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.
You’re nuts & mindless. That Project 25 isn’t part of the GOP & never been, it’s Soros insanity s*** for Democrats talking points based on false media.
President Trump when President was annoyed with some of their suggestions and distanced WH from it. Old news by old extremist, go away.
Grivalja demands President Biden get out and put Kamala in? Grivalja needs unelected & he supports wide open borders with voting by people walking over border and moving into Arizona towns NO WAY border must be closed now not tomorrow.
FB circulating hundreds thousands likes and shares
“An ear bandage is so unnecessary,” say the people who wore face masks while alone in their cars for three years.
Friend sent this email and I approve it and added my own comments too:
ANSWERS AND ACCOUNTABILITY! We want strong borders and safe streets, cheaper food and housing, pride in our nation.
A 20-year-old with no military training was able to infiltrate a roof just 150 yards away from President Trump and fire off eight rounds before Secret Service members reacted is nothing less than embarrassing. The fact that Secret Service members spotted the shooter 20 minutes before he opened fire and the fact that the shooter was identified as a person of interest 62 minutes before he opened fire while the Secret Service did nothing to neutralize the threat is nothing less than treasonous.
SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR KIMBERLY CHEATLE MUST RESIGN EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. Call and write your representatives in DC and demand it. NOW SHE GOES. Drain the DC swamp of our AZ Democrat senators and elect a new state house that’s pro America again.
Let’s try to break this down fellow Democrats. It’s time to try and do personal gut searching?
This assassination attempt is unforgivable, JFK was killed by Russian agent is suspect, Trump assassination attempt by Iranian order doesn’t pass a sniff test, Joe Biden was reported by newspaper article(s) overheard saying words that suggested, well, coincidences happen or they don’t?
Joe Biden wants illegal votes to be counted in this election. You want to explain to me why?
Joe Biden announced he would veto the critical Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a simple piece of legislation that would block illegal immigrants from voting in our elections.
Why veto legislation to ensure that we citizens only participate in our elections? Why the pushback for non citizens? It begs the question why Democrats represent non citizens better than citizens?
Democrats want this. Joe Biden wants this. Kamala Harris wants this. Every Arizona elected Democrat backs Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and are on the record of wanting it.
Why don’t Democrats want officials that respect our Constitutional right to vote? We pay their salaries or are others we should know about?
Why do our current elected Democrats openly support betraying our laws? Why are they insured not to be held accountable by our justice system?
Why are Democrats in our name supporting open borders to bring in drugs, weapons, foreign soldiers, cartels, child sex trafficking, sex trafficking of women and men, contraband, prostitution, law breakers, diseases, malcontents, anarchists, terrorists?
Let’s clean our Democrat shi* up? We have to find out if we’re the dark side?
@luvmyama. Flashback to comments like yours to see why our party is finished until it reorganizes or dismantles itself since you and your mindsets are the reason our party and country are under attack from within and without. Our President Biden and Vice President Harris are not worthy of our votes ever again for their dishonesty and subterfuge. Both are equally to blame for this state of affairs, Harris may be culpable because as a lawyer she knows the law and she broke it into pieces while Joe fell to pieces.
Hmmmm how many convicted Felons spoke at the RNC Convention!! Don’t believe anything you said, left side view!! Just keep believing your own set of” Alternative facts” You’re really what’s wrong with this country they say the sky is blue(Which it is) you say green cause Trump tells you so.. This country is screwed if you think Trump is “gonna make America great again( he never did unless you believe liars), you’re crazy..
Trump is a ConMan and you’re a sheep hiding your racist agenda.. By the way, I believe there is a lot of lies going on in the democratic party as well … I Realize that !! But it your a sheepie who believes everything that you spoonfed
Talk is talk. Seemed clear that Union Prez told Americans and Union Workers they weren’t owned or beholden by Democrat Party because it failed to do for unions and working class Americans what Republicans have done and will do? He pointed out former President Trump kept his word and kept his promises for jobs and taxes and social programs during his administration including keeping Keystone pipeline opens. Find it on YouTube and watch it for yourself and vote accordingly. It’s a free country and it’s time to drill baby drill for cheap energy and gas for working people and poor and jobs this administration lost. Fake administration job numbers don’t pay for 50% to 150% higher groceries and gas and healthcare costs are higher now than when Mr. Trump was in office when he lowered all prescription costs and gas was $1.99 gallon. Blacks have lost jobs to illegal immigrants, young have lost schooling because of illegal immigrants, veterans have lost housing because of illegal immigrants, and Kamala Harris proved her uselessness and incompetence because of illegal immigrants. What does it take for you to wake up from this propaganda called anti Trump? Don’t you understand it was a massive coordinated attack on the country by this and past Democrats’ administrations to keep power and control us? Are China and Russia in by invitation from Clinton’s and Obama’s and elites because Clinton campaign was proven its source and proven that Trump was innocent of any wrongdoing or
Collusion? What really happened when Obama’s personal young chef drowned in Massachusetts and he was there? What really happened when this would be assassin tried to kill a candidate and who influenced him? Why does the Vice President seem to have problems speaking coherently and laughing inappropriately and dresses like a Clinton Closet? Whose running the White House and we know it isn’t and wasn’t Joe Biden because the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, DoJ, Secret Service and other cabinets and agencies are running without oversight? Congress do your jobs and Senate Democrats better stop acting like clones because the cat’s out of the bag that all of you were never supporting your President’s agenda, but someones way lower on the totem pole than a Senator? We need honest media to do their jobs and dishonest media to be targeted for their propaganda? Excuse this length, appreciate the forum and freedom to speak my opinions and question in an open fresh air exchange. (Deleted by editor)
The USA will never subjugate itself to UN control.
