Whitehorse Daily Star

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Barbara Walker and Christine Smith

Top city manager pay may go to $195,000

City manager Christine Smith could be receiving a raise in the coming weeks as city council considers changing the annual salary range for the position to between $175,000 and $195,000.

By Stephanie Waddell on July 7, 2015

City manager Christine Smith could be receiving a raise in the coming weeks as city council considers changing the annual salary range for the position to between $175,000 and $195,000.

The amendment to the city manager employment bylaw was brought forward to Monday evening’s city council meeting.

The bylaw governs the appointment, responsibilities and compensation for the manager.

It was noted in a report last night that council recently held its review of its manager, “and changes to the bylaw are required in order to provide recognition for growth from a novice employee to an experienced contributer.”

Smith began her role as city manager in April 2014 after former city manager Stan Westby was fired by council the previous September.

Smith joined the city staff after working for five years as the director of community affairs for the territory’s Department of Community Services.

Before that, she had been a senior planner with the territory’s development assessment branch after having worked as a biologist with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Prior to Smith being hired, Brian Crist – the city’s former director of infrastructure and operations – had served as interim city manager.

He and Rob Fendrick, the former director of corporate services, were fired by Smith earlier this year.

At the time, she said the dismissals were “consistent” with her vision and direction for the city. The city has not yet announced anyone hired for their positions.

Former councillor Kirk Cameron resigned from his position on council over the firings.

The higher salary range is the only major change to the bylaw, with the current bylaw setting the salary specifically at $175,000 less statutory deductions and certain benefits deducted, such as RRSPs.

“It should be noted salary ranges are not fixed entities,” human resources manager Barbara Walker stated in her report to council.

“They float in response to market and economic conditions. The current city manager bylaw provides for economic increases to be on par with the management and management staff bylaw.

“The proposed salary range for the city manager would also shift as economic increases and decreases are applied to the management and management staff bylaw.”

Under questioning from Coun. Dave Stockdale, Walker said there is nothing requiring council to provide the maximum amount in the salary range.

Unionized employees with the city generally reach their maximum pay after four years of service, she said.

The salary range for the city manager is determined by a number of factors such as what similar positions are paid elsewhere in the country, the scope of responsibilities in the position and so on, Walker said.

Council will vote next week on whether to move ahead with the change.

Comments (41)

Up 2 Down 2

Politico on Jul 13, 2015 at 6:31 pm

Lots of complaints here but no one seems to offer an idea of what the City Manager, mayor and councilors should be making. Lots of talking about people making too much money but no one says how much people in public service should be making. At least the imbalance is less that in the private sector.
http://www.macleans.ca/economy/money-economy/global-ceo-to-worker-pay-ratios/

Aren't the right wingers always telling us we should be like the private sector with really low worker wages and, therefore, high CEO salaries. Then we can cut taxes so only the CEOs make money and we can become like the states.


Up 17 Down 0

Wow who going to investigate on Jul 13, 2015 at 1:42 pm

Wow - who's going to investigate for conflict of interest?

Up 13 Down 0

Great piece on Jul 13, 2015 at 1:38 pm

Great piece, Whitehorse is getting lots of comments.
This is real journalism.

Up 58 Down 2

Virgil on Jul 12, 2015 at 12:40 am

...This is what they are trying to prove.
Complain all you want. Yes it's ridiculous, there have been tons of ridiculous things done by the City of Whitehorse. Everyone has a skill and they have their place. Problem is we're placing people in positions where skills don't matter.

You have qualified people for positions that don't want to take them because of bureaucracy. So when you see things like this happen... just be glad you're not working for it. We're playing popularity contest across the board. Your most qualified people are shunted down the river because they tell you things you don't like to hear.

Up 57 Down 15

vlad on Jul 11, 2015 at 2:24 pm

There are two kinds of people, those who work for the government and those who don't.
If you do not work for the government, you work a lot to make a living. If you do work for the government you work a little to make living.
The class system has become something like a feudalism in the middle ages.

Up 57 Down 9

What City of Whitehorse needs in Management on Jul 11, 2015 at 1:06 pm

What the City of Whitehorse needs in management is someone who understands municipal management from budget, operational, staffing, project and operational management point of view.
Managers and staff need clear direction to help them do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

Wilf Carter

Up 40 Down 1

Mark on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Thank you City of Whitehorse for showing your residents the truest form of the worlds biggest problems! Greed and Ignorance. I'll have to remember what that looks like come election time.

