Brampton employee paid $288,000 last year hasn’t worked for city hall since 2018

The City of Brampton’s highest paid staffer received more than $288,000 last year despite the fact he hasn’t actually worked for the city since 2018.

On Friday, the province released the it’s sunshine list naming all public sector employees in Ontario who earn $100,000 or more.

According to the list, former Brampton chief administrative officer (CAO) Harry Schlange was at the top of the salary pyramid for 2021 despite not working for the City of Brampton in over three years.

Schlange was paid $288,366.60 last year with taxable benefits amounting to $17,821.61 as part of a severance agreement, according to reports.

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Schlange was the city’s CAO from January 2016 to December 2018 before being replaced by an interim CAO Joe Pittari and later by David Barrick, both of which have also parted ways with the city.

Brampton taxpayers have reportedly paid Schlange over $1.8 million in salary and benefits, with more than half of that amount being paid after he was replaced.

Barrick, who was removed as CAO in February, came in as the second highest paid Brampton employee last year with a salary of $287,417.91 with taxable benefits of more than $20,500.

Other highly-paid Brampton employees on the 2021 Ontario Sunshine list included Richard Forward, commissioner of the city’s Planning Building and Economic Development with a salary of $236,619.07 and Brampton Fire Chief Bill Boyes at $230,014.67.

In a closed door meeting on Feb. 11, embattled Brampton CAO David Barrick was replaced by Morrision, who is also director of bylaw services with the city and a former Hamilton police superintendent.

Barrick was reportedly seeking more than $1 million in severance from the city following his termination.