Sunday • December 16, 2001

A Peek at public payrolls

By Darryl Richardson/Reporter Staff

Who's the highest paid governmental manager in Solano County? It depends on how you define the term.

The Reporter's 2001 Public Employee Salary Survey shows County Administrator Michael Johnson receives the highest base salary, a total of $177,272. However, when other forms of compensation, including performance and longevity pay, retirement contributions and health and dental benefits are included, Vacaville City Manager John Thompson takes the top spot. Thompson receives a total compensation package of $231,854.

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This is the third straight year of the survey in which Thompson has received the greatest total compensation package. Last year, he became the first government employee in the county to top the $200,000 level. He is joined there this year by Johnson, who received an overall compensation package of $221,444.

Johnson has received the highest base pay in two of the past three years. His 2001 base salary represents a 13.3 percent increase from last year's $156,462.

Most agencies were prompt and cooperative in providing information for The Reporter's 24th salary survey. Still, it's difficult to get exact numbers. For instance, health benefits must be calculated at the top rate, since agencies won't provide specific details.

Only Solano County failed to answer specific questions regarding bonus pay for top-level managers.

In fact, mail sent to their address was returned "undeliverable." A fax went unanswered.

Of the 28 agencies that did respond, many reported that 2001 was a lucrative year.

There were so many public employees whose base pay topped $100,000 or more last year that The Reporter decided to raise the bar on its annual "$100,000 Club" to create the "$125,000 Club." With 41 individuals in the new club, as opposed to the 18 who qualified last year, the bar may need to be raised again next year.

The managers with the highest pay last year, in base salary, were Susan Downs and Larry Dizmang, chief psychiatrists at California State Prison, Solano and California Medical Facility, respectively. They received $166,020. Downs doesn't make the list this year; she is no longer at the prison and her post remains vacant. Dizmang remains in his position, but CMF officials listed his salary differently this year, separating his $133,620 base pay from the $32,400 he receives in monthly recruitment and retention pay.

Just missing out on joining Thompson and Johnson in the $200,000 total compensation range was Vacaville City Attorney Charles Lamoree, whose base salary of $149,916 was bolstered by nearly $50,000 in other compensation to place him at $197,916. Larmoree is retiring in June 2002 and a replacement has not been announced.

In fourth place on the base salary list is District Attorney David Paulson, who received $148,614 in base pay, which increases to $180,886 when all compensation is added.

Finishing fifth on the base pay list was County Counsel Dennis Bunting, who received $147,098. Bunting's total compensation package is $162,196.

The majority of the names added to the $125,000 Club were Solano County judges, who received an 8.5 percent base pay raise in January. This increase brings the salaries of each of the county's 16 elected judges to $133,052, although the total compensation received by each judge varies due to retirement and other contributions.

Others making the jump into the Club include the superintendents of both the Vacaville and Fairfield-Suisun School Districts. Vacaville superintendent Richard Jackson received a 6.25 percent raise this year to join the Club at $128,845, while Sharon Tucker as Fairfield-Suisun superintendent received a 16 percent raise, bringing her salary to $139,873.

According to the Association of Bay Area Governments, the cost of living in the region increased by 4.5 percent. While some officials listed in this year's survey did not receive pay raises, most raises ranged from 1.5 percent for officials in both the Vacaville and Fairfield-Suisun school districts to more than 20 percent for some county officers.

The Reporter requested salary and benefits figures from government agencies at the end of October and asked for a response by mid-November. In the interim, some of the individuals whose names appear may have retired or left for other jobs.

• Darryl Richardson can be reached at courts@thereporter.com.