Dozens of city employees join the $100K club

The ranks of Greater Sudbury employees earning $100,000 or more grew by 49 people in 2014, according to figures released Friday under Ontario's Public Salary Disclosure Act.

In total, 296 staff passed the $100,000 mark, compared to 247 in 2013. The total for 2012 was 197, which was down from 2011, when the total was 206.

The top earner in 2014 was CAO Doug Nadorozny, who made $223,374, plus $9,372 in benefits. Nadorozny's salary has increased by about $10,000 since 2011, when it was $213,196.

Second on the list was Catherine Matheson, the former manager of community development, who made $197,449, plus $12,705 in benefits.

That's a salary increase of almost $9,000 since 2011. Infrastructure GM Tony Cecutti made $179,162 in salary last year, plus $7,981 in benefits. Cecutti started working in 2013. CFO Lorella Hayes made $167,077, plus $9,474 in benefits. Her salary has increased by about $7,000 since 2011.

On the policing side, the top salaried employee last year was Deputy Chief Al Lekun, who made $193,487.28, plus $12,705.84 in benefits, and increase of about $16,000 since 2011. He was followed by police CAO Sharon Baiden, who made $190,492 in salary and $12,695 in benefits.

Since 2011, Baiden's salary has increased by more than $45,000. Chief Paul Pedersen, who started in the position last spring and so didn't work the full year, made $125,683 in salary and $8,435 in benefits.

In emergency services, Chief Tim Beadman made $162,371 in salary and $7,906 in benefits in 2014. That's an increase of about $16,000 since 2011. Deputy Chief Aaron Archibald's salary was $154,563, plus $1,709 in benefits. That represents an increase of more than $36,000 compared to 2013.

In his last year as auditor general, Mayor Brian Bigger made $111,504 in salary, plus $5,873 in benefits. But he took an unpaid leave of absence in August to run for mayor. Bigger made $151,282 in 2013, his last full year as auditor.

Each year, the act requires groups that receive funding from the province to release the names, positions, salaries and total taxable benefits of employees paid $100,000 or more in a calendar year.

The act is the legacy of former Tory Premier Mike Harris, who passed the law 1996. It applies to provincial employees, Crown agencies, municipalities, hospitals, public health boards, school boards, universities, colleges, Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation, and other public sector employers who receive a significant level of funding from the provincial government.

For the province's full public salary disclosure list click here.