The City of Surrey's payroll was a staggering $266,392,945 last year 鈥� factoring in salaries, taxable benefits and expenses 鈥� with 1,229 employees bringing in more than $100,000.
Of those, 30 staffers made over $200,000, eight made over $300,000 and two received more than $400,000 in compensation. City Manager Rob Costanzo is at the top of the pile with a base salary of $397,500, $95,573 in taxable benefits and $13,057 in expenses for a grand total of $506,130.
Council received an (SOFI) from Kam Grewal, Surrey's general manager of finance, that includes the salaries, expenses and benefits of 1,555 employees who were paid more than $75,000 in 2024.
There was an opportunity to speak to it at the public hearing but nobody did.
In comparison with last year, 706 employees were paid more than $100,000 鈥� not including benefits and expenses 鈥� and 18 of those were paid a base salary of more than $200,000. Costanzo was also the highest paid in 2023, with a base salary of $318,257.70 plus $55,799,39 in benefits and $7,938.79 in expenses for a total of $381,995.88.
Regulations require city hall to report the total amount of remuneration for each employee whose compensation surpassed $75,000 in the year being reported 鈥� in this case 2024 鈥� with the caveat that because some were hired part way through the year, or their job ended, their full year's cost to the taxpayer isn't reflected here.
The consolidated total of remuneration for all City of Surrey employees making $75,000 or less in 2024 was $78,689,097 and for those making more, was $187,703,848.
Meantime, Surrey council also received a for information on June 23 from Grewal that includes no recommendation on whether or not they should receive a raise.
"The purpose of this report is to meet the requirement of Section 168 of the Community Charter, by presenting to council, a listing of remuneration and expenses for each council member," Grewal wrote.
According to the report, in 2024 Mayor Brenda Locke's grand total 鈥� in salary, allowances and benefits and expenses 鈥� came to $222,752.
As for the councillors, Linda Annis received $118,311, Harry Bains received $114,353, Mike Bose's grand total was $123,413, Doug Elford's was $121,409, Gordon Hepner's was $117,236, Pardeep Kooner's was $121,159, Mandeep Nagra received $119,210 and Rob Stutt, $121,099.
For all of council in 2024, it worked out to $913,285 in base salaries, $85,027 in separation allowances, $75,167 in taxable benefits, and $105,463 in expenses working out to a collective total of $1,178,942.
Because elected officials aren't eligible for the Municipal Pension Plan, the City of Surrey provides a separation allowance in lieu of that which is paid out when they leave office.
In comparison with 2024, council members' remuneration forwas $1,144,810 with the nine members together receiving $876,051 in base salaries, $81,559 in separation allowance, $75,230 in benefits and $111,979 total in expenses.
In council's grand total in remuneration and expenses came to $506,247.
Mayor Brenda Locke had the biggest tab at $118,493 鈥� which included her expenses as a city councillor from January to October 2022 鈥� followed by Councillors Linda Annis ($113,642), Mandeep Nagra ($107,526), and Doug Elford ($100,348).
The rest of the councillors鈥� tabs were smaller, due to the fact that they were new to council, having been elected on Oct. 15, 2022. This includes Harry Bains ($15,364), Mike Bose ($13,168), Pardeep Kooner ($12,695), Gordon Hepner ($12,695) and Rob Stutt ($12,565).
Council received Grewal's report for information, with no debate. It if Surrey council members will vote on whether to give themselves a pay increase this year.
