Burnaby city hall saw 65 staff join the six-figure-salary club in 2008.

That’s compared to 2007 when 50 staff earned more than $100,000.

Topping the list was city manager Bob Moncur, who took home $205,052 and claimed no expenses.

The next highest earners were: Richard Mester, a contract employee in enterprise resource planning (the city’s computer business systems software project), at $187,304, deputy city manager Chad Turpin, $178,676, director of engineering Lambert Chu, $165,265 plus $1,342 in expenses, finance director Rick Earle, $160,851 and planning director Basil Luksun, $158,544, and expenses of $1,962.

Other senior staff making the cut were director of parks, recreation and culture Dave Ellenwood, $135,361, and $3,929 expenses, city solicitor Bruce Rose, $136,059, $632 in expenses, chief librarian Edel Toner-Rogala, $132,571, and human resources director Kim Munro, $132,175, and expenses of $4,528.

Several members of the Burnaby Fire Department made the list, starting with fire chief Bob Cook at $155,477, and several assistant fire chiefs: Dave Duck, $143,654; Shaun Redmond, $136,160; Les Strange, $134,878; and George Whitehurst, $132,663.

Rounding out the top 20 after Moncur are: retired manager of accounting services Celeste Reynolds, $156,833; senior project manager, enterprise resource planning Maurice Schmidt, $151,094; chief information officer Brian Sameshima, $145,050; deputy treasurer and enterprise resource planning project manager Denise Jorgenson, $139,989; deputy director of engineering Barry Davis, $137,737; and assistant director, current planning Ken Ito, $132,692.

A total of 324 Burnaby staff earned more than $75,000 in 2008, for a total of $29,835,954. All remaining city staff earned a combined total of $79,409,086.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com