Up 3 Down 35

Yukon 56 on Jul 10, 2015 at 7:40 pm

Wilf, Wilf he's our man If he can't fix it no one can

Up 4 Down 36

CJ on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:31 pm

Since Christine Smith was a director at Community Services, I believe her familiarity with the Municipal Act was considered a real asset.

There's no doubt about it, we all need to make more money. As someone pointed out, some people are trying to live on $10/hour. But what does that have to do with this salary, if indeed it's in line with what municipalities are paying?

Up 35 Down 6

Adele Sandrock on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:14 pm

Steven Horn - and here we have it again: Senior Managers in B.C. and Nanaimo are getting bla bla bla. In case you didn't notice, we are in the Yukon and Mme. Smith has still to prove that she is qualified.

Up 40 Down 7

north_of_60 on Jul 10, 2015 at 12:44 pm

The salary range is ridiculous for a small town like Whitehorse.
The real issue is that the person is not qualified for the position, regardless of the salary range.
This was a blatant political appointment of an unqualified individual, by the worst Mayor and Council we've had in decades.

Up 11 Down 32

Yukoner 48 on Jul 10, 2015 at 12:29 pm

Does anyone else wonder about Wilf's obsession with the Liberal Party? His paranoia that there is a liberal conspiracy everywhere we look is concerning. The only explanation is that he must be a rabid Yukon Conservative Party partisan.

Up 90 Down 5

PMO on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:46 am

So the Manager will gross 7500.00 bi-weekly. This is absolutely crazy.

Up 8 Down 85

Steven Horn on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:22 am

It is obvious that many citizens of Whitehorse appear to be showing their insularity once again. The salary range being discussed is consistent with what senior managers are paid in British Columbia cities (and significantly lower than Nanaimo's) and there is no reason why Ms. Smith should not be paid it if she is carrying out her duties competently.

Up 67 Down 5

jack on Jul 10, 2015 at 12:17 am

$195K? Outrageous!

Up 9 Down 71

Mr. Steward on Jul 9, 2015 at 5:02 pm

C.S. got the job and it pays well.

She works hard and tries to make informed positions. Its not her fault that they hired a person with limited direct experience or that the city pays as well as it does.

Up 129 Down 107

Yukon 56 Wilf Carter on Jul 9, 2015 at 4:49 pm

I have being CAO of Teslin and worked with all the other municipal units in the Yukon.
I was director for CAFN managing housing municipal and properties.
I was involved with five municipal units in Nova Scotia as a executive director.
I have being involved with managing housing, land, water sewer development, energy, roads, highways, subdivision, in the private sector for municipal units in Canada and the US and with middle east firms.
I will take a three year contract with the City of Whitehorse to clean up the mess and take a salary of $125,000 per year.
I have much more experience then this City Manager on the ground with over 25 years experience and if anyone would like to check email me.
Residents of the City of Whitehorse we have been had.
By this approach by this Mayor and some Councillors they are totally in conflict of interest in the employment of the City Manager according to the municipal Act and Yukon Government election Act.
The liberals employee an employee who supports the liberal party is fine.
But when the employee receives gains from liberal supports in her obtaining a higher salary and supporting the liberal party in any way financially is a total conflict of interest.
So the liberal elected Council members support her employment and financial gain then in turn supports the liberal party.
This sound like the John C actions supporting liberal friends with public money which I pointed out the other day.

Up 44 Down 3

O my you have a liberal mayor employing a liberal manager and John S told me on Jul 9, 2015 at 4:24 pm

John S emailed me a while back and stated the Mayor had nothing to do with the liberals membership.
O my, you have a liberal mayor employing a liberal manager and John S told me something different!
This is such partisan politics by the liberals that it smells worse than the public outhouse inside the City limits out by the Mayo turn off.
Has anyone every used it? Gross. That shows true liberal management.

So here we have the worse partisan politics the Yukon has ever experienced. You have John, Dan, Kirk and who else is liberal on this council?
Supporting a known liberal to obtain a top job in the City of Whitehorse.
This City Manager has no direct experience in managing a Municipality that's why Municipal Services was in such a mess like other branches in the Yukon Government. Putting people in positions with no experience or education in Government functions gets a high level position and wants the over the top salary, which is likely to create deficits, raise taxes and services costs.
Great move boys. Dan why don't you join them or do you really think you are going to be mayor again? When is Kirk is going to run for the Liberals again? We sure hope not.

What fun we are having in Yukon politics. Not personal but just business.
No wonder the Yukon Government has problems in some areas with incompetent people with no knowledge in their jobs.
This just creates more fun and interest in the next election.

