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Eddie Maddock: Sedona, what’s in store for 2024?

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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. 

715 Comments

  1. Matt says:

    that prepackaged false flag demand list s.u.c.k.s.

  2. Disbar Fani Willis says:

    BWALI says:
    January 11, 2024 at 8:20 pm
    Lawyer like her never met a scholar…

  3. Mike says:

    Take the initiative, get involved.

  4. Free says:

    “Get lost. You’re a joke and an embarrassment!” These were the slanderous words that spewed from Democrat Congressman Hakeem Jeffries’ mouth, House Democrats leader, when referring to Republicans.

    Election Day certainly will be here before we know it.

  5. Man and Dada says:

    This is done for upside?

  6. Democrats are anti white anti black anti capitalism says:

    https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/04/12/politics/kfile-hakeem-jeffries-college-editorial-defending-uncle-from-antisemitism#close-menu (offsite link)

    His upbringing, college education, work experience and present position proves he’s bigoted and ignorant.

  7. @Free says:

    Id say he nailed it!……And let me add, Trump is a bigot and a racist! The GOP is eating itself and your worried about what Democrats are saying? LOL, now thats funny!

  8. Sedona Crys says:

    fire city diversity director

  9. @& Free says:

    I know so funny right… The trumpet here are exposed as morons and gullible to ConMan. Keep up those given “talking points” and don’t forget to write your 10 dollar check

  10. @Free says:

    Im going to give you a little heads up….You are a minority, except it and eat crow….You live in la la land and if you think its bad now…wait….Your going to have a nerves breakdown, and I will laugh my ass off………..So suck it up buttercup your getting steam rolled! LOL………….ENJOY!

  11. TedONBudget says:

    Republicans secured a win with a provision that would effectively ban unofficial flags from being flown at U.S. embassies and government buildings.
    Another GOP rider that made it into the final version blocked bans on gas stoves, another win for the GOP against Democrats efforts to ban gas in the United States. The issue has been at the center of debate in Washington after a Consumer Product Safety Commission member indicated last year that the panel was considering regulations or a ban on gas while no other nation has found it warranted by conservation or environmental sciences. Gas is naturally produced and burns cleanly.

  12. Mason says:

    Kari Lake for Senate

    Gallegos votes 100% progressive leftist and nobody likes him. He’s pro DC statehood and anti religion, and hates centrist Democrats whom he equates to trumpets. He supports open borders and votes for increasing our taxes with nothing in return. If you’re from California, don’t destroy Arizona and vote for Kari Lake, an honest woman who tells the truth, a real Beth Dutton.

  13. GG says:

    Ask one of our Hollywood stoopids here what Trump did during his administration that was bad and you get blank stares and my favorite Sedona Hollywood actor reply, It’s not about then what he did, it’s about the future what he’ll do! (Deleted by editor) Don’t panic his show is successful because he doesn’t write it, he pretends for a living and is good at it, which means pretending to know what in the hell reality v fantasy is.

    Orangeman’s administration successes are the socialists in government nightmare. They’re afraid we the people will expect it from future administrations, rather than accept taxation without representation to hand out tax $$ to the masses.

  14. Jim, West Sedona says:

    don’t sweat small stuff

  15. Where Are The Best Minds in 2024 says:

    Friend forwarded this email:

    Always best to do some research beforehand….

    Friends, the internet is forever. So, when I’m being ‘advised’ by a climate change ‘expert,’ I like to make sure I’ve done my research on their other opinions.

    I was shocked to find that while he wants to lessen the .04% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the climate change expert also called to abolish the police!

    The lunacy never ends, but I’m fighting like hell to make sure it doesn’t get in the way of America’s future.

    Will you join me in fighting for common sense?

    Thank you. (Sen. Kennedy)

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