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.
Arrest students from the picket lines if they break the law, send them directly to Gaza without suitcases, let them experience their viewpoints by practicing it in Gaza. Gaza needs more fighters to murder Jews. Swap them for Gazans who want to leave Gaza for safer places and when war over they can swap who is still alive.
LMAO Sedona tourists will evaporate if Middle East and Ukrainian wars continue because Iran loves this because Iran hates Sedona and the people in Sedona. THOUSANDS OF PRO HAMAS protestors in NY denying Hamas killed people!
You pro Israel or pro Gaza Hamas Sedona?
Or do you need an advisory board to tell you?
American stupids need to be educated that this is about freeing Palestine from Hamas not from Jews. Just sayin . .
We want no power lines in the Village!
Overheard staff member say former President Trump denounced Israel and thought it odd and determined to find out if true then found the answer below. If you know people on Instagram and social media or news sites, make this and every effort to post the truth out there. Do your part to keep hate off of Instagram and our news sites.
Viral Video Clip Misrepresents Trump Remarks on Israel
By Hadleigh Zinsner (https://www.factcheck.org/author/hzinsner/)
Posted on October 10, 2023
A video clip shared on Instagram on the day Hamas attacked Israel appears to show former President Donald Trump condemning Israel. But the clip is from a 2019 campaign rally and has been taken out of context.
In 2019 Trump was not expressing his opinion, but was quoting Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
Down with powerlines. NIMBY’s unite!
Hello Sedona Eye, We are trying to get the message out to ban anti-Jewish protests in USA. What will you do in your community to protect each other? No American citizen should be attacked for their religion by non-citizens or citizens in this country. We’re Americans protected by our constitution, and it must apply to all citizens. Return non-citizens to their home countries if they violate our citizens constitutional rights, and do not allow citizenship to those unable to uphold our laws and rights.
Germany banned all activities and organizations supporting Hamas, after days of anti-Israel protests in Berlin and elsewhere, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday.
Hamas is already labeled as a terrorist organization in Germany, but now Berlin will prohibit any activities in support of it including protests, online and social media.
Germany will also suspend hundreds of millions sent to Gaza agencies that now has been frozen while the government investigates and audits how past monies were allocated.
MIDDLE EAST
Hamas Fighters’ Orders: ‘Kill as Many People as Possible’ Documents found on dead militants in Israel indicate massacres were a central objective and that schools were targets.
I’ll play your game. Power lines go underground PERIOD No wires or poles or above ground like that ugly stuff in city or trying to be installed godssake spend damn money to put it underground safer from (deleted by editor) thieves or criminals cutting wires to hock for money. GTG
Wm. D. says:
There’s so much good advice here offered on Sedona Eye, how about someone coming up with a solution to a REAL problem? – The pedestrian crossing at Tlaquepaque?
How important is “underground wiring” when considering the dire results of a disaster (aka wild fire) and the reality of traffic gridlock created by what? Stupid, unreasonable past decisions made possible by those in control at Sedona City Hall?
My heart goes out to everyone and we need peace on earth.
City UNDOES it, Removes it, Returns it back to what it was before it was what it is now, and lets people use their feet on sidewalks and cross when traffic allows. Like how it should have been left to be.
Sedona has upscale quality of isolated life not easily available in surrounding communities however isolation doesn’t work well for health and emotional well-being when overrun with unvetted strangers every single day of our lives. Greedy individuals want these strangers to bill for money and jobs and that’s the truth of it here and the average person gets tired of being overtaxed and undervalued by greedy councilors and Chamber shills.
@Esther. If more people cared about the truth we’d be better off, thanks for clarifying what left wing media pushes knowing not one will correct the error for their sheeple listeners and viewers.
Sara nice thought never happen
Arizonans find and sign a voter ID petition that the Democrats are trying to say undermines election integrity. Wtf Democrats Bashas better take my check without asking for ID cause my vote’s more valuable than Bashas money and won’t stand for undermining my integrity by being asked for ID. Democrats support Iran and Gaza and no voter ID and are scary haters.
