The B.C. Liberal government ushered in a new executive restraint program Wednesday, announcing it will freeze salaries and end bonuses for senior managers.
But that freeze won't apply to universities or health authorities, where several senior administrators in Kamloops earn in excess of $200,000.
The province also released its public sector executive salary information Wednesday.
The highest salaries paid by a public organization in Kamloops are at Interior Health Authority, where CEO Dr. Robert Halpenny earned just shy of $400,000 including benefits and pension contributions. That's up 4.4 per cent from the same period last year for the Kelowna-based administrator.
The highest-paid public servant living in Kamloops is Tom Williamson, B.C. Lottery Corp.'s chief financial officer, who received $307,000 in the fiscal year ending March, 2012.
Williamson and other executives working for the province and Crown corporations will be subject to a new freeze on salaries. New hires will be paid 10 per cent less than the incumbent.
But that doesn't apply to taxpayer-supported universities and health regions.
IHA's vice-president of community integration, Andrew Neuner based in Kamloops, received $274,000 in salary and benefits, up from $261,000 the year prior.
Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger acknowledged the freeze is limited in scope, although there is salary oversight through the Public Sector Employers Council.
"They (universities and health authorities) are more autonomous," he said.
Thompson Rivers University would also not meet a new rule set down Wednesday that limits other executive compensation at a maximum of 85 per cent of any Crown CEO's pay. Three senior university administrators, one of them terminated earlier this year, came within a few thousand dollars of TRU president Alan Shaver's salary and benefits of $227,000.
TRU board chairwoman, Fiona Chan, said the university continues to press for higher compensation for Shaver. It argues comparable universities are Royal Roads and University of Northern B.C., where presidents received upwards of $300,000.
Instead, Shaver's compensation is in line with University of Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island University.
"We've lobbied (for a higher cap) through whatever channels we have," she said.
The university has found other measures to improve life for its president, including supply of furniture for his Sahali home and a special deal to subsidize his mortgage.
Chan said she is unsure if the mortgage subsidy is included in the financial statement. But the furniture provided by the university, to reflect the fact Shaver entertains guests in his home, is not part of the numbers.
"Furniture is really not part of the package. It belongs to the university. It has nothing to do with the package."
School district numbers are released later in the year. District superintendent Terry Sullivan earns $160,000 a year, what Krueger said is remarkably low for an administrator of his experience and capabilities.
Sullivan also recently turned down a $4,000 bonus.
The province also said it will end the practice of providing bonuses to Crown executives, replacing it with a salary holdback of up to 20 per cent based on financial results and performance.
