When the former secretary-treasurer of the Richmond School District left in 2017, he got a payout for 18 months salary, bringing his compensation to more than $300,000 the 2017/18 school year.
Mark de Mello left in October 2017, and his salary is listed in the Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report at about $82,000 for 2017/18. But a note in the Public Sector Executive Compensation Disclosure Statements, filed with the province, notes his salary continued until April 2019, bringing his total compensation for 2017/18 to $304,742.
According to the school district spokesperson, David Sadler, this was paid out according to terms in his contract. The payout is listed as a “salary continuance.”
Over the past three years, the senior team at the Richmond School District has been getting bumps in their salary, making up for a salary freeze imposed by the provincial government in 2012.
Of the three full years that the previous superintendent, Sherry Elwood, was in the top position at the Richmond School District, her full salary – including pension payments and benefits - increased from $249,477 in 2016/17 to $265,499 in 2017/18, a seven per cent increase. The next increase was 12 per cent, with her full compensation in 2018/19 at $297,918. That comes to an increase of $48,441 in a span of three years.
Assistant superintendent Lynn Archer saw an 11 per cent increase from 2016/17 to 2017/18 and a five per cent increase from 2017/18 to 2018/2019.
While assistant superintendent Wendy Lim had an 11 per cent increase in total salary and benefits between 2016/17 and 2017/18, her salary increase between 2017/18 and 2018/19 was only two per cent.
Secretary-treasurer Mark De Mello received $163,554 in 2015/16 but then was compensated $189,736 in 2016/17, an increase of 16 per cent.
There was an executive salary freeze in September 2012, imposed by the provincial government. This was lifted in 2016 at which time, a provincial review of all non-union public servants was undertaken.
Based on this, salary grids for the Richmond school district senior team were established and approved by the Richmond Board of Education, Sadler explained.
After several years of fluctuating increases in salaries, this year’s top executives at the Richmond School District will see minimal salary increases.
Superintendent Scott Robinson will get a 1.75 per cent pay increase while the two long-time assistant superintendents, Archer and Lim, will get a 2.78 per cent pay increase. (The deputy superintendent, Rick Ryan, was just hired in June and his salary is $189,061.)
