The City of Grand Forks paid its employees over $4.6 million in wages and expenses in 2025, an increase of about $254,000, or 5.9 per cent, over 2024.
According to the city’s annual statement of financial information, 37 employees made at least $75,000 in 2025, compared to 34 the previous year, while 16 made at least $100,000, up from 11 in 2024. (One of the 16 had a salary less than $100,000, but their expenses pushed them into six figures overall.)
The total payroll was $4.47 million plus about $115,000 in expenses. In 2024, wages came to $4.2 million and expenses to $111,000 for a total of $4.34 million.
The top earners among staff were as follows:
| Name | Position | Salary | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Redfearn | Chief administrator | $183,943 | $6,057 |
| Myles Jalbert | Electrical co-ordinator | $138,068 | $1,758 |
| Alex Adams | Director of operations | $136,709 | $292 |
| Marcus Lebler | Chief financial officer | $134,124 | $3,731 |
| Evan Sargeant | Electrical lineman | $134,612 | $1,395 |
Redfearn, Jalbert, Adams, and Lebler were also among the top five earners in 2024. Adams’ title was previously public works manager.
Municipalities are required to provide statements of financial information each year and list every employee who earned at least $75,000.
Those earning over $75,000 accounted for more than 84 per cent of Grand Forks’ total payroll in 2025.
Meanwhile, elected officials made about $158,500 in stipend and expenses combined, compared to about $154,000 in 2024.
| Name | Position | Salary | Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everett Baker | Mayor | $31,690 | $9,826 |
| Zak Eburne-Stoodley | Councillor | $21,149 | $5,362 |
| Neil Krog | Councillor | $21,149 | $369 |
| Deborah Lafleur | Councillor | $21,149 | $5,680 |
| David Mark | Councillor | $21,149 | $2,432 |
| Christine Thompson | Councillor | $21,149 | $4,175 |
| Rod Zielinski | Councillor | $21,149 | $5,770 |
| Total | $158,584 | $33,614 |
There was one change in the reporting of pay for elected official. In 2024, council members were also shown with a benefits column that totalled $28,224. That column is absent in 2025.
Chief financial officer Marcus Lebler said in an email that in preparing the latest statement, city staff reviewed the definitions of remuneration and expenses.
He said the rules specifically exclude general benefits that are available to employees, such as medical, dental, and similar group benefit plans, from the remuneration and expense disclosures.
As a result, the 2025 report doesn’t include a separate column for employer-paid group benefits for elected officials.