Believe it forever and ever!
Traction.
I say it again, Secret Service political appointee Cheatle needs to resign immediately because President Biden didn’t put her name forward, Jill Biden did.
Resign or fire Cheatle now and get the SS back up and running properly. No SS agent needs to be standing up to protect candidates a foot taller than they are as body shields. They can do other SS jobs if qualified, and body shields for those of equal or lesser size. It’s not discrimination, it’s how you protect someone you have sworn an oath to die for to keep them alive.
Biden out. No surprise.
IT’S ALL JOE-VER! Biden drops out of the race – THANKS TO ALL AMERICANS WHO REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT DEMOCRATS LIKE PELOSI, VP KAMALA HARRIS, BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA, WHITE HOUSE DOCTORS AND STAFF, WALTER REED, PENTAGON, NSA, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, NBC, NEW YORK TIMES, NEWS AND MEDIA, WASHINGTON POST, WHITE HOUSE MEDIA, FBI, CIA, JILL BIDEN, HUNTER BIDEN, LA TIMES, DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS, UNION PRESIDENTS, EVERYONE WHO MET OR SPOKE WITH JOE BIDEN FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS KNEW HE WAS INCAPACITATED AND DECLINING WITH DEMENTIA. JOE BIDEN AND HIS PRESIDENCY HAS BEEN A HOAX ON AMERICA.
TELL ME YOU’RE STILL VOTING DEMOCRAT PARTY AND LET US DISCOVER WHAT TREASON AND WHO TRAITORS ARE BY DEFINITION TO DEMOCRACY AND IT ISN’T TRUMP OR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE HE AND THAT PARTY WERE AND ARE THE GOOD GUYS.
UA NAU ASU GCU NO to fake Harris change of morality cause she in on the game stop to keep Prez Joe l flying with her be happy to perform like monkies while world spins?
It’s disgusting to believe spin doctors and propagandists are paying multi multi multi millions of ill gotten donated gains to sell Kamala Harris on tv and cable and radio and social media as new and improved when she’s not and never will be.
They made her change clothes, put on jewelry and make up, and spent a fortune to make her into an AI. That’s what she is – an AI on screen.
You know it and the entire world knows it. I’m voting Republican or other parties because I care about not letting these deliberate cheats get another minute in national or local offices until this party purges itself of its lowlifes and thieves and far left wing.
yo wheres Clinton closet comment when Hillary Clinton Walmart Collection haute couture collection model Kamala smack like she don’t rise to top Hillary’s lowlife clothing means subtext Kamala husband saddled with Bill Clintonesque trash day same on Pennsylvania Ave when model on Beverly Wilshire
Keep ‘em drinking vaping wagons rolling rolling rolling while Kamala cooks up Indian vittles
Congratulations Bill & US you made a change worth fighting for with Secret Service politicians running the show. Republicans for merit and integrity. Thank you for exposing the liars and complicit politicians. Clean your Biden Harris and national swamps, eh?
Bullseye @Bill
Thank God she’s out, read her online resume and unqualified to run the Atlanta show or DC.
Dem tears for President Biden ain’t happening, he’s a manipulated puppet on a string and I’m not voting for his puppet masters or listening to a speech prepared by them.
My thoughts are Republicans better on social programs than Democrats since Trump’s first administration and Trump created Space Force against Democrats opposition and lowered costs and taxes. Trump handled COVID and turned vaccines over to Democrats that didn’t want them because it would shorten COVID and Democrats covered up it was caused by China. No brained unhealthy Joe must resign and laughingstock Kamala. They’ve ruined our country, didn’t play by the rules, lied to keep powers they didn’t deserve to keep. Doubt this speech tonight will have anything in it about how he’s incompetent and a lot in it about a godzillion pats on his own back. We’ll see.
Here’s an excerpt from Senate Candidate Dave McCormick note that was published in Wall Street Journal:
Mr. Trump rose brilliantly to the occasion. In what will be an iconic image for the ages, he raised his fist in defiance, reassuring his countrymen, and showed true grace amid a lethal attack. He demonstrated the strength and resolve that the leader of the free world simply must have. – A Gulf War Veteran and West Point Graduate, Dave McCormick, Pennsylvania resident
NORAD scrambled bombers to intersept Chinese and Russian fighters today off Alaska! What is happening to us by these two Democrat Party CO-PRESIDENTS?!?!?
Welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu! We stand with Israel.
I’m an Arizona Jew and I’m ashamed of the Democrat Party and its leadership and national teachers union while are fail to uphold our religion and its principles, values and teachings. Republican Party has usurped Democrats and it’s time to stop swallowing the pills. Vice President Kamala Harris brings nothing to our table and gives everything of ours away.
lead us smart asses
Free and fair elections must matter most to every single one of us! If it doesn’t matter what you say or think doesn’t either. Is that what you want?