SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie S. Maddock on Sedona city employees salary and additional compensation packages budgeted for 2024.
Sedona AZ – WHAT’S IN STORE FOR 2024?
Boldly and sincerely stated in a video at the opening of City Council meetings is Sedona’s Vision:
“To be a city that is constantly vigilant over the preservation of its natural beauty, scenic vistas, pristine environment and cultural heritage. To be a city that retains its small-town character and creates its manmade improvements in strict harmony with nature. To be a city that is animated by the arts, and lives with a spirit of volunteerism to help achieve our common goals. To be a city that offers equal opportunities for all and fosters a sense of community. To be a city that welcomes and accommodates all of its visitors and future residents with a spirit of fellowship. To be a city that retains and enhances a strong and vital economy which preserves existing lifestyles without exploiting the natural beauty. To be a city that lives up to the challenge of proper stewardship of one of the earth’s great treasures.”
Before proceeding with what may or may not be a surprise to Sedona residents via a Freedom of Information Act, “Douglas Ducey in 2021 was employed in Arizona Governor’s Office and had annual salary of $95,000 according to public records. This salary is 20% higher than average and 36% higher than median salary in Arizona Governor’s Office.” (Phoenix has a population of 1.6 million and pays its City Manager $314,999 annually.)
With the city of Sedona gearing up to prepare its fiscal year 2024 budget, a review of the 2023 budget shows that average budgeted compensation for a city employee is presently $106,174. (Population of Sedona is 9,684 – a decrease from previous years.)
Here is what we pay Sedona city employees:
City Manager Karen Osburn: $183,000. (No change from 2022.)
Deputy City Manager Joanne Keene: $161,850. (A 7.9% increase from 2022.)
City Attorney Kurt Christianson: $155,235. (A 7% increase from 2022.)
Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works J. Andy Dickey: $155,147. (A 7% increase from 2022.)
Director of Financial Services Cherie White: $153,422. (An 8.4% increase from 2022.)
Chief of Police Stephanie Foley: $135,200. (Foley replaced Charles Husted, who retired last fall; the chief position’s salary is an overall 2% decrease from 2022.)
Magistrate Judge Paul Schlegel: $125,008. (No change from 2022.)
Director of Community Development Steve Mertes: $125,000. (No change from 2022.)
Criminal Prosecutor William Kunisch: $120,443. (An 8% increase from 2022.)
Director of Wastewater Roxanne Holland: $119,061. (A 9.6% increase from 2022.)
Information Technology Manager Chuck Hardy: $117,830. (A 6.8% increase from 2022.)
Assistant Director of Public Works Sandra Phillips: $114,660. (A 4% increase from 2022.)
Human Resources Manager Brenda Tammarine: $114,354. (A 7.6% increase from 2022.)
Transit Administrator Robert Weber: $110,850. (A 10.9% increase from 2022.)
Engineering Supervisor Kurtis Harris: $103,000. (Position vacant in 2022.)
Police Lts. Karl Waak and Scott Martin: $103,000. (A 13.2% increase from 2022. Martin is a new hire, replacing the retiring Sgt. Michael Dominguez.)
Network Engineer, unspecified staff: $102,615. (A 5.6% increase from 2022.)
System Administrator, unspecified staff: $102,614. (A 5.6% increase from 2022.)
GIS Analyst, unspecified staff: $102,014. (A 5% increase from 2022.)
Additional benefits over and above wages include, but are not limited to health, dental, and vision insurance coverage plus countless hours of paid time-off; as offered in ads seeking even more City of Sedona employees.
And this, dear readers, is active even during the uncertainty of a predicted economic recession next year.
Impressive?
Suggestion: Reread the “Vision Statement” and then decide.
CNN
City needs lower taxes.
How many of employees generate income or in a producing income stream for your municipality? Must be 2/3 or more to be sustainable model for positions, check records for audits and budgets for the past 5 years to show projected outcome.
geez mary joseph my SS check is less and im 68 worked paid taxes since 17 wtf you government cheats now
LOWER TAXES
Elect Arizona Congressman Juan Ciscomani to the seat of Mark Kelly. Sinema and Ciscomani will be best for Arizona interests.