Up 88 Down 0

Comparison? Benchmark? please on Jul 9, 2015 at 5:12 am

"The salary range for the city manager is determined by a number of factors such as what similar positions are paid elsewhere in the country, the scope of responsibilities in the position and so on, Walker said." So what is the salary of a city manager of a place with approx 30,000 people make elsewhere in the country? I have a hard time believing it's 175-195 thousand - let's see the data.

Up 67 Down 6

Smurf on Jul 8, 2015 at 11:59 pm

That's a big slap in the faces of the "normal" working people in this city!
They work 2 or 3 jobs for a "generous" wage of average $14 (if you don't have a greedy business owner who "can't afford to pay you more" than our even more generous $10.86) an hour to afford their rent and their general costs of living. Their rent will go up soon because of the next property tax and utility increase.

Hopefully you sleep well at night, Mrs. Smith and try to avoid thinking of the people who work their a... off for your salary and for living in this "oh so great city" where overspending is now the daily routine!
But no worries: The day will come when all the spending money is gone because nobody wants to live here anymore.

The wilderness and nature doesn't pay the peoples bills - somebody has to wake up and realize this!
Maybe the next council and mayor...

Up 64 Down 1

Pjt1959 on Jul 8, 2015 at 10:22 pm

At that salary I guess taxes are going up as stated by others. In a city this size that is a lot of money with the only management of money is to raise taxes so what are the results other than tax raises can we expect? If this goes through and we all know city council won't say no, so we will be paying for it. With an election coming, new council will fire her if management style is my vision not a city vision. Face it, anyone can say raise taxes and not cost us that in salary. So in ending no job is worth that for a city of this size. If we paid in US dollars she would make half of what Obama is making. That is my rant.

Up 19 Down 52

Yukon 56 on Jul 8, 2015 at 6:49 pm

That Wilf has been everywhere!!!

Up 92 Down 2

pedroferrero on Jul 8, 2015 at 4:44 pm

BnR - you enquired about equivalent salaries in other Canadian cities. Well, here's an example : The City Manager of Edmonton receives $300K per annum ( plus a very small vehicle allowance ) for a municipality administering a population base of almost one million and he has over three thousand staff under his authority/responsibility. Smith's remuneration is fantastically over-inflated relative to the workload, staffing levels, and area of responsibility here in Whitehorse. This is just theft from the local taxpayer, plain and simple.

Up 92 Down 2

City Manager on Jul 8, 2015 at 4:18 pm

C. smith is not a lawyer. She was a biologist who kicked around YG after having been an assistant to a Minister a number of years ago. She appears to be tied into the Liberal Party having been photographed at the launch of a liberal candidates run for the nomination as the Liberal to run in the next election. She was there with the Mayor at her side. Larry won the nomination. She recently got an MBA from Royal Roads by extension ... Question is who paid? One suspect that you the City tax payer did. She entered her current position with zero experience managing a community of ANY size, nor supervising a team anywhere near as big as COW, no union experience ... And the list goes. What has been accomplished under her watch? We don't know other than the very public and clumbsy firing of two long- term City employees. One of whom this Council had praised for his year long stint as acting City Manager. The next civic election will determine the future of this "meet and greet" mayor and his hand picked City Manager

Up 77 Down 8

Sunny Shadows on Jul 8, 2015 at 4:09 pm

I have met Ms. Smith. She is an outwardly nice person and very charming. She puts people at ease and I have no doubt she has parlayed this ability to reach the upper echelons of the local bureaucratic management circle. I believe she was once affiliated with the Liberal Party and might also be related to former Yukon Commissioner James Smith. She never struck me as a particularly intelligent person though, and would often add irrelevant, albeit innocuous, points to a discussion for the purpose of letting everybody in the meeting know she was there and added value. Most of the comments here smack of envy, but I do agree that her résumé is thin and she does not warrant the salary of $195,000 per annum (keep in mind there are also bonuses that might come with that salary).

Up 72 Down 5

CJ on Jul 8, 2015 at 12:19 pm

Isn't Christine Smith a lawyer? I don't know what to think about this salary. I guess the position is similar to a deputy minister? And this is allowing for increasing the salary, not necessarily ensuring they get the maximum, if I'm understanding it correctly.

It doesn't look good, but it never looks good when municipal salaries come before the public. And I suppose that the city manager can be turfed just as unceremoniously as the other two managers.

