Making payroll: How our city salaries stack up

All of us who live in Greensboro, Winston-Salem or High Point, whether we own or rent our homes, are shareholders in a sort of corporation. We get to vote for the board of directors — our city councils — who, in turn, hire the CEO — the city manager.

The city manager is responsible for hundreds of employees in each city — all paid through property taxes collected either directly or indirectly through rents. The city manager has a fiduciary duty to realize a return on our investment, or at least exercise good stewardship. We want our board to hire the best talent available, and our city managers to demonstrate the leadership required to cultivate competency and resourcefulness in their staffs.

In the Triad’s three cities, the top job pays upwards of $170,000, with the city manager in Greensboro — the region’s largest city — commanding a lofty salary of $191,000. But city manager is far from the most lucrative job in city government. The region’s top-paid municipal employee is Matt Brown, who earns $269,575 as director of the Greensboro Coliseum. The position is a bit of a freak of nature in municipal governance; the coliseum is a major economic driver in Greensboro, as a sports and entertainment venue that brings in revenue for restaurants and hotels from across central North Carolina and southern Virginia. In comparison, the director of the High Point Theatre and the fair director in Winston-Salem earn only $91,121 and $88,395, respectively.

The top- paid police employee is Greensboro police Chief Ken Miller, who earns $179,820, thanks to a salary increase negotiated with then-City Manager Denise Turner Roth. After announcing his retirement, Miller accepted a job as police chief for the city of Greenville, SC. He’ll put in his last day on the job in Greensboro on Aug. 31. Miller’s peers — Barry Rountree in Winston-Salem and Marty Sumner in High Point — respectively earn $143,195 and $133,270.

Greensboro also pays the highest salary to a city attorney — one who happens to be no longer employed by the city, as it turns out. When City Attorney Mujeeb Shah-Khan resigned under fire in February, he received six-months severance at his salary of $166,860.

Salaries of the Triad’s top-paid municipal employees also reflect the unique ways in which the three cities are organized.

Loren Hill earns $138,016 as president of High Point Economic Development Corp. His salary is paid by the city of High Point, although his agency enjoys semi-autonomous status. Hill’s salary and scope of work is somewhat comparable to the portfolio of an assistant city manager in another city.

The salary of Wendy Fuscoe as Core City administrator is similarly paid by the city of High Point, although the interim city manager is in the midst of reconfiguring the role, at the bidding of city council. Fuscoe’s role is equivalent to the presidents of the non-profit Downtown Greensboro Inc. and Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership.

Greensboro and High Point are the only cities that employ librarians; that function in Winston-Salem is handled by Forsyth County.

We’re publishing the salaries of senior managers in the three cities, as well as starting salaries in a range of roles from laborers to firefighters and police officers to give readers, including municipal employees, the opportunity to examine them for a sense of fairness and proportion.

If you’re an underpaid sanitation worker or firefighter, here’s your opportunity to lobby for a raise. If you’re a taxpayer who feels like the job of police chief or city attorney could be done with less expense, get up in front of city council and make your case.

Knowledge is power.

Top city salaries

Entertainment facilities

1. Coliseum Director Matt Brown, Greensboro — $269,575
2. Deputy Coliseum Director Scott Johnson, Greensboro — $121,140
3. Theatre Director David Briggs, High Point — $91,121
4. Fair Director David Sparks, Winston-Salem — $88,395

Significant raise:

• Matt Brown — 19.8 percent, from $225,072

Executive

1. City Manager Jim Westmoreland, Greensboro — $191,000
2. City Manager Lee Garrity, Winston-Salem — $172,775
3. Interim City Manager Randy McCaslin, High Point — $172,001
4. Assistant City Manager Derwick L. Paige, Winston-Salem — $168,207
5. Assistant City Manager Greg Turner, Winston-Salem — $161,244
6. Interim Assistant City Manager Wesley E. Reid, Greensboro — $144,129
7. Assistant City Manager Bob Morgan, High Point — $135,616
8. Assistant City Manager David Parrish, Greensboro — $134,770
9. Assistant City Manager Andy Scott, Greensboro — $133,208
10. Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe, Winston-Salem — $121,130
11. Enterprise Resource Project Manager Thomas Spencer, High Point — $116,630
12. Interim Assistant City Manager Mary Vigue, Greensboro — $109,278

Who’s out?

