In the Sunday Sept. 18 edition, Northern Life reported on Greater Sudbury CEO Mark Mieto?s new three-year contract.
The article stated while Mieto will receive an increase of 18 percent over three years, the city?s unionized workers only received an increase of nine percent over five years.
In fact, unionized workers will receive an increase of 15.75 percent over this five-year period, or 9.75 percent over three years, if compared to the life span of Mieto?s new contract.
That?s the simple part of the story to fix.
Other information has come to light since then regarding the fact Mieto?s increase is not spread over three years, but in fact, is a one-time increase.
As well, Mieto will be given an additional general wage increase in year two and three of his contract.
While it should be easy enough to report on what the one-time increase amounts to, originally thought to be 18 percent, and what amount the general wage increase for years two and three is, it?s not that simple.
Northern Life has requested the specific information from three sources, and was given three different answers.
One source has said Mieto would receive a 3.25 percent increase in year two and three, like the union and non-unionized city staffers.
Another source said he would receive three percent in 2006 and 3.25 percent in 2007.
As well, another source said Meito received an 18.5 percent increase, not 18 percent.
While the difference in the numbers is relatively small, it still begs the question ? why is such a simple question so complicated to answer?
Varying answers were also provided on why Mieto, whose salary range currently falls between $155,000 to $181,500, moved from the bottom end of this spectrum to the highest within a relatively short time.
Sources say his salary as of November will be $181,500, which means his salary is now capped out.
And according to the province, which annually releases the salary amounts of public servants making in excess of $100,000, Mieto was making around $153,830 in 2004.
A salary comparison from another municipality has been given as a reason, years of service as another reason, good performance, restructuring (including the fact the other senior managers were too close to Mieto?s salary) were also cited.
Northern Life apologizes for the mistake regarding the union wage increase printed in Sunday?s edition. However, we want readers to know our attempts to set the record straight and to get information about how your tax money is spent at city hall was not as easy as it should have been.