Be grateful @Jerry that Sedona does NOT have city property tax. The property tax we pay is to the county where we live – Yavapai or Coconino.
NO CITY PROPERTY TAXES – NOW OR EVER! it would require voter approval
Stand up Sedona to the racist loud mouth minority wanting to tear down our country. This will not end well if we allow our highest court in the land to constantly be under political attacks. RBG was attacked for being Jewish and under the influence of worldwide Jews wanting to control America and she took many more vacations at others expense and her influences were considered heinous, but we stood United that the court was our strength not our weakness.
When Clarence Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1991, he had this to say about the radical left:
“My worst fears had come to pass not in Georgia but in Washington, D.C., where I was being pursued not by bigots in white robes but by left-wing zealots draped in flowing sanctimony.”
His words hold just as true today as they did then. The radical left has always hated Justice Thomas because his very existence destroys their narrative, that blacks cannot be successful without white overlords. Like RBG, that Jews were lesser beings and use Nazi and KKK words to rile up the liberal and conservative racists to pull them down.
We must come together now to protect Justice Thomas from heinous racist attacks. That’s the only way we can end these outrageous and baseless witch hunts once and for all no matter which Supreme Court Justice is targeted. They serve for life to be above political influence because they hold the power, not their political supporters or their political detractors, no matter how rich or poor. That’s what should be in store for 2024, a United States of America.
https://youtu.be/DNFllGGODfo
Black racism. Asian racism. Hispanic Latin racism. White racism. Moral atrocities.
Has 3.8 million plus views.
90% of Americans think I.D. should be required to VOTE. Liberal Dem Progressives are fuming at the prospect of not influencing voting by harvesting ballots. Call your Independent Senator Kristen Sinema and thank her – and show your support because she’s standing up to bad party politicians and politics. AZ Gov Hobbs refused to support border security and Sinema did and today the numbers are astronomical and coming to your city. Sinema supports Justice Clarence Thomas against racist attacks. Get on the phone is the right thing to do. Support Texas Democrat Henry Cueller as he tells Biden he’s wrong.
What’s in store for 2024? In 2023 we should be more amazing not less. 2024 should be dazzle.
Yes @GVRising Star “2024 should be dazzle” based on the direction the new members elected to our city council are headed. The former control freaks and current losers are having fits and already plotting about how to replace certain members of this new council. Stay awake and alert residents of Sedona. Finally we have balance which some people still don’t understand or want? Amen & Hallelujah!!!
Sure thing because in 2024 Joe Biden and the radical Left culture of grievances over greatness will be entrenched as our older great generation of work ethic and self restraint evaporates. Government promotes victimhood instead of personal responsibility and they’re indoctrinating our children to believe we live in an evil country. They’ve weaponize race to divide us to hold onto their power. Enough already! Want dazzle? Reset the clock and return to what made Sedona famous and it didn’t have to do with any advertising or Chamber or politician.
I am almost too angry to type.
Recent reports out of New York State and city indicate homeless veterans have been displaced from their temporary housing to make room for the surge of illegal immigrants across the border.
That’s right, after sacrificing everything to protect our country, these veterans are being told to MOVE to make space for the surge of illegal immigrants fleeing across the border.
First and foremost, NO veteran should be homeless, and we are grateful organizations are willing to step up to help our heroes. We must do more to help those who have stepped up to serve our country.
But reading the news that these veterans are displaced to make room for illegal immigrants makes me downright furious.
We need to secure our Southern Border and stop the surge of illegal immigrants wreaking havoc on our communities and protect our veterans from political abuses.
Our country deserves better, and these veterans deserve better. WE NEED TO DEMAND OUR VETERANS ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT ALWAYS. NO EXCUSES FROM ANY POLITICIAN.
NY city got 1 BILLION dollars extra this year in its state budget to deal with undocumented LMAO immigrants guess ur tax dollars got misappropriated to NY officials & LMAO call me pacifist atheist crazy (deleted by editor)
2024 forecast starships arrive with messages and passages for believes and workers
https://youtu.be/fPxpMpXSqE4. (Offsite link)
America needs to fix its issues now and bring to Justice every agency and person working against it.