Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • 21

mci Classified, C4 Obituaries, Cll Weather, C12 Times Colonist Tuesday July 12 2005 Editor. Dcfrise Helm Telephone: 380-5334 E-mail: localnewsltccanwesLcom Looking Up, Way, Way Up City managers top pay lists THE CAPITAL AND VANCOUVER ISLAND Wage figures show police and fire officials also routinely earn more than $100,000 per year HOW THE NUMBERS ADD UP 1 V' 1 By Malcolm Curtis Times Colonist staff Sixty-six municipal staff members earned more than $100,000 in Victoria and Saanich last year, 33 in each community, according to recent documents filed by the municipalities. In the capital, where Census Canada figures put the average annual income at $27, 1 35 four years ago, city manager Joe Martignago topped the list with remuneration of $164,075. This amount includes a $7,200 car allowance, a benefit paid to Martignago under the terms of his contract, city comptroller Mike McCliggott said Monday. Martignago's equivalent in Saanich, chief administrative officer Tim Wood, collected $154,892, according to documents presented to municipal council.

The top municipal managers of such departments as parks and engineering figured prominently in the list. But lower-ranked police and fire department employees scored hefty compensation packages for reasons ranging from retirement to extensive overtime. Saanich's annual statement of financial information for 2004 shows municipal police inspector Gregg McKinnon received the highest amount a whopping $190,450 for the year. But that fig- suppliers of goods and services: $47.6 million Saanich's 2004 contribution to the Greater Victoria Public Library: $2.9 million Victoria's 2004 contribution to the Greater Victoria Public Library: $2.6 million Total city grants to local organizations: $1.1 million Total Saanich grants to local organizations: $543,170 $139,371 for Victoria's chief constable Paul Battershill. (The city's next highest paid cop was a woman detective, Sgt.

Ruth Lick, who pulled in $131,149 much of that would have been in overtime pay, said Scott Seivewright, police department financial officer.) Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe's salary of slightly over $72,000 exceeded Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard's $67,860 by more than $4,000. Leonard's annual expenses of $2,566 were less than four members of his council. Lowe's expenses of 10,5 1 8, however, were more than $3,000 above the biggest spending city councillor, Chris Coleman Coun. Pamela Madoff, the most frugal spender, only claimed $840. It Boat-free quiet zone intended to boost safety around Luna Bligh Vi m.

Island o- Victoria ty Alan Lowe: Earned $72,000 Frank Leonard: Earned $67,860. ure should be put in the context of his having retired, said Paul Murray, Saanich's director of finance. The payout of wages and benefits for McKinnnon, who left the force last November after almost three decades, left him the highest paid municipal employee in Saanich and Victoria for 2004. McKinnon's regular annual pay was about $105,000. Two of Saanich's fire department battalion chiefs Frank Morris ($142,832) and Ron Stubbings ($143,367) also earned handsome payouts after retiring last year.

Another retiree, veteran police Const. Dave Burdyny, was paid $126,738. Such factors as unpaid vacation time, banked overtime and retirement benefits distort the regular salary of such employees, Murray said. A constable such as Burdyny with 30 years experience for exam- Possibilities include leading him down the coast to rejoin his pod or capturing him in a net pen and pulling it down the west coast of Vancouver Island. "In the longer term, I think it's safe to say the object of the First Nations, the public and DFO is to see a reunification," Lochbaum said.

"The First Nations are opposed to a physical removal, so we're in the middle of talking it through, we're brainstorming." Last summer, a DFO plan to capture the boisterous young whale and truck him down Vancouver Island to rejoin his pod, was scuttled after Luna was lured away from the net pen by MowachahtMuchalaht canoes. The First Nation believes Luna embodies the spirit of their dead chief Ambrose Maquinna, who died days before Luna turned up in Nootka Sound in 2001 Since then, Luna has remained seperated from his pod, choosing to stay in Nootka Sound. The fishing ban will primarily affect the summer chinook sport fishery, but may also affect the commercial gillnet fishery this fall. Last year, gillnetters became one of Luna's primary targets as he bumped boats Average annual income for Victoria residents who worked full time, according to the 2001 census: $38,060 Range of annual pay for Victoria's eight city councillors: $23,279 to $24,960 Annual pay for each of Saanich's eight councillors: $23,098 Total payment by Victoria last year to suppliers of goods and services: $96.7 million Total payment by Saanich last year to pie, commands about $75,000. Victoria and Saanich the municipalities with the biggest populations in the capital region are not direcdy comparable.

The bedroom community of Saanich has a population of 108,000, while the city of Victoria, has only 75,000 people. The city has a larger commercial tax base and its centre serves as the downtown for the capital region. Still, there are some similarities. Victoria has 925 full-time employees and 332 part-time or casual workers, compared to 757 full-time in Saanich, with 790 seasonal and part-time recreational staff. Other figures disclosed: Saanich Police Chief Derek Egan's wages totalled $148,043, compared to and removed fish finders.