• City Manager Denise Turner Roth, Greensboro (resigned) — $180,250

• City Manager Strib Boynton, High Point (retired) — $168,168

• Assistant City Manager Pat Pate, High Point (resigned) — $151,915

• Assistant City Manager Sandy Neerman, Greensboro (retired) — $134,314

• Assistant City Manager Martha Wheelock, Winston-Salem (resigned) — $130,162

Significant raises:

• Jim Westmoreland — 21.7 percent, from $157,000 (promoted from assistant city manager)

• Randy McCaslin — 21.0 percent, from $142,120 (promoted from assistant city manager)

• Mary Vigue — 31.1 percent, from $83,358 (promoted from assistant to city manager)

• Wesley Reid — 23.9 percent, from $116,295 (promoted from Guilford Metro communication director)

• Ben Rowe — 21.4 percent, from $99,750 (promoted from budget evaluation director)

Police

1. Chief Ken Miller, Greensboro — $179,820
2. Chief Barry Rountree, Winston-Salem — $143,195
3. Chief Marty Sumner, High Point — $133,270
4. Assistant Chief Kenneth J. Shultz, High Point — $102,544
5. Deputy Chief Anita Holder, Greensboro — $98,820
6. Deputy Chief Don Scott Jr., Greensboro — $98,820
7. Deputy Chief Joe Smith, Greensboro — $98,269
8. Assistant Chief Wilson S. Weaver II, Winston-Salem — $97,967
9. Assistant Chief Lawrence L. Castleline Jr., High Point — $97,564
10. Assistant Chief Angela H. Tackett, High Point — $97,321
11. Deputy Chief Brian A. Cheek, Greensboro — $96,120
12. Deputy Chief James Hinson, Greensboro — $96,120
13. Assistant Chief Bryan S. Blakley, Winston-Salem — $91,714
14. Assistant Chief Connie Southern, Winston-Salem — $90,750

Significant raise:

• Ken Miller — 21.2 percent, from $148,311

• James Hinson — 19.6 percent, from $80,378 (promoted from captain)

• Brian A. Cheek — 17.8 percent, from $81,612 (promoted from captain)

Legal

1. City Attorney Mujeeb Shah-Khan (terminated), Greensboro — $166,860 *
2. City Attorney Angela Carmon, Winston-Salem — $153,277
3. City Attorney Joanne Carlyle, High Point — $143,522
4. Interim City Attorney Tom Carruthers, Greensboro — $139,800
5. Chief Deputy City Attorney Becky Jo Peterson-Buie, Greensboro — $137,373
6. Deputy City Attorney Al Andrews, Winston-Salem — $112,276
7. Public Safety Attorney Lori Sykes, Winston-Salem — $98,189
8. Assistant City Attorney Terri A. Jones, Greensboro — $96,000
9. Assistant City Attorney Jamiah K. Waterman, Greensboro — $95,954
10. Police Attorney Brian T. Beasley, High Point — $90,097
11. Assistant City Attorney Jerry Kontos, Winston-Salem — $88,155
12. Assistant City Attorney Jim Clark, Greensboro — $86,251
13. Assistant City Attorney James A. Dickens Jr., Greensboro — $85,568
14. Assistant City Attorney John P. Roseboro, Greensboro — $85,000
15. Assistant City Attorney Maria E. Guthold, Winston-Salem — $78,757
16. Assistant City Attorney Brent Cole, High Point — $76,436
17. Right of Way Coordinator Henry T. Moon III, High Point — $75,722
18. Assistant City Attorney Deron K. Henry, Winston-Salem — $68,020

* Mujeeb Shah-Khan was forced out by the Greensboro City Council in February. A six-month severance agreement stipulates that he receive full salary until the end of August.

