The pay bump of a former Delta manager was among the eye-popping numbers made public in the city’s 2023 Statement of Financial Information.
The report lists, among other information, the schedule of remuneration, which includes salaries and benefits, as well as expenses of council and employees with remuneration exceeding $75,000. The report lists former employee Paramjit Grewal’s total renumeration last year at $258,198, with expenses at $3,237.
In late 2018, Grewal, who ran unsuccessfully that year as a council candidate on George Harvie’s Achieving for Delta slate, was appointed to the newly retitled position of director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs.
At the time, newly elected Mayor Harvie told the Optimist it’s always been within the mayor’s purview to hire their own staff and the retirement of the former mayor’s administrative assistant provided an opportunity to expand the role.
According to last year’s Statement of Financial Information report for the 2022 fiscal year, Grewal’s renumeration was listed at $170,128, with expenses at $665. Going back further to the 2020 report for the 2019 fiscal year, Grewal’s first full year on the job, his renumeration was listed at $141,744, with expenses listed at $6,835.
Grewal was terminated this year following an in-camera vote by council. He subsequently launched legal action against the city and Coun. Dylan Kruger, alleging wrongful dismissal and defamation, and is seeking $700,000 in damages.
In a B.C. Supreme court notice of civil claim, Grewal stated he was employed by the city as the general manager of economic development and stakeholder relations in the mayor’s office. The claim said Grewal was earning $234,000 per year as well as a car allowance of $748 a month, 11.5 per cent vacation allowance and various benefits.
It also states Grewal should receive what he was entitled to for his contract to the end of 2026.
The city in its response said it terminated Grewal on a not-for-cause basis and made a severance offer.
When asked who authorized the pay hike and how it was determined, a staffer with the city told the Optimist that they could not provide comment but did provide background that the city had used an informal “step” system in determining exempt management employees’ remuneration. The city has now shifted to a performance-based system.
The Optimist is filing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to attempt to receive additional information on Grewal’s renumeration increase as well as his specific role for the city.
In a move highlighting a behind the scenes fallout between the mayor and the rest of council, all of whom were on his Achieving for Delta ballot in the 2022 election, councillors this May voted to approve a motion to implement new policies aimed at limiting Harvie’s activities without their approval.
Among the changes, no additional staffing support is to be provided to any member of council or the mayor without a formal resolution from council.
The motion did not detail any specific past actions or mention any current or past employees. Council also voted to remove Harvie as Delta’s representative on the Metro Vancouver board.
Council this Monday also discussed and approved a motion put forward by Coun. Rod Binder for the mayor, council and relevant staff to “participate in a mid-term governance workshop to enhance our collective understanding of governance principles, improve our effectiveness as a governing body, and continue to best serve the residents of our city.”
