A senior TNRD administrator fired last year immediately before the civic election he was supposed to oversee received $53,000 in severance.

Figures were released to The Daily News via a freedom of information request.

Sukh Gill, chief administrative officer for Thompson-Nicola Regional District, declined to discuss Lyle Huntley's dismissal.

Huntley was hired in 2007 as clerk and director of community services out of Ontario. He was dismissed in November, a few months after Gill became the new head of TNRD administration.

While Gill declined to discuss Huntley, he said excluded staff at the regional district do not have contracts. Any severance fees paid out are based on common law.

Huntley could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday. He declined to comment following his departure last year.

He earned $128,000 a year salary in 2011.

The regional district has not directly replaced Huntley, splitting his duties between two other administrators.

But the move is not part of overall cost-cutting.

Gill ordered an administrative review shortly after being named to the position. One of the outcomes is the pending appointment of a human resources manager, a new position to the TNRD.

Gill said overall administrative expenses at the regional district are expected to climb $200,000 over a three-year period.

The regional district also reduced a management position in planning to help contain overall costs.