Significant raise:

• Tom Carruthers — 63.8 percent, from $85,340 (promoted from assistant city attorney)

Community, housing & business development

1. Community & Business Development Director Ritchie Brooks, Winston-Salem — $152,904
2. Neighborhood Development Director Barbara Harris, Greensboro — $111,720
3. Community Development Director Michael McNair, High Point — $106,357
4. Senior Project Supervisor Mellin Parker, Winston-Salem — $99,128
5. Affordable Housing Manager Richard C. Fuqua, High Point — $70,701

Planning

1. Director Paul Norby, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County — $146,784
2. Director Lee Burnette, High Point — $129,815
3. Director Suzanna Smotherman, Greensboro — $114,956

Information technology

1. Chief Information Officer Dennis A. Newman, Winston-Salem — $146,407
2. Deputy Information Systems Director Thomas L. Kureczka, Winston-Salem — $121,994
3. Senior Manager Christine A. Hofer, Greensboro — $116,256
4. Communication & Information Services Director Steven R. Lingerfelt, High Point — $112,020
5. Senior Systems Analyst James R. Gheen, High Point — $108,882
6. Information Systems Project Coordinator Terry L. Nichols Jr., Winston-Salem — $100,112
7. Systems Analyst David L. Britton, High Point — $98,771
8. Communications & Information Services Assistant Director Glenn J. Hasteadt, High Point — $92,502
9. Information Systems Project Coordinator Randy W. Pressley, Winston-Salem — $91,609
10. Public Safety Information Systems Manager Julia B. Conley, Winston-Salem — $90,867
11. Information Systems Supervisor Thomas R. Serrin, Winston-Salem — $90,119

Who’s out?

• Chief Information Officer Darryl Jones, Greensboro (retired) — $121,901

Emergency services

1. Emergency Communications Administration & Operations Manager Melanie Neal, Greensboro — $112,479

Fire

1. Chief Greg Grayson, Greensboro — $143,820
2. Chief Marion T. Reid, High Point — $131,300
3. Chief Antony R. Farmer, Winston-Salem — $117,364
4. Deputy Chief Clarence M. Hunter, Greensboro — $102,530
5. Deputy Chief Bobby Nugent, Greensboro — $102,530
6. Deputy Chief Richard T. Wright, High Point — $102,209
7. Assistant Chief Michael Levins, High Point — $96,063
8. Division Chief Alan D. Nix, Greensboro — $92,934
9. Division Chief Kenny R. Stanley, Greensboro — $92,818
10. Assistant Chief Harry J. Brown, Winston-Salem — $88,906
11. Assistant Chief Brian A. Evans, High Point — $88,830
12. Assistant Chief Robert S. Owens, Winston-Salem — $88,638
13. Assistant Chief Kenneth Knight, High Point — $85,852
14. Division Chief Ronald M. Swails, Greensboro — $85,457
15. Division Chief Charles W. Whitworth, Greensboro — $85,457
16. Division Chief William H. Lentz III, Greensboro — $85,036
17. Division Chief Michael L. Rogers, Greensboro — $85,036
18. Division Chief Bryant K. Staples, Greensboro — $85,036
19. Battalion Chief Danny L. Buckner, High Point — $84,600
20. Assistant Chief Anthony L. Byrum, Winston-Salem — $77,724

Who’s out?

• Chief Richard D. McIntyre, High Point (resigned) — $133,931

Significant raise:

• Marion T. Reid — 42.2 percent, from $92,364 (promoted from deputy chief)

Economic development (High Point)

1. President Loren Hill, High Point Economic Development Corp. — $138,016
2. Senior Vice President Sandy Dunbeck, High Point Economic Development Corp. — $93,007

Finance

1. Director Rick Lusk, Greensboro — $135,918
2. Chief Financial Officer Lisa M. Saunders, Winston-Salem — $129,412
3. Director Jeffrey A. Moore, High Point — $125,206
4. Assistant Finance Officer Clark G. Case, Winston-Salem — $123,249
5. Senior Financial Services Manager Marlene Druga, Greensboro — $113,734
6. Senior Administrative Services Manager Christopher Payne, Greensboro — $102,321
7. Accounting Manager Kelly M. Latham, High Point — $90,037
8. Purchasing Manager Tarinda B. Chappell, High Point — $71,267

