Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Who makes the most in local government, education? See the top salaries in St. Johns County The county medical examiner, a city manager and the county administrator are among top-paid. (SAR)

Good call by St. Augustine Record in running salaries of government employees. Information oddly omits our State's Attorney, employees of the judicial branch and the St. Johns River Water Management District.  Wonder why?. 

While the shallow article focused on top salary earners, there was no data analysis, showing GANNETT is woefully understaffed and values the superficial and materialistic, like its constant stream of stories about the most expensive house sold each week. 

It must be awful working for enormous GANNETT, with its low expectations and low-quality journalism.. 

  • No discussion of benefits, which are often lavish for the highest paid employees.
  • Highest paid county employee is PREDRAG BULIC, M.D., Medical Examiner at the center of the coverup of the September 2, 2010 homicide of Michelle O'Connell in the home of Deputy JEREMY BANKS, still a traffic deputy, who was never charged with homicide. 
  • Evidence of discrimination or payroll padding may emerge.
  • Top dogs are overpaid, working stiffs are underpaid, and pay inequities appear to exist.
  • Not one quote from the teacher's, firefighters' or police unions or anyone else.
  • No labor economist  or expert on discrimination law. 
  • Nada.
  • Zilch. 
  • Nothing
  • This is not so much an article as a data dump. 

Watch this space.

In 1981, our fledgling Appalachian Observer newspaper got a wonderful suggestion from Albert Slusher, former County Judge/County Executives: Print all local government salaries.  Our tabloid did it for weeks.  Here, the St. Augustine Record did it on its website, with links to spreadsheets, unnoticed, without a single reader comment -- comments are now closed.

Prediction: when they learn salaries, more workers will join unions and negotiate better wages and working conditions.   

My mother was a Southern New Jersey county college employee, who helped unionize all the secretaries and custodians, winning living wages.  I helped her picket.

Hopefully Record readers and readers of this blog will help inform the debate about government salaries that the Record barely began.

Another superficial, shallow article from the incredible shrinking St. Augustine Record\




Who makes the most in local government, education? See the top salaries in St. Johns County

The county medical examiner, a city manager and the county administrator are among top-paid

Sheldon Gardner
St. Augustine Record

To increase transparency between St. Johns County residents and the people who serve them, The Record requested salary data from local government organizations and St. Johns River State College, which receives taxpayer dollars. 

The Record made the requests in December and January and received responses over the following weeks, so some information could have changed in that timeframe. 

Top 10 overall from all organizations

  1. St. Johns River State College President Joe Pickens: $322,094
  2. County Chief Medical Examiner Predrag Bulic: $260,274.77
  3. County Administrator Hunter Conrad: $227,088.75
  4. County EMS Medical Director Kerry Bachista: $210,000
  5. County Attorney David Migut: $207,000
  6. St. Augustine City Manager John Regan: $198,906.68 
  7. St. Johns River College Chief Academic Officer Melanie Brown: $180,000 
  8. St. Johns River College Chief Financial Officer Lynn Powers: $180,000 
  9. St. Johns River College Executive Vice President and General Counsel Melissa Miller: $178,345 
  10. St. Johns County Airport Authority Executive Director Ed Wuellner: $176,345
  1. Director Rui-De Xue: $160,596.80. Hire date: April 14, 2003. 
  2. Entomologist/Scientific Manager Whitney Qualls: $83,782.40. Original hire date: March 20, 2006. Current role hire date: Oct. 28, 2019. 
  3. Pilot Dana Smith: $82,659.20. Hire date: April 27, 2020. 
  4. Operation Manager Marcia Gaines: $79,372.80. Original hire date: Aug. 7, 2000. Current role hire date: May 11, 2017. 
  5. Field Biologist Muhammad Farooq: $78,041.60. Hire date: Oct. 1, 2019. 
  6. Molecular Biologist Steven Peper: $75,004.80. Hire date: March 23, 2020.  
  7. Business Manager James Weaver: $74,214.40. Original hire date: April 14, 2003. Current role hire date: Feb. 14, 2019.
  8. CFO Scott Hanna: $72,904. Original hire date: July 9, 2007. Current role hire date: Oct. 1, 2020. 
  9. Helicopter Mechanic Ralph Bruner: $68,723.20. Hire date: Sept. 3, 2019. 
  10. Biologist Vindhya Aryaprema: $67,641.60. Hire date: Aug. 5, 2019. 

View document.