The fishing ban expands areas which have previously been closed for conservation, but the plan also allows fishing in one area of Hanna Channel which was previously closed. Tim Cyr, owner of Nootka Island Fish-v ing Lodge, said he and others are ques-' tioning the move to give Luna a quiet zone. "It's not even the area the whale normally goes," he said. The ban will not dramatically affect fishing in Nootka Sound, but it begs the question of where to draw the line, Cyr added. "These kinds of decisions should be based on science.

This is totally out there," he said. "Where does it stop? Do we shut down B.C. Ferries because there are killer whales in the Strait of Georgia? It's a knee-jerk reaction and everyone should remember the whale can swim." Marc Pakenham of the Marine Mammal Monitoring program said members of Pod, which includes Luna's mother and sibling, have been in Juan de Fuca Strait, but have not been seen for about 10 days. Pakenham is hoping DFO and the MowachahtMuchalaht will come to some Prospect Lake Community Association. "It's a perfect example of local government really working," she said.

The group didn't get everything it wanted houses will be 6,000 square feet in size, while the PLCA wanted a cap but did hold out for preservation of a small bay on the shoreline. "We've kept a neat little cove where canoes and kayaks can put in," she said. The wetland set-aside was another win for the residents. It could have been filled in and created two more building lots, said Levy. Other covenants on development on the four lots will dictate the minimum setback from the water and protect many of the trees.

The new park dedication will dramatically increase public access around Prospect Lake, where there hasn't been much public green space before. i Nootka Area closed to boats LORNA LAMBERTTIMES COLONIST agreement leading to a mother and son reunion. Pod is part of an endangered species, so it is not just a matter of stopping Luna socializing with humans and damaging boats, Pakenham said. Pod is in serious trouble. They need every bit of genetic diversity they can get.

They need young males and he could make a substantial contribution to the pod." Those who object to money being spend on the whale should remember that, in Victoria, the financial benefits of whale watching exceed those from commercial salmon fishing, Pakenham said. jlavoie tc.canwest. com LORNA LAMBERTTIMES COLONIST 11 i Common Par property I i I To be forprk Vv si 'on New4-lot subdivision i Prospect late in exchange for development permission By Judith Lavoe Times Colonist staff Sports fishermen will be banned from an area of Nootka Sound in an effort to give Luna the lonely orca a quiet zone. The aim is to minimize the five-year-old whale's interactions with vessels, both for his sake and for the safety of the boating public, said Ed Lochbaum, Department of Fisheries and Oceans fisheries manager. "There's also the hope albeit faint that Pod might come cruising by and there's that remotest possibility that there could be a natural reunification," he said.

The July 15 fishing ban which is infuriating sports fishermen will give Luna a corridor to the ocean without the distraction of boats and sonar fish finders and depth sounders. "It's an area where Luna likes to hang around. It's what he regards as his home turf," Lochbaum said. "I understand there's a bit of anxiety in the sports fishing community because we did this very quickly, but it's a necessary step." All options are on the table as DFO and the MowachahtMuchalaht First Nation look at Luna's future. SAANICH Park gained By Norman Gidney Times Colonist staff Saanich is getting a big new piece of parkland on Prospect Lake by agreeing to a subdivision on a small part of the lakefront.

Seventeen acres of the 20-acre site are to be dedicated as park, in exchange for Saanich allowing four large waterfront lots on the remaining three acres. "I think it's a really significant property," Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said Monday. The new park land has almost 1,200 feet of waterfront, some of it steep and rocky but including low-bank shoreline as well. Inland areas include an environmentally sensitive wetland. The parcel will connect Estelline Park and South Prospect Lake Park, two existing small lakefront parks that total eight acres.

35 OFF 3" Naturelle Silhouette Shadings Off our Regular Price The The BUY BUY BUY On the fir me if. 0 7 Wst YW. Kira Markus, 11, from Omaha, makes a close inspection of the Knowledge Totem on the B.C. legislature lawn Monday. The totem, by master carver Cicero August of the Cowichan Tribes, was erected in 1990 in the lead-up to the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

Darren StoneTimes Colonist 50 OFF IVa MtlwiiHi A Iwlwl bwnmJ Images 3 12" Vertical Blinds Off our Regular Price 5 i 1 Leonard said the municipality has agreed to extend Estelline Road by about 150 metres to serve the new building lots. A parks master plan will be developed by Saanich's parks and recreation department in consultation with the community. Developer Terry Morgenson purchased the property from the Oldfield pioneer farm family. The north-south road on the Saanich Peninsula was named for them. The four waterfront lots, each about three-quarters of an acre, will be protected through environmental development permits.

Leonard said in a news release that the owner and local neigbourhood organization co-operated "to consider a balance of residential development with the dedication of significant parkland." Council's decision to ratify the deal was welcomed by Shelagh Levy of the IE CALL TODAY TO ARRANGE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY IN HOME CONSULTATION 480-4972 More You Buy More You Save $1000, SAVE $100 $2000, SAVE $250 $3500, SAVE $500 entire Robert Allen Fabrics Collection fir Draperies, Valances and Custom Bedding. Discount taken off at time order. "i lINCLUDES: the Say 1-800-818-7779 Jra. JUL.