Pigs at Our Trough
“Politics:
“Poli” a Latin word meaning "many" and
"tics" meaning "bloodsucking creatures".” ― Robin Williams
(I mention names later in this post but I have no idea how they voted on this issue. I'm guessing it is the ones who have been so loudly claiming things like - there's no conflict of interest, nothing to see here, normal business practices. You can have good people on current council who get overruled by the rest and I've seen it happen, that is a post for another day.) All data is from the City website. The Financial Reports only go back to 2007. The last 15 years should suffice to show a pattern of excess feeding at the public trough.
This is the first post of a series. The data analysis is my own work. (It’s a family joke that my son Andy is the “King of Spreadsheets”. He comes by it honestly; I am the Queen.) https://www.medicinehat.ca/government/publications-plans-reports/financial-reports
Did you know we once had a COO of Energy Services? The position was invented in 2008. On the 2007 Organizational Chart, Gerry Labas is listed as CAO, COO plus CEO /Board Chair of Allied Oil and Gas.
(In 2008 the salaries are combined. I’ll just go to the first full year he was COO in 2009.)
As CAO in 2007 Gerry Labas made a base salary of $169k + $43k worth of benefits and allowances (B&A). Total $212k
As COO in 2009, he got hold onto your hat
$374k base + $80k B&A Total $454,000
That’s a whopping raise of 114% - NOT a typo. He got a one hundred and fourteen percent raise. This went on until Mr Labas left partway through 2015; the COO position magically disappeared.
Mr Labas was paid $2,854,000 during those 8 years. Most of our current council members were on council during those years. K Clugston – every single year R Dumanowski - every single year J Friesen – 2007 - 2010, 2013 - present D Hirsch – voted out in 2007 (not voted back in until 2017) J Turnbull – 2010 - 2013 J Turner – 2013 - present B Varga – 2013- present
I thought this was apt - “Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for YOUR sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples. Do you know what would happen if we pigs failed in our duty? Jones would come back! Yes, Jones would come back! Surely, comrades,"
cried Squealer almost pleadingly” ― George Orwell, Animal Farm The Old Guard must go!