Metro Vancouver is reviewing its staff wages and salaries to ensure the remuneration is in line with what’s being paid in the private sector.

The move — spearheaded by Chief Administrative Officer Carol Mason, who took over as head of Metro last fall — comes as some directors called for a “salary survey” Friday, suggesting some regional employees were being paid too much.

The regional district doled out $142.4 million in total consolidated remuneration and expenses for staff in 2012, according to its latest financial statements.

Remuneration for the Metro board, headed by Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore and Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie, totalled $870,017, plus $60,690 in expenses.

Deputy CAO Delia Laglagaron, who had one of the highest salaries at $311,243 while she was acting CAO last year, said Mason is already reviewing senior staff wages and plans to then delve “layer by layer” into the rest of the organization as she restructures it. The regional district will also start a salary review, which is usually held every three years, she said.

“She wants to have all the positions reassessed,” Laglagaron said. “There are new positions and new responsibilities. It’s a different sort of structure.”

Laglagaron added many of those remuneration costs — especially for highly technical employees such as engineers who are needed for specialized services like tunnelling — are often out of Metro’s control.

In the past, Metro’s engineers had been frequently poached by BC Hydro, which led to raises in the salary base, she said. And while the engineers aren’t necessarily being wooed by the Crown corporation now, engineers, especially those specialized in certain areas, are still a hot commodity as they’re being sought by consulting firms and government agencies.

“The engineering group is a big driver in terms of dollars. They’re difficult to attract so we pay attention to which areas are trying to attract our employees,” Laglagaron told Metro’s finance committee.

“In the future we need to think about that. Nobody’s moving to Hydro (now) but to consulting firms. We may have to tweak it depending on what we see.”

Metro directors argue that while BC Hydro may no longer be poaching highly qualified technical staff, they’re facing competition from other sectors, including other Metro municipalities and cities across Canada, specifically Alberta.

North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton noted his municipality has lost many young engineers to Surrey, where they can earn up to $15,000 to $20,000 more every year and buy a cheaper home south of the Fraser.

“Surrey is often raiding staff from other parts of Metro,” Walton said. “These facts are always pushing up municipal salaries. You’re going to lose good people all the time but you can’t always match all of (the salaries) as well.”

Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin added it’s tough for small municipalities to hold onto highly qualified staff who can earn more elsewhere. His municipality lost three people to Port Coquitlam.

“In Maple Ridge we’re having a heck of a time with engineers. One guy retired and we kept bringing him back on contract because of the difficult time we had competing with consulting firms and other municipalities.”

The highest paid Metro staffer last year was former policy and planning manager Toivo Allas, at $522,918, former CAO Johnny Carline ($269,191), former chief financial officer Jim Rusnak ($256,804), water services manager Tim Jervis ($219,607) and Ralph Hildebrand, general manager of corporate services ($202,203).

Allas received a huge payout, Laglagaron said, because he had retired after 39 years and was paid out for banked holiday time. Metro now has a new policy to reduce banked time.

Rusnak, who had applied unsuccessfully for the CAO job and former parks manager Gaetan Royer, who earned $203,878 last year, were victims of restructuring by Metro.

Meanwhile, Metro board chairman Greg Moore, mayor of Port Coquitlam, received the highest remuneration at $78,372 plus $18,636 in expenses, followed by Maria Harris, director for Electoral Area A at $46,342 ($1,963 in expenses) and Raymond Louie, a Vancouver councillor and Metro vice-chair received $41,950 in remuneration and $5,845 in expenses.

North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto ($23,366), Walton ($26,505), New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright ($28,902) and Langley Coun. Gayle Martin ($27,873) rounded out the top eight making more than $20,000 plus expenses.

ksinoski@vacouversun.com