The City of Burnaby got one fire chief for the price of two in 2020, according to the municipality’s 2020 statement of financial information.
Former fire Chief Joe Robertson's employment with the city ended three months into 2020 without explanation after 30 years of service in the Burnaby Fire Department.
But the city still paid him $194,060 last year, according to the 2020 SOFI, which was posted online Friday with the agenda for the June 14 city council meeting.
Together with current fire Chief Chris Bowcock’s pay of $210,043 in 2020, that means the city paid a total of $404,103 on fire chiefs last year.
Combining the cost of the chiefs and deputy chiefs in 2020, the total was $955,782 – an increase of $201,359 from 2019.
That’s the biggest year-over-year jump in cost for the city’s fire chief and deputy chiefs for at least a decade, according to previous SOFI reports.
After Robertson's departure, city officials wouldn’t say whether he had resigned, retired or the city had terminated him.
His name wasn’t listed among the fire department’s retirees in its 2020 annual report presented to city council last month, but public safety director Dave Critchley said that had been an “unintentional omission” and his name would be added.
More than a year after his departure, Robertson’s photo had also not been put up in Fire Station No. 1 with those of other former chiefs, but Critchley said that, too, would be rectified.
“(It’s) been a very busy and unprecedented year with the pandemic, and unfortunately some administrative tasks have been overlooked,” Critchley told the NOW last month.
The NOW reached out to the city for more information about the money paid to Robertson in 2020 and got an emailed statement from corporate communications manager Chris Bryan.
"For privacy reasons, the city does not comment on remuneration beyond what is included in the SOFI report," he said.
Government bodies, such as cities and school districts, are required to submit a statement of financial information every year, listing the name, position and remuneration of any employee paid more than $75,000.
This story has been corrected. The original version stated former fire Chief Joe Robertson had been paid $164,873 in 2020. He was, in fact, paid $194,060. Other figures in the story have been adjusted accordingly.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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