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Cranbrook’s top official inks new contract

Chief Administrative Officer David Kim signed five-year agreement in September
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David Kim (centre right) is pictured with Mayor Lee Pratt and councillors Norma Blissett, Danielle Eat and Ron Popoff after his swearing-in ceremony in March 2016. Townsman file photo.

Cranbrook’s top administration official will be leading operations at city hall for the next five years, having inked a new contract in September that will carry through till 2023.

David Kim, who joined the city two years ago as Chief Administrative Officer, will earn an annual salary of $225,000, which includes increases linked to the annual rate of inflation and hitting performance targets set by mayor and council.

The agreement also included a $50,000 signing bonus.

The salary falls in line with other municipalities that have a similar population to Cranbrook, as comparable salaries for CAOs range between $174,000 to $229,000 in five other cities in B.C. that hover around 20,000 residents.

Based on annual required financial reporting to the provincial government, Kim was the top-paid city official in 2017, earning $204,064, with $6,303 in expenses.

Kim, an engineer by trade, spent 14 years with the City of Calgary in the transportation department before being appointed the Manager of Urban Development. After serving with the city, he worked in the private sector with R.J. Burnside and Associates, an international engineering and environmental consulting firm.

B.C. municipal comparisons (2017 CAO salary figures)

Esquimalt - pop. 18,818

Laurie Hurst - $183,353 + exp. $3,312

Oak Bay - pop. 19,228

Helen Koning - $183,963 + exp. $3,727

Pitt Meadows - pop. 19,772

Mark Roberts $174,065 + exp. $6,311

Squamish - pop. 21,229

Linda Glenday - $175,083 + exp. $8,304

White Rock - pop. 21,370

Dan Bottrill - $229,893 + exp. $6,657

Cranbrook - pop. 21,308

David Kim - $204,064 + exp. $6,303



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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