Some big bonuses for departing city officials

Anie Samson, the outgoing Villeray-St. Michel-Park Extension borough mayor, has reportedly set a record for biggest departure bonus for an elected municipal official.

The Journal de Montreal reports that Samson, who has been at City Hall since 1994, stands to get $280,000 in bonuses after her defeat on Nov. 5 — a $150,000 transition allowance, on top of a $130,000 departure bonus.

The previous record was held by former interim mayor Michael Applebaum, who left City Hall with $267,000 in bonuses, despite the criminal charges he was facing at the time.

The report says outgoing mayor Denis Coderre, meanwhile, is getting $192,000  — a transition allowance of $167,000, plus a $25,000 departure bonus. The latter figure is a lot lower because he's only served four years at City Hall.

Richard Bergeron, the Projet Montreal founder who lost his bid for re-election under the Team Coderre banner, is reportedly getting $184,000.