No voting in Sedona elections without ID, city hall.
crossing totally unnecessary speed there slow and law says stopfor bikes and walkers on roads
Let’s face it. Sedona’s incorporation was the key to open the door for big time development. Also the foot in the door for the Chamber of Commerce to have their members throughout the Verde Valley promoted via Sedona “city” tax revenue – under the umbrella of the controversial bed tax.
If and when the “city” takes control of the uptown Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center & Bureau of Tourism – foots the bill for the operation – then claim it’s officially that of the City of Sedona . . . BUT neglects to change the name to City of Sedona Visitors Center & Bureau of Tourism, will the last chapter of the tragic story of the demise of beautiful Sedona then be written?
@Simon when new city manager comes in maybe a rational no development hire type LMAO
Power lines shouldn’t be installed based on politics, power lines should be installed based on science. Underground is safer and healthier and looks a damn sight better and less expensive.
Wake up from your angry self imprisoning, make-believe dream get a grip!!! Snooze
Maybe when a new city manager comes in …. You’ll stop your paranoid posting…
NOT.. LOL must be terrible to get old.
Voting in Sedona city elections must be by property owners. One vote per property and no proxies allowed.
Cuts down on ballot stuffing and performs ID function.
*Done all the time in other states and to be clear I’m talking city council elections not county state or federal elections.
idea of eliminating crossover is reasonable and worth consideration
Sedonaeye crossing guards N-S Tlaquepaque can keep traffic flowing
What do you do about business owners voting or timeshare corporations? How’s that handled?
@@teamusa get back in the closet
The best way to get around Sedona is by car. Although the Verde Lynx bus service is useful for getting around downtown, many of the region’s trails are located away from the main roads. Traffic won’t get better unless you stay out of town to hike and bike.
@EM Sedona could use a shakedown from top to bottom & bold new plans for a pristine and quiet 2024.
Dot, Sedona, I couldn’t agree more. Let us hope newly elected city council members will pay attention and strive to correct some of the past blunders, beginning but not ending with the crosswalk at Tlaquepaque and unjustified funding to the chamber of commerce – two examples.
It will be interesting when the “new” crossing by Tlaquepaque is completed. Has ADOT and City of Sedona made a solid determination that the existing traffic “crossing” will be firmly shut down? NOT allowed! Will fines be imposed if pedestrians do not obey the rules?
Unless such a method is implemented just how many people will walk the extra few steps to “legitimately” cross a very busy Arizona State Highway? If enforcement is NOT imposed then will this not just amount to yet another misguided, misjudged, and extremely costly blunder imposed by “city” authority?
https://youtube.com/shorts/c_LEgtNQRPM?si=Md9Ct5hXvfZUbg0s
Sedona city elections secure? Time to take a look and see after today’s headlines. Who’s deciding and voting in our city elections? What’s going on? There are foreign nationals in Sedona and counties.
HUNDREDS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS CAUGHT VOTING IN ARIZONA! That headline means Arizona is allowing foreign nationals to vote in OUR elections! We must protect the integrity of our elections & BAN foreign nationals from voting!
Enjoyed visit and very much liked the canyon views. Jalen, Emma, Carter, Lilly, Allyssa
Time to clean out city hall.
winters not tourist time
fix roads then
Resolve Tlaquepaque and peace and quiet might have a chance in 2024.
can’t un-incorporate when NOT ONE wants to get involved volunteering to fix problems because its their good life
“We want to hear from seniors about the issues impacting them,” is a politicians lie and that’s the truth.
Publisher Hill, SedonaEye Editors, Eddie S. Maddock, Sedona’s problems big yes and traffic major issue, but guts me friends and neighbors at JCVV situation worsens and hate may exist here in Sedona. If SedonaEye and subscribers take a stand against racism we can work together on problems then Sedona has beauty inside and outside.
now that posted comment
RR says:
October 19, 2023 at 8:24 am
Time to ask “Who is U.S. Senator Patty Murray, from the state of Washington?”
