How Much Do They Get Paid?
US Currency (file photo)
OSKALOOSA- With discussion at a recent Oskaloosa Water Board meeting about General Manager Chad Coon’s salary, some have started to wonder how much area superintendents, administrators, and department heads are paid. According to meeting minutes, and information from the Oskaloosa city website, and the Iowa Department of Education, several area officials are paid over $100,000.
The discussion about compensation for government employees is often forefront in policy debates both locally and around the nation, especially as governments at the various levels often times struggle to balance their budgets. That struggle to balance a budget can lead to tax increases, or in some cases reductions to government services.
At the federal level, the Congressional Budget Office released figured in 2012 that indicated that federal employees with a bachelor degree or less earned approximately the same as the private sector. Those federal employees with doctorates or professional degrees earned 23 percent less than the private sector.
Benefits were a primary point of difference in compensation between the private and public sector, with the public sector offering better benefits packages than the private sector overall. That difference can be as much as 72 percent better for federal employees than those in the private sector.
Oskaloosa School Superintendent Russ Reiter is the highest paid public employee in Mahaska County, with a salary of $170,723 for the 2016-2017 school year. This salary was approved on a 5-2 vote, after a 90 minute closed session at the June 8, 2016 Oskaloosa School Board meeting. It is the same salary as his 2015-2016 salary. Reiter has been with the district since 2010.
Oskaloosa City Manager Michael Schrock is the second highest paid public employee in Mahaska County. At the May 16, Oskaloosa City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to approve a contract with Schrock set to expire in 2020. The council approved a salary of $130,000, without an additional performance bonus. Schrock has been with the city since 2009.
Just behind Schrock’s salary is Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont School Superintendent Dean Cook. While the district is not based in Mahaska County, it does service a large portion of southern Mahaska County, as well as all of the former Fremont School District. Superintendent Dean Cook’s salary was $126,067 at the close of the 2015-2016 school year. He has been with the district since 2004.
Not far behind Cook is Angela Livezey, Superintendent of the North Mahaska School District. Livezey’s salary was $118,000 in the 2015-2016 school year, her first year as Superintendent. She had previously been with the district since 2009, more recently serving as a principal.
Oskaloosa Water Department Manager Chad Coon rounds out the public employees in Mahaska County who make more than $100,000. After a 28E agreement for the Oskaloosa Water Department to assume the operations of wastewater was approved, the Water Board increased Coon’s salary to $96,050, from his previous salary of $81,000. Additionally, in September the Water Board approved an additional $5,000 increase in Coon’s salary to $101,050.
Among other public officials in Mahaska County, Oskaloosa Public Works Director Akhilesh Pal is paid $85,490 annually, Police Chief Jake McGee is paid $79,972 annually, City Clerk/Finance Director Amy Miller is paid $72,538 annually, Fire Chief Mark Neff is paid $69,080 annually, and Library Director Nicole Morgan is paid $57,168 annually.
When compared to other school districts, Oskaloosa Superintendent Russ Reiter’s salary nears that of other districts with significantly larger certified enrollment. Reiter’s salary is not too far off that of former Oskaloosa High School Principal Andy Pattee, who is the Superintendent of the Cedar Falls School District. Pattee made $192,000 in the 2015-2016 school year, in a district with certified enrollment of 5,052.1 students. The Oskaloosa School District had certified enrollment of 2,371.5 students in the 2015-2016 school year. Reiter’s salary is also greater than that of the Ottumwa School District (4,622.9 2015-2016 certified enrollment), whose superintendent is paid $168,000 annually. The only other area school district superintendent whose salary is greater than Reiter’s is Pella Schools (2,140.5 2015-2016 certified enrollment), where Superintendent Greg Ebeling makes $187,233 annually.
When compared to other publicly paid positions, including Governor of Iowa and US Senator, several public employees in Mahaska County near their salaries.
Iowa’s Governor is paid $130,000 annually, when in office. A United States Senator and Representative both have an annual salary of $174,000 while in office. The house and senate Majority/Minority leaders are paid $193,400 annually. Members of the President’s cabinet are paid $199,700. The Speaker of the House is paid $223,500. The Vice President is paid $233,000. The President is paid $400,000.
