar Construction Company Ltd.: $1,466,037.73
• Insituform Technologies Ltd.: $1,296,377.19
• Scott Land and Lease Ltd.: $1,242,809.52
• Palliser Regional Library: $1,242,018.16
• Finning (Canada): $1,197,636.49
• The Canada Life Assurance Company: $1,093,906.16
• Federated Co-operatives Ltd.: $1,055,743.56
• AECOM Canada Ltd.: $1,049,469.79
• Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA): $668,664

Of note is that Neptune is helping install the “smart water meters,” while Scott Land and Lease Ltd. helped the city find land for the proposed landfill/solid waste management venue project.  

The total amount that city hall paid for all 144 contracting services last year was $61,184,578.66.

The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 22.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct some inaccurate information.