Top 10 salaries from the city of St. Augustine 

  1. City Manager John Regan: $198,906.68. Original hire date: May 26, 1998. Current role hire date: July 1, 2010. 
  2. City Attorney Isabelle Lopez: $169,050.55. Original hire date: Aug. 31, 2011. Current role hire date: Sept. 16, 2014. 
  3. Assistant City Manager Meredith Breidenstein: $151,920.84. Original hire date: Feb. 28, 2005. Current role hire date: Oct. 15, 2019. 
  4. Assistant City Manager David Birchim: $145,000. Original hire date: Dec. 29, 1997. Current role hire date: Dec. 21, 2021. 
  5. General Services Director Jim Piggott: $131,082.39. Hire date: June 27, 2006. 
  6. Finance Director Mark Simpson: $122,035.73. Original hire date: Sept. 10, 2019. Current role hire date: May 12, 2020. 
  7. Facilities Group Manager Timothy Shields: $121,068.41. Original hire date: April 8, 1998. Current role hire date: Sept. 1, 2000. 
  8. Fire Chief Carlos Aviles: $112,720.52. Original hire date: May 19, 2005. Current role hire date: Sept. 1, 2016. 
  9. Police Chief Jennifer Michaux: $111,792.89. Original hire date: Nov. 20, 1995. Current role hire date: July 1, 2021. 
  10. Public Works Director Reuben Franklin Jr.: $107,845.93. Original hire date: July 6, 2010. Current role hire date: Oct. 29, 2019. 

View document

Top 10 salaries from the city of St. Augustine Beach:

  1. City Manager Max Royle: $127,045.55. Hire date: July 24, 1989. 
  2. Public Works Director Bill Tredik: $104,789.71. Hire date: May 1, 2019. 
  3. Police Chief Daniel Carswell: $93,975.88. Hire date: July 20, 2006. 
  4. Director of Building and Zoning Brian Law: $88,252.98. Hire date: Dec. 4, 2017. 
  5. Finance Director Patricia Douylliez: $81,147.54.Hire date: Aug. 18, 2014. 
  6. Assistant Public Works Director Kenneth Gatchell: $80,767.82. Hire date: Aug. 28, 1989.  
  7. Police Cmdr. Travis Harrell: $78,773.71. Hire date: Sept. 14, 2020. 
  8. IT Manager Anthony Johns: $72,000. Hire date: Oct. 1, 2002. 
  9. Police Lt. Frankie Hammonds: $70,455.43. Hire date: Oct. 2, 2003. 
  10. Senior Planner Bonnie Miller: $65,269.18 Hire date: Aug. 31, 1998.

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Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Airport Authority 

  1. Executive Director Ed Wuellner: $176,345. Hire date: Jan. 29, 1996. 
  2. Operation Manager Kevin Harvey: $93,687. Hire date: May 4, 2000. 
  3. Office Manager Cynthia Hollingsworth: $81,261. Hire date: Jan. 6, 2003. 
  4. Strategic Partnerships Manager Carol Saviak: $70,677. Hire date: Feb. 19, 2019. 
  5. Maintenance Supervisor James Couts: $65,578. Hire date: Oct. 11, 1993. 
  6. Maintenance Tech. Matthew O'Toole: $47,946. Hire date: Aug. 18, 2014. 
  7. Maintenance Tech. Richard Bates: $45,011. Hire date: Aug. 26, 2002.
  8. Maintenance Tech. Jacob Beason: $37,770. Hire date: April 27, 2015. 
  9. Maintenance Tech. Charles Assalty: $35,360. Hire date: Dec. 1, 2021. 
  10. Maintenance Tech. Zachary Massey: $35,276. Hire date: Aug. 23, 2021. 

The St. Johns County Airport Authority does not collect property tax revenue, though it has the option. 

View document.

Top 10 salaries from St. Johns County government 

Hire date is original hire date with the county

  1. Chief Medical Examiner Predrag Bulic: $260,274.77. Hire date: May 23, 2011. 
  2. County Administrator Hunter Conrad: $227,088.75 Hire date: Dec. 17, 2019. 
  3. EMS Medical Director Kerry Bachista: $210,000. Hire date: Dec. 5, 2016. 
  4. County Attorney David Migut: $207,000. Hire date: Nov. 10, 2021. 
  5. Deputy County Administrator Joy Andrews: $172,200. Hire date: Nov. 20, 2006. 
  6. Deputy County Administrator Brad Bradley: $172,200. Hire date: Jan. 7, 2020. 
  7. Director of Information Systems Wylie Thibault: $151,752.00. Hire date: July 11, 1986.   
  8. Fire Rescue Chief Jeff Prevatt: $151,610.60. Hire date: March 5, 2019. 
  9. Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jesse Dunn: $151,394.28. Hire date: Nov. 24, 2003. 
  10. Utilities Director Colin Groff: $144,200. Hire date: July 19, 2021.