Up 98 Down 7

Unreal on Jul 8, 2015 at 11:56 am

So she has 'managed' the city into a deficit AND raised taxes. In the real world this is called failing at your job and would likely end up with you being fired. Keep in mind, $195K would be her base salary and would not include allowances for a vehicle, per diems, and unneeded jaunts to exotic locales.

The administration at COW needs to be gutted from top to bottom they are inefficient.

Up 65 Down 6

Municipal managers salaries have changed since I was in that position on Jul 8, 2015 at 11:48 am

Municipal managers salaries sure has changed since I was in that position. Time to look at my resume again.
Time to read the municipal Act to see where the City of Whitehorse should be going.
The City is under great challenges now in the Executive position/ Mayor. If you don't understand the role of municipal service in our life, lots of problems can be created.
Look at the City of Toronto as comparison to City of Whitehorse. City Managers top end of the salary range is going to be $195,000 per year with a population of 27,000 residents and Toronto is what 2.5 million people? I stand to be corrected.
Then the City Manager of the City of Toronto should make over $18 million dollars per year as compared to City of Whitehorse Manager.
No wonder our taxes are going through the roof.
I do not know the background of this City Manager but it seems not to have direct experience in municipal management or training that supports her position. If that is the case, then she should be employed as an under fill and given 80% of the bottom end of the salary range, which is normal across Canada. 80% of $155,000 is equal $124,000 per year which is more reasonable.
No salary range increase for City of Whitehorse Mayor and Council for the interest of the residents of the City.
If this City Mayor and Council increase the City Managers salary what is the recourse for the next Mayor and Council?
If you increase the City manager salary range you are not serving the residents of the City only your own personal interest.
On why the two got fired, street says because the mayor could not get along with them. Is that true Mr. Mayor?
Thanks residents of the City of Whitehorse.
This is why I write so much in the paper and the Whitehorse Star provides space for my pieces.
We need some more objective and independent evaluation of administration in Government.

Thanks

Wilf Carter

Up 148 Down 1

wow on Jul 8, 2015 at 10:19 am

So two experienced managers get fired and the new city manager gets a big raise. There is no way anyone working for a City the size of Whitehorse should be paid that kind of money.

Up 122 Down 2

Economics on Jul 8, 2015 at 9:28 am

Where is the proof that this is deserved? Did she can Crist and Fendrick to make room for her own salary?

I'm not saying whether or not this is justified, but having only been in the position for a year, she better have something to show why she deserves this. Unless this proof is given and scrutinized for validity, I sincerely hope council rejects this.

Up 120 Down 1

sj on Jul 8, 2015 at 9:06 am

And they need to increase taxes why????? This is BS

Up 120 Down 2

Roslyn woodcock on Jul 7, 2015 at 11:54 pm

That is an outrageous salary already. A hike is incredible. There are highly skilled people working and living on 1/3 of that salary. For a public servant that is unconscionable.

Up 98 Down 0

Brenda Dion on Jul 7, 2015 at 9:34 pm

Wow that seems like a lot of money.

Up 111 Down 0

ProScience Greenie on Jul 7, 2015 at 9:02 pm

A good place to point out the the current minimum wage in the Yukon is $10.86 per hour.

Up 72 Down 19

Adele Sandrock on Jul 7, 2015 at 8:37 pm

The city managers salary is obviously not sufficient enough for a decent haircut.

Up 103 Down 0

BnR on Jul 7, 2015 at 6:42 pm

I'm all for paying top dollar to keep good people, but $195K???
Forget the fact that we are a capital city, but what does a CM in another city of similar population make?

Up 80 Down 0

Jonathan Colby on Jul 7, 2015 at 5:54 pm

I don't know much about municipal political or bureaucratic structure, but either something really good or something really bad is going down where Christine Smith is concerned. I'd love to hear from an insider...

Up 96 Down 1

Wolfe on Jul 7, 2015 at 5:33 pm

You have got to be kidding me.
Time for this City to get their wage and benefit structure under control.
It is costing the local taxpayers a fortune to maintain this type of infrastructure.

Up 95 Down 7

Yukon 56 on Jul 7, 2015 at 5:03 pm

A biologist???? WTF is wrong with our city. What qualifies you as a BIOLIGIST to hold a $195 K position

Up 81 Down 7

Good to see on Jul 7, 2015 at 3:54 pm

Good to see that King Dan is looking out for his personal pick for City Manager

Up 73 Down 3

Lost in the Yukon on Jul 7, 2015 at 3:36 pm

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