METRO VANCOUVER — TransLink is back in the hunt for a new CEO willing to take a little less than the last guy.

But the salary scale is still substantial, compared to what average British Columbians make, and the lowest possible pay is even higher than what Ian Jarvis, the last CEO, took home before bonuses and perks.

The Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation has approved a "lower new salary range" for the vacant position, TransLink announced Friday afternoon.

Under the new schedule, the minimum salary will be $325,092. The maximum is $406,364, but the board says it hopes to find someone willing to take the middle range, $365,728.

The last CEO, Ian Jarvis, earned a base salary of $319,244. But he also raked in a bonus of $97,671 and a vehicle allowance of $18,100, bringing his total compensation to $435,015.

Barry Forbes, the chairman of TransLink's board of directors, said the new pay scale is "about balance".

"It's about balancing the public's concerns — and there have been concerns — with the need to find strong, capable leadership for the organization," Forbes said. "We're satisfied that the range should allow us to attract the kinds of candidates we think can do the job and lead the organization."

By comparison, City of Vancouver manager Penny Ballem, who was fired last month, had an annual salary of $334,617.

When asked why the board is attempting to reduce CEO compensation now rather than years ago, Forbes pointed again to recent concern from the public over pay and perks.

Also intended to quell public anger is a decision to dump vehicle allowances — and not just for the CEO. All executives will now need to bike, bus or drive around on their own dime — sort of.

"Of course, we encourage all of our folks to use public transit, but naturally we recognize if they have a requirement to use their own vehicle on business, they are eligible for the same reimbursement that any other employee is," Forbes said.

TransLink said the Mayors' Council approved the changes based on a comprehensive analysis prepared by an independent consultant that looked at 13 Crown corporations, transit and transportation agencies and public bodies in Canada.

The B.C. government helped review the new CEO salary scale to make sure it was within guidelines for pay at other Crown corporations and agencies, said Minister Responsible for TransLink Peter Fassbender.

"It says clearly to the public that they were heard with their concerns about compensation for the CEO being perhaps higher than it should be, and we shared that perspective," he said in an interview. "What they've done is put a package forward which the mayors have approved which we think is within the guidelines."

In August, Fassbender ordered the agency to halt its search for a replacement to Jarvis until other problems were addressed. He said the delay would allow the government, the regional mayors, and TransLink to "clearly articulate the relationship between the Mayors' Council, the board of directors and management, and the provincial government on how we move forward in finding solutions."

Jordan Bateman, the B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said TransLink's announcement "is not as good as they want to paint it.

"Bluntly, if it was really good news, they wouldn't have put it out on Friday afternoon."

He said the vehicle perk "had long infuriated taxpayers" and it is good that it is finally gone.

But starting a new CEO at a higher base salary than Jarvis earned after being with TransLink since its inception "seems really counterintuitive. ... The new guy shouldn't be getting more than the old guy got."

With a file from Rob Shaw.

mrobinson@vancouversun.com

jefflee@vancouversun.com

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