Story posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Salaries Too High?
Alderman Looks To Keep City Checks In Line
Not long after Des Plaines City Council recently approved major deficit-reducing cuts that included layoffs and non-funding of 38 positions, one alderman is now setting his sights on scrutinizing the highest paid city jobs.
Ald. Mark Walsten (6th) has asked Acting City Manager Jason Slowinski for a list of city employee salaries and how much each of those workers received in across-the-board and merit pay hikes within the last year or so. Once he gets the information, Walsten said he will determine whether any of the increases were out of line, especially during these tough economic times. If, they are, he is hoping some corrective action will be taken.
"I want to see exactly how the employees are paid and what they were paid," said Walsten. "This is something I don't know and I want to know what the deal is."
Walsten said former City Manager Jason Bajor failed to provide that information when he was asked to do so.
According to 2009 city records obtained by the Journal & Topics Newspapers, of the 43 top paid city employees, 27 are paid salaries in excess of $100,000. The list includes the $138,000 annual salary paid to Bajor, who was terminated by city council last week.
Slowinski was named acting city manager and was immediately granted a 5% pay increase on top of the $115,000 salary he was earning.
These salaries do not include lucrative benefits that consist of health insurance, personal days, vacation days and other amenities that in some cases include a city-owned automobile. They also do not take into account the steep pension payments the city is required to pay.
"If an employee is getting a 3.5% pay hike and then another 3 to 4% merit increase on top of that, that might not be affordable," Walsten explained. "I want a complete explanation and if they are out of line, they should be corrected. I won't know until I get further information."
2009 Des Plaines City Staff Salaries
City Manager – 138,000;
City Attorney – 130,965;
Police Chief – 136,147;
Fire Chief – 136,000;
Dir. of Public Works & Eng. – 138,154;
Dir. of Comm. Develop. – 118,441;
Dir. of Finance – 117,500;
Asst. City Manager – 115,500;
Pol Deputy Chief/Patrol – 123,578;
Pol Deputy Chief/Support – 124,098;
Pol Deputy Chief/Criminal – 123,707;
Dep. Fire Chief-OP – 115,034;
Dep. Fire Chief–Support Services – 119,075;
Director of IT – 114,500;
Asst. DR. of PW & Eng - 108,906;
Asst. DR of PW & Eng – 124,844;
Director of Bldg & Code – 93,670;
Asst. Dir. of Finance – 103,390;
Director of Human Resources – 115,000;
Emer. Comm. Deputy Director – 97,401;
Cmdr./Police–Patrol – 106,863;
Cmdr./Police–Patrol – 110,603;
Cmdr./Police-Patrol – 110,603;
Police Cmdr.–Admin. – 110,603;
Police Cmdr.–SS – 110,603;
Police Cmdr.– Investigations – 107,611;
Fire Battalion Chief – 89,205;
Fire Division Comm.–Train – 105,777;
Fire Division Chief–EMS – 110,069;
Fire Division Chief – 107,902;
Superintendent–Utility Services
Superintendent–General Services
Foreman-Vehicle Maint - 95,709;
Foreman-Water System Main – 93,185;
Foreman–Streets & Grounds – 85,080;
Foreman–Sewer System Maint. – 73,622;
Director of Media Services – 78,733;
Police Support Svs. Mgr. – 85,122;
Emer. Com. Mgr. Support Srvs. – 88,531;
Emer. Com. Shift Supervisor – 82,820;
Emer. Com. Shift Supervisor – 81,820;
Emer. Com. Shift Supervisor – 82,820
Asst. to the DR. of PW/Eng. – 67,080;
Financial Analyst – 77,041;
Financial Analyst/Fisc/Water – 60,000
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