Field operations (Greensboro)

1. Director Dale Wyrick — $134,543
2. Senior Solid Waste Manager Christopher R. Marriott, Greensboro — $97,951

Water resources

1. Director Steven D. Drew, Greensboro — $134,389
2. Senior Manager Herman K. McDowell III, Greensboro — $121,140
3. Wastewater Superintendent James F. Crump, Winston-Salem — $90,950

Human resources

1. Director Connie Hammond, Greensboro — $130,269
2. Director Angela Kirkwood, High Point — $122,487
3. Senior Manager Rebecca Jones, Greensboro — $111,360
4. Director Carmen Caruth, Winston-Salem — $107,744
5. Benefits Manager Larry Cooper, Greensboro — $100,782
6. Compensation & HRIS Manager Joseph Marro, Greensboro — $100,029
7. Manager Amy S. Jarvis, High Point — $98,981
8. Safety & Health Manager Frederick D. Allen II, Greensboro — $95,771

Public services (High Point)

1. Director Terry Houk — $129,008
2. Assistant Director Richard D. McMillan — $108,285
3. Water & Sewer Mains Administrator Martha C. McDowell — $104,000
4. Solid Waste Collection Superintendent Sammy Vanderzee II — $87,462
5. Wastewater Plants Manager Johnny L. Hodges — $86,590
6. Stormwater Operations Manager Derrick Boone — $86,004
7. Water & Sewer Mains Manager Robby D. Stone — $85,971
8. Solid Waste Disposal Superintendent Steven M. Pendry — $76,559
9. Cemetery Superintendent John V. Elder — $58,556

Who’s out?

• Director Chris Thompson, High Point — $131,374

Significant raise:

• Terry Houk — 16.7 percent, from $110,589 (promoted from assistant director)

Parks and recreation

1. Director Christian Wilson, Greensboro — $128,155
2. Senior Manager Wade Walcutt, Greensboro — $114,466
3. Director Tim Grant, Winston-Salem — $115,456
4. Director Lee Tillery, High Point — $95,428

Who’s out?

• Director Allen Oliver, High Point (retired) — $109,772

Significant raise:

• Lee Tillery — 20.2 percent, from $79,402 (promoted from assistant director)

Utilities (Winston-Salem)

1. Utilities Director Ronald L. Hargrove Jr., Winston-Salem/Forsyth County — $126,423
2. Solid Waste Administrator Janis D. McHargue, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County — $98,586
3. Solid Waste Engineering Supervisor Edward L. Gibson, Winston-Salem — $89,475

Engineering

1. Engineering & Inspections Director Butch Simmons, Greensboro — $122,425
2. Engineering Services Director Brian K. Pugh, High Point — $118,250
3. City Engineer Robert J. Prestwood, Winston-Salem — $105,615
4. Business Center Manager Ute Munro, Greensboro — $100,331

Transportation

1. Director Mark V. McDonald, High Point — $121,811
2. Director Adam Fischer, Greensboro — $116,034
3. Director Toneq’ McCullough, Winston-Salem — $103,074
4. Deputy Director Connie K. James, Winston-Salem — $94,318

Electric utilities (High Point)

1. Director Garey Edwards — $118,899
2. Engineer Marty G. Hinson — $103,542
3. Electrical Engineering Manager DA Averill — $93,413

Budget

1. Director Larry Davis, Greensboro — $117,205
2. Budget & Performance Manager Eric Olmedo, High Point — $97,105
3. Budget Evaluation Director Trevor Minor, Winston-Salem — $86,982

Libraries

1. Director Brigitte Blanton, Greensboro — $113,539
2. Director Mary M. Sizemore, High Point — $103,495

Workforce development

1. Greensboro/High Point/Guilford Workforce Development Executive Director Lillian Plummer — $111,638

Property and facilities

1. Property & Facilities Management Director James T. Mitchell, Winston-Salem — $110,914
2. Facilities Services Director Timothy M