Changes in leadership in mid-2015 bumped New Carlisle’s city manager from the top paid spot last year.
Instead, Water Superintendent Jason Rose was the highest-paid New Carlisle employee, making $63,156 last year including $3,240 in overtime, according to a searchable database of local government payroll data assembled by the I-Team.
Former City Manager Kim Jones resigned in April 2015, saying she was "forced" into the decision after the mayor suggested disciplinary action against her was a possibility. Some New Carlisle council members said they felt she misled them about the city's finances.
Jones was paid $68,718 in 2014, her 17th year with the city. Planning Director Randy Bridge took over as city manager with an official hire date in June. He is slated to make $69,000 annually.
New Carlisle’s payroll is low compared to other local cities of its size.
Moraine was the smallest city included in the Dayton Daily News' recent analysis of the payroll of 19 area cities. With a population of 6,365, Moraine had eight employees that made more than $100,000 last year. New Carlisle — population of about 5,700 — had none. The cities have similar median household incomes as well.
The I-Team’s analysis has found overtime pay — especially for firefighters — pushes an increasing number of local government paychecks into the six figures.
New Carlisle reported the pay for its mostly volunteer fire department and no individual made more than $48,000 last year. None earned overtime.
As reported, New Carlisle’s five highest-paid employees in 2015 were:
1. Water Superintendent Jason Rose: $63,156
2. Wastewater Superintendent Harvey Simmons: $62,583
3. Planning Director/City Manager Randy Bridge: $59,039
4. Public Works Superintendent Gregory Slattery: $55,238
5. Wastewater employee James Strayer: $54,522
New Carlisle's budget was a flash point for the city in 2015 as council members debated cutting the pool or sheriff's deputies. After additional resignations, they approved in April combining two clerk positions into one to save an estimated $30,000 per year. The new assistant tax and finance clerk was hired in July.
Local governments make payroll with your money. That's why the I-Team is using Ohio public records laws to assemble and analyze payroll data for governments across our region.
Go here for a growing database of government employees who made more than $50,000 in gross compensation last year and in 2014.