Senator Murray is 4th in line to the Presidency and without a Speaker of the House, is she third?
Current popular media descriptives might conclude that progressives, socialists, communists, billionaires, corporations, leftists, Independents, Democrats and RINOS with millions and billions of dollars and global influence are backing and have backed her ascendancy in the Senate. A career politician, tagging herself as an environmentalist and teacher and pro abortion advocate, Senator Murray is fourth in line to the ultimate global seat of power.
While the President flew into a Middle East country actively engaged in war, the VP rather than remaining in DC while the President was in a war zone, was tasked with doing a college campus tour. The VP poll numbers are the worst ever registered for a sitting government, and the VP fitness to serve is publicly debated.
This Middle East war is an international crisis, and one tipping point for other global conflicts.
Elected Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, the question is, “Who is Senator Patty Murray of Washington state, fourth in line to the Presidency of the United States?”
When every second of our lives count those seconds have to count every second. But first coffee :-) Good morning Sedona!
churches & meeting halls & Jewish places need guarding, in valley they got guns to protect
put up perimeter and use interior security cameras having live feeds like businesses and restaurants do
support citizens protecting themselves
Sedona is a beacon of beauty in a desert and we love her but can do less with the tourist experience.
Instead of upgrading mental institutions in the 1970s we dumped the people onto society and some of them can now be found on Sedona streets and desert and mountains and in homes they raised pro murder children.
If I see again the anti Jewish signaling here and Village and Flagstaff and Cottonwood with black and white and sometimes masks over your faces I’m taking a picture with my phone and will share it with every social gathering and meeting here and on local social media and I may say like hey look at this, do you support him or her and will remember the answers and select future associations accordingly to how it suits me.
Wait a Canadian admirer said what?!?!? Did you see it?!?!?!
Canadian admirer: October 25, 2023 at 11:00 am to Liberate Ukraine column
“Congratulations Republicans you chose a great speaker of the House, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, is welcomed by Democrats and Republicans. Standing applause showed Republicans unanimously elected Mike Johnson with the entire party voting for him (only one member in Israel was not in DC for vote).
Well done America! You prove again why democracies work for the people and by the people! We in Canada admire your tenacity and willingness to work for a better system of governance.”
Wait a minute Sedonites you couldn’t compliment a historical institution working. Better figure out what country you want to live in.
Why comment like that unless they’re on council or staff or chamber or newspapers or internet or hotels or restaurants or schools or elected officials or people in a position of service or authority????? Damnit be clearer.
Wow! What a threat! I am really scared.
Be scared and imagine if this administration is leading us to war with an Iran that’s been gifted by Obama admin and Biden admin with nuclear power after it gets rid of Israel and Gaza. Turn our pipeline back on unless there are traitors in the White House and Pentagon and cabinets and that includes false Gretas.
Democrats turning against Biden Harris handling of domestic and foreign policy. Families are still waiting to hear from and about the hostages, not one word at all says the families in the last 20 days, but they have seen threats and attacks here in America against themselves.
Never vote Democrat again and never send your kids to universities or colleges here in America that applauded pro Hamas murders on Oct 7. Don’t hire anyone who is pro Hamas murderers and fire pro Hamas supporters. No one is safe from pro Hamas hate and murder and get rid of illiterate teachers and professors. GO PROS on helmets to film burning babies that have been beheaded or shooting a 9 year old little girl hiding under a table or beheading a man with a shovel. That’s what pro Hamas supporters love.
You can get your coffee now. Tune in to the psycho that spent time in a mental health facility who shot 18 in Maine – he’s not as bad as one Hamas murderer.
What council transparency is expected or to much to expect ? No advertising!
OG Mark, thanks for sharing you’re so intelligent….duh