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Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Clerk of Court and Comptroller's Office 

  1. Clerk of Court and Comptroller Brandon Patty: $148,423.18. Appointed by governor: December 2019. 
  2. Chief Deputy Clerk Mark Miner: $135,179.20. Hire date: Feb. 3, 2020.
  3. Chief Financial Clerk Dwala Reid: $108,160. Hire date: Aug. 9, 2000. 
  4. Deputy Chief Financial Clerk Clinton Boone: $105,580.80. Hire date: Nov. 2, 2020. 
  5. Chief Personnel Clerk Lisa Motes: $96,075.20. Hire date: June 20, 2016. 
  6. Chief Tech. Clerk John Rundgren: $96,075.20. Hire date: Oct. 30, 2017. 
  7. Chief Operations Clerk Julio Cruz: $95,804.80. Hire date: July 16, 2012. 
  8. Director of Financial Support: Billy Stafford: $95,804.80. Hire date: Jan. 2, 2018. 
  9. Inspector General Nilsa Arissa: $87,568. Hire date: Sept. 17, 2020. 
  10. Director of Technology Christopher Shilliday: $87,568. Hire date: July 2, 2018. 

View document

Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Property Appraiser's Office

  1. Property Appraiser Eddie Creamer: $148,994. Started role after election: Jan. 3, 2017.  
  2. Chief Technology Officer Leonard Ortagus: $120,795. Original hire date: Aug. 9, 1990. Current role hire date: Jan. 1, 2019. 
  3. Assistant Chief Technology Officer Brandi Amstutz: $113,000. Original hire date: April 15, 2014. Current role hire date: Oct. 1, 2020. 
  4. Chief Appraiser Kevin Haynie: $113,000. Original hire date: June 5, 2017. Current role hire date: Oct. 1, 2020. 
  5. Chief Administrative Officer Mary Pontello: $113,000. Original hire date: March 13, 2017. Current role hire date: June 15, 2019. 
  6. Chief Human Resource and Finance Officer Cheryl Reese: $95,000. Hire date: Jan. 3, 2017. 
  7. Commercial Appraisal Supervisor Matthew Cumiskey: $93,000. Original hire date: Sept. 28, 1998. Current role hire date: Oct. 1, 2021. 
  8. Director of Information Technology and Facilities Jordan Kleinhan: $93,000. Hire date: Oct. 4, 2021. 
  9. Commercial Appraiser Dain Bufe: $90,000. Original hire date: Oct. 10, 2005. Current role hire date: Oct. 1, 2020. 
  10. Residential Valuation Trainee TJ Fleming: $85,000. Hire date: June 21, 2021. 

View document

Top 10 salaries in the St. Johns County School District

  1. Superintendent Tim Forson: $165,000. Original hire date: Aug. 19, 1980. Current role hire date: Jan. 1, 2017. 
  2. Deputy Superintendent Admin. Michael Degutis: $144,926. Hire date: July 25, 2011. 
  3. Chief Financial Officer Gretchen Yvonne Saunders: $137,168. Hire date: Jan. 4, 2021.   
  4. Chief Information Officer Bruce Patrou: $133,134. Hire date: June 12, 2003. 
  5. Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services Kyle Dresback: $130,511. Hire date: Dec. 6, 1996. 
  6. Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Catherine Hutchins: $130,511. Original hire date: Aug. 26, 1986. Current role hire date: Aug. 1, 1995. 
  7. Associate Superintendent, Accountability and Intervention Services Wayne Noel King: $130,511. Hire date: July 1, 2003.  
  8. Associate Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction Dawn Sapp: $130,511. Hire date: Aug. 26, 1991.  
  9. Executive Director of Planning and Research Cynthia Williams: $128,500. Hire date: May 1, 1995.  
  10. Bartram Trail High School Principal Chris Phelps: $125,697. Hire date: Aug. 26, 1986.  

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Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office

  1. Sheriff Robert Hardwick: $156,904. Elected: Nov. 9, 2020. 
  2. General Counsel Matthew Cline: $143,000. Hire date:  Jan. 15, 2009. 
  3. Director of Patrol Gregory Beaver:  $131,000. Hire date: Sept. 16, 1997. 
  4. Criminal Investigations Division Director Howard "Skip" Cole: $131,000. Hire date: Nov. 9, 1999. 
  5. General Services Division Director Perry Hagaman: $131,000. Original hire date: June 26, 2017. Current role hire date: March 31, 2019. 
  6. Director of Operations Russell Martin: $131,000. Hire date: April 2, 2007. 
  7. Director of Corrections Tara Wildes: $131,000: Hire date: Sept. 28, 2020. 
  8. Corrections Capt. Stephen Colson: $115,000. Hire date: Aug. 25, 2003. 
  9. Patrol Capt. William Werle: $115,000. Hire date: June 23, 1998.
  10. All at $113,000: Patrol Capt. Timothy Burres, hire date: July 18, 2000; Operations Capt. Kevin Cronin, hire date: March 14, 2000; GNSV Operations Capt. Larry Durden, hire date: Jan. 2, 2001; Finance Executive Manager Margaret Griffin, hire date: May 25, 1993; EM MGMT Special Ops Capt. Shawn Lee, hire date: April 21, 1992; and Corrections Capt. Misty North, hire date: Aug. 10, 1993. 

