Public school board boasts 131 six-figure earners

The Simcoe County District School Board paid 131 employees more than $100,000 last year, according to public-sector salary figures released Tuesday by the province.

Topping the list was Lou Brandes, who earned $156,000 as the board’s associate director and superintendent of facility services.

The list of six-figure earners is published annually and includes organizations that received transfer payments from the province of at least $1 million, or that received 10 per cent of their gross revenues from the province during the previous year.

“Our government is committed to being transparent in how we use taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said in a news release accompanying the list.

The highest salary paid to a public-sector worker in the Midland area was the nearly $275,000 earned by Brian Tamblyn, president and CEO of Georgian College, which has a campus in town.

Educators and school officials figured prominently on the list. The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board had 67 employees named, led by director of education Michael O’Keefe at $194,000.

Several employees of local municipalities also raked in impressive salaries in 2008. In Midland, CAO Ted Walker ($125,000) was one of four people on the town payroll to crest the magic number. His counterparts in Penetanguishene, Tiny and Tay also made the list with salaries ranging from $107,000 to $114,000.

In the health sector, six individuals employed by the North Simcoe Hospital Alliance were included on the list, led by Carol Lambie, who made almost $163,000 as executive director of the Penetanguishene Hospital site.

Also under the health umbrella, eight Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit employees and six people toiling for the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network brought home more than $100,000, including CEO Jean Trimnell, who earned $252,000.

The Children’s Aid Society of Simcoe County, Community Living Huronia and the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka were also mentioned on the provincial list, a complete copy of which is viewable online at www.fin.gov.on.ca/english/publications/salarydisclosure/2009.