Ah, the Ontario Sunshine List  — the gift that keeps on giving out juicy nuggets of bizarre drama involving public servants who are paid at least six figures per year for doing their jobs.

Or, as in the case of one-time City of Brampton CEO Harry Schlange, not doing their jobs.

While reviewing the recently-dropped 2021 Sunshine List (an annual registry of people paid $100,000 or more through tax dollars) journalist Ryan Rumbolt spotted something a bit peculiar when looking at City of Brampton employees: Two Chief Administrative Officers, both making nearly $300K each.

The actual CAO of Brampton for 2021 was David Barrick (though council has since removed Barrick from this position, installing Bylaw Services Director Paul Morrison as interim CEO on Feb. 11, 2022.)

Barrick held the top-paying job in the city last year, according to the Sunshine List, earning $287,417.91.

But there was one person who was paid even more by the City of Brampton — one with the same title as Barrick, but who hasn't held the CAO position since 2018.

Harry Schlange, who was fired as the city's top bureaucrat in December of 2018, was paid $288,366.60 last year, despite the fact that he did not, in fact, work for Brampton in 2021. Or 2020. Or 2019.

Shit like this piss me of. This is taxpayer's 💰. Will they ask him to pay back? I think nothttps://t.co/lEBlzCpsJC

— mikeyslimm🇬🇭🇬🇭🌍 (@mikeyslimm) March 31, 2022

Rumbolt reports that the payout to Schlange (who has been a subject of controversy before) was made "as part of a severance agreement." 

"Schlange was the city's CAO from January 2016 to December 2018 before being replaced by an interim CAO Joe Pittari and later by David Barrick, both of which have also parted ways with the city," reads the insauga report.

"Brampton taxpayers have reportedly paid Schlange over $1.8 million in salary and benefits, with more than half of that amount being paid after he was replaced."

While the details of what happened and why Schlange is still making so much money from the City of Brampton despite no longer working there are not public, taxpayers responding to the insauga story are not pleased to be learning about his fat, easy paycheque.

"While drunk sailors spend their own money, Brampton taxpayers have their politicians do it on their behalf," wrote one on Twitter.

"Corruption is blooming," wrote another, tagging City of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

Earning hundreds of thousands of bucks for doing literally nothing is good work if you can get it, I suppose... if not super shady-looking. But one cannot expect to win friends under such circumstances. I mean... wow.