Koch off the job but still on government payroll

REGINA Alanna Koch failed in her bid to become leader of the Saskatchewan Party and premier, but she is still collecting a paycheque from taxpayers — despite not working at her job.

Since April 6, Koch has received $38,000 in salary for her job as deputy minister to the premier, the top civil servant position in the province. Koch held that position under former premier Brad Wall. When she announced her Sask. Party leadership bid, she took an unpaid leave of absence.

She lost the leadership race to Scott Moe on the fifth and final ballot. It soon became clear she would not return to serve in her previous role, but the unpaid leave of absence came to an end.

According to Moe, Koch took banked vacation time following the leadership race. Beginning April 6, she started receiving a portion of her $267,948 annual salary, totalling $38,000.

Moe said Wednesday her position would be terminated as of June 1, and any of the money she has received since the leadership race “would be part of the severance agreement.”

He said he “did have discussions” about opportunities for Koch to stay within government, but that a severance package is now being negotiated.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili said it is a bit of a concern to have a “very partisan individual” running the civil service and then going to run for a leadership position. He said it is a “little bit odd” Koch appeared to have had “this sort of backup plan” to collect severance if she failed in her leadership bid.

Following her defeat this January for the Sask. Party leadership, Koch was noncommittal about her future.

“I put my heart and soul into the leadership campaign over the past five months. After the hectic pace, I am going to take some vacation and spend some time with my family. It’s going to take me a while to think about what’s next,” Koch said in a text message at that time.

Kent Campbell, a 21-year government veteran with several deputy minister appointments under his belt, was named interim head of the civil service the same day that Koch announced her leadership bid.

Wall appointed Koch to the government’s top civil service job in May 2016.

When she lost the leadership, some party members expressed interest in Koch running for a seat in the 2020 general election.

But during the five-month leadership race, she was consistently noncommittal about her political intentions in the event she lost.

Koch has largely been out of the public eye since her loss.