2014 GAMES LEGACY Sports, arts and culture will benefit.
FIREFIGHTERS DISTRACTED NEEDED DRIVERS Recruitment campaign launched in Mission.
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RCMP complete month-long PAGE 14 crackdown campaign.
2012
CCNA
85¢+ GST
Friday, April 10, 2015
SERVING MISSION SINCE 1908
$388,000 payout for former CAO Kevin Mills MISSION RECORD
The District of Mission paid almost $389,000 in severance and owed vacation to former chief administrative officer (CAO) Ken Bjorgaard. The numbers were released after The Record filed a freedom of information request with the district. According to the figures provided, under his employment agreement Bjorgaard was paid $261,759. He also received $82,800 retirement allowance, $39,008 in owed wages
(untaken holiday time) and $5,200 for legal fees, for a total of $388,767. In 2013, Bjorgaard earned an annual salary of $178,404. Bjorgaard, who was Mission’s finance director, was named the BJORGAARD CAO in April of 2012 to replace Glen Robertson who was retiring. Bjorgaard was let go on February 13, 2015 and replaced, on an interim basis, by Robertson. Mission Mayor Randy Hawes said no one
is pleased with the final amount, but it was a “without-cause severance.” “I know the public won’t be happy with it, with the amount. Be assured, none of us (on council) are happy with the amount either. We are all taxpayers as well. But we felt to move ahead in the direction we want the city to move in, we had to make the change,” said Hawes. He would not go into details on why the change was needed, other than to say it was a council decision. “Whenever we have this sort of thing, it is a labour issue that never gets discussed
in public.” Hawes added that the contract called for severance and the district had to pay. “That’s pretty much what contracts in every CAO of a city calls for.” He said the final severance amount is actually closer to $350,000 because the $39,000 in owed holiday time would have to be paid whether Bjorgaard left or not. “That’s not part of the severance package. That’s what he’s owed.” As for the $5,200 in legal fees, Hawes said a lawyer was involved to negotiate Bjorgaard’s departure.
Welcome to the Bronze Age The Mission Outlaws junior B hockey squad won provincial bronze over the holiday weekend. The hosts of the Cyclone Taylor Cup battled the North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Monday morning and defeated the visitors 7-0 to take third place in the four-team tournament. The win provided some redemption for the local squad. Mission was knocked out of the league playoffs by North Vancouver in March. For more on the Outlaws, see page 25. KEVIN MILLS PHOTO
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