The number of city of Jackson employees who made six figures almost tripled in 2020, a year when the state shut down many local businesses due to COVID-19.
There were 32 city employees whose gross salaries exceeded $100,000 in 2020. There were 11 city employees who made six figures in 2019.
Overall, the total salaries for all city of Jackson employees (including part-timers) increased by just $59,755. But there was a 12.5% reduction in total employees from 2019 to 2020. There were 617 full and part-time employees in 2019 and that dropped to 540 in 2020.
According to the U.S. Census, the median household income in Jackson was $35,464 and 28.7% of the city’s residents are in poverty.
The salary information was released by the city in a Freedom of Information Act request. The salary information includes gross salaries, which can include overtime or other forms of extra pay.
The top paid employee was City Manager Jonathan Greene, who made $174,492 in 2020. Greene made less than the previous city manager, Patrick Burtch, who was the top paid city employee in 2019 with a gross income of $212,714.
Jennifer Morris, the city’s Director of Neighborhood and Economic Operations, was the second-highest paid employee at $145,985. Her pay increased by 6.4% in 2020. City Attorney Matthew Hagerty was third-highest paid at $145,969.
Police and fire employees are often among the highest paid in a municipality due to the embedded cost of overtime in public safety jobs. That’s the case in Jackson, too.
Police Director Elmer Hitt was the highest paid employee in public safety with a $144,255 salary, a 8% pay increase over 2019. Fire Deputy Director David Wooden made $130,363 in 2020.
The fire department saw some of the largest raises in gross pay in 2020.
Fire Motor Driver Chad Everett had his pay increase from $91,234 in 2019 to $123,167 in 2020, a 35% increase.
Fire Captain Todd Weaver saw his pay increase from $96,279 in 2019 to $128,470 in 2020, a 33% increase.
Fire Motor Driver Joel Skrypec’s gross pay increased from $88,141 in 2019 to $114,146 in 2020. That was a 30% increase.
Firefighter Frank Huntley’s gross pay increased from $82,515 in 2019 to $100,664 in 2020, a 22% increase.
Top Paid City of Jackson Employees In Terms of Gross Wages For 2020
Jonathan Greene, City Manager, $174,492
Jennifer Morris, Director of Neighborhood and Economic Operations, $145,985
Matthew Hagerty, City Attorney, $145,969
Elmer Hitt, Police Director, $144,255
Jon Dowling, City Engineer, $134,499
David Wooden, Fire Deputy Director, $130,363
Kelli Hoover, Director of Parks, Recreation and Grounds, $129,753
Todd Weaver, Fire Captain, $128,470
Patrick Burtch, City Manager, $126,452
Robert Walkowicz, Fire Captain, $126,285
Chad Everett, Fire Motor Driver, $123,167
Timothy Hibbard, Police Sergeant, $121,817
Timothy Gonzales, Fire Motor Driver, $119,337
Jason Senft, Fire Captain, $119,066
Joe William Smith, Fire Motor Driver, $117,053
Craig Reppert, Fire Motor Driver, $116,078
Joel Skrypec, Fire Motor Driver, $114,146
Heather Ehnis, Assistant Finance Director, $113,993
Philip Hones, Finance Director, $111,111
Shane LaPorte, Assistant City Manager, $108,262
Jason Ganzhorn, Police Sergeant, $107,187
Peter Postma, Police Sergeant, $105,909
Richard Terrell, Fire Motor Driver, $104,574
Jason Yoakam, City Assessor, $104,246
Troy White, Assistant City Engineer, $103,572
Wesley Stanton, Police Sergeant, $103,371
Brian Taylor, Building Inspector, $102,044
Christopher Ermatinger, Assistant Fire Chief, $102,034
Martin Griffin, City Treasurer, $101,589
Adam Williams, Police Lieutenant, $101,356
Sergio Garcia, Police Lieutenant, $101,074
Frank Huntley, Firefighter, $100,664
Source: City of Jackson
