Too much or Too vital?

Here is an interesting article in today's Sun-Sentinel. 300 employees of the City of Ft. Lauderdale made $100,000 or more last year. I think if you surveyed your average citizen, they'd think that anyone making that amount of money is rich. No wonder so many people want government work.(Time for sarcastic laughter)

It may not be as simple as that. For if you read past the headline or first couple of paragraphs, its fire and police department personel that represent 84% of the 300 employees on this list. Payouts of pension benefits are also included in this tally.

One police officer made over $60 grand in overtime. How would someone do that? There are two possible explanations for much of that OT. Their names are Katrina and Wilma. Don't forget Katrina tore through southern Florida first before it went to the Gulf of Mexico.

Fire and Police work are both dangerous and vital jobs. I don't begrudge the people in these professions a dime over their salaries. They are for the most part both hard-working and under appreciated. Our safety depends on their hard work. Are they really overpaid?

Now the City Attorney of Fort Lauderdale is another matters. Lawyers.................

Open Post- Bright & Early, Basil's Blog,

Fort Lauderdale· Wages might be secret in the corporate world, but in City Hall, where employees are paid by the taxpayers, there is no such privacy.

Proving that, Fort Lauderdale recently released its annual "300 highest paid employees" list. Mayor Jim Naugle said he began asking for a list of the top 50 when he got into office more than 20 years ago and couldn't figure out who was making how much.

"You'd ask, and they'd say they were a `Class 3K-7.' It was hieroglyphics," Naugle said.

Over the years, the list has grown to include 300 of the 2,641 city employees. These days, all the top 300 earn six-figure packages. The "total compensation" used in the list includes medical insurance, pensions and other benefits paid with tax dollars.

The full list is available to the public in City Hall. But here's a briefing of the new list, which covers all of 2005:

Question: Who's No. 1? The city manager?

Answer: No. City Manager George Gretsas ranks second, behind City Attorney Harry Stewart.

Q: How many women are in the top 10?

A: One. Assistant City Attorney Sharon Miller, who registers in as the fifth highest paid.

Q: How many minorities are in the top 10?

A: None.

Q: How many Fire Department employees make more than their boss?

A: One, Battalion Chief Jeffrey Justinak, who rang in at No. 3, with $194,669 including overtime and benefits. His boss, Fire Chief Otis Latin, ranked 21st, with $173,178. Latin, who resigned recently for a job in Texas, earned a bigger paycheck, but Justinak's benefits pushed him over his boss in total compensation. Justinak's pension alone cost taxpayers $53,601 last year.

Q: How many police officers make more than the police chief?

A: According to the report, one, a police major, Russell Hanstein, who earned $179,533 including $50,330 for his pension fund last year. The report has Police Chief Bruce Roberts making $175,911, but doesn't show that Roberts technically retired, then was re-hired as the top cop. He earns a city pension of $66,912 as well as his salary. If that were reflected on the list, Roberts wouldn't be in 14th position, he'd be No. 3, with $242,823.

Q: Who made the most overtime?

A: Police Officer Colin Cowderoy, who earned $61,114 in overtime, or $1,175 per week in overtime.

Q: How many on the list make more than the median family in Fort Lauderdale?

A: All of them. The median for last year was $58,100.

Q: What couple brings in the most dough?

A: The duo of Valerie and Paul Bohlander. She runs the building department and he is assistant utilities services director. Together, the taxpayers spend $346,284 on their salaries and benefits.

Q: Of the top 300, how many are employees of the police or fire departments?

A: 252, or 84 percent of the top 300.

Q: How much have salaries risen?

A: Last year, the employee in the 100th position had a total package worth $123,678. This year, the 100th position was worth $135,479. By the same token, last year the highest paid employee, Stewart, had a package worth $237,152. His compensation increased this year to $292,115. And Tuesday, commissioners gave him a 7 percent raise, bringing his base salary alone to $224,920.