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Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections 

  1. Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes: $148,423. Original hire date: March 24, 1988. Appointed to current role: Sept. 6, 2011. 
  2. Assistant Supervisor of Elections Wayne Fusco: $110,175. Hire date: May 2, 2011. 
  3. Chief Deputy Erika Ward: $110,175. Hire date: April 29, 1996.
  4. Elections Services Specialist Joseph Sarmiento: $60,698. Hire date: Nov. 21, 2019. 
  5. Director of Voter Services Cody Childress: $57,221. Hire date: Sept. 28, 2015. 
  6. Poll Worker/Outreach Coordinator Amantina Rodriguez: $57,221. Hire date: Sept. 25, 2017. 
  7. Elections Operations Lead Technician Matthew Campbell: $55,692. Hire date: June 1, 2020. 
  8. Deputy Supervisor of Elections Janet Taylor: $48,909. Hire date: July 10, 2006. 
  9. Deputy Supervisor of Elections - Candidate Services Desiree Baker: $44,772. Hire date: Oct. 7, 2019. 
  10. Deputy Supervisor of Elections Alyssa Persaud Tirado: $40,884. Hire date: April 30, 2018. 

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Top 10 salaries at the St. Johns County Tax Collector's Office 

  1. Tax Collector Dennis Hollingsworth: $146,994. Date of office after election: Jan. 1, 1985. 
  2. Assistant Tax Collector Jennifer Ravan: $132,558.40. Original hire date: April 4, 1994. Current role hire date: Aug. 1, 2007. 
  3. Human Resource Director Selisa Derring: $108,160. Original hire date: Nov. 10, 2003. Current role hire date: Dec. 19, 2012.
  4. IT Director Rick Hampton: $100,880. Hire date: Nov. 28, 2011. 
  5. Finance Director Christopher Swanson: $95,680. Original hire date: Sept. 26, 2011. Current role hire date: Jan. 1, 2014. 
  6. DL Director Brenda Davis: $83,200. Original hire date: May 10, 2004. Current role hire date: Sept. 1, 2016. 
  7. Tag/Title Director Tedra Reid: $82,160. Original hire date: Feb. 10, 1997. Current role hire date: Dec. 19, 2012. 
  8. Branch Manager Glenda Hitchcock: $81,120. Original date: Jan. 4, 1999. Current role hire date: Jan. 1, 2009. 
  9. Tax Director Hope Chesser: $80,080. Original hire date: March 29, 2004. Current role hire date: Feb. 5, 2010. 
  10. Customer Service Representative Lois Lewis: $79,040. Hire date: May 24, 1987.

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Top 10 salaries at St. Johns River State College 

  1. President Joe Pickens: $322,094. Hire date: Nov.1, 2008. 
  2. Chief Academic Officer Melanie Brown: $180,000. Original hire date: Aug. 23, 1999. Current role hire date: July 1, 2011. 
  3. Chief Financial Officer Lynn Powers: $180,000. Hire date: Nov. 1, 2014. 
  4. Executive Vice President and General Counsel Melissa Miller: $178,345. Original hire date: Nov. 2, 1992. Current role hire date: July 1, 2003. 
  5. Vice President for Student Affairs and Assistant General Counsel Gilbert Evans Jr.: $159,074. Original hire date: Aug. 16, 1993. Current role hire date: July 1, 2003. 
  6. VP Assessment, Research, Technology: Rosalind Humerick: $136,785. Original hire date: Aug. 17, 1992. Current role hire date: July 1, 2008. 
  7. VP for Development and External Affairs/Director of Clay County Community Relations  Caroline Tingle: $136,785. Original hire date: March 25, 1996. Current role hire date: July 1, 2003. 
  8. VP for Workforce Development/Career Tech Ed David Campbell: $131,000. Hire date: Jan. 13, 2020. 
  9. Vice President for Academic Affairs Edward Jordan: $125,000. Original hire date: July 1, 2004. Current role hire date: July 1, 2015. 
  10. Head Baseball/Athletic Director Marshall Jones Jr.: $115,392. Original hire date: June 11, 2008. Current role hire date: July 1, 2009. 

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