The turmoil within Winnipeg's public works department last year is now reflected on the city's payroll, as four high-profile employees who left the city were compensated a total of $574,000 in 2017.

The city's annual compensation disclosure, published Friday morning, reveals former public works director Lester Deane received $196,969 last year despite leaving the city in May.

That's more than the $181,088 Deane received for the entirety of 2016, suggesting some form of payout following his falling out with chief administrative officer Doug McNeil.​

The breakdown will not be made public. City council has asked the province to change legislation to allow Winnipeg to break down its compensation into various categories, in an effort to be more transparent about departure payouts.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen rebuffed that request in May, stating it would create too much of a burden in municipalities and other public bodies that are required to disclose compensation.

Deane was the first of four high-profile public works employees to leave the city in 2017. He was followed by transportation engineers Luis Escobar, Scott Suderman and Steven Chapman.

All four earned more in 2017 than they did in 2016, but only Deane's departure clearly suggests a payout, as the engineers could have received back pay as part of a labour settlement between the city and the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers, the union representing city professionals.

Again, the breakdown of their compensation will not be disclosed.​

The city's 2017 compensation disclosure lists all city employees who received $50,000 or more in the form of salary or other forms of compensation, such as taxable benefits, overtime pay, retroactive pay adjustments, retirement allowance, sick pay, vacation pay cash-outs, back pay and severance pay.

The highest-compensated city employee in 2017 was chief administrative officer Doug McNeil, who received $261,868.

Four other city employees received more than $200,000 in compensation: a Winnipeg police service superintendent, a sergeant, a constable and police Chief Danny Smyth, who received $248,413

Mayor Brian Bowman received $185,870 in 2017.

Overall, 6,950 City of Winnipeg employees received more than $50,000 in compensation in 2017. A total of 2,336 city employees received more than $100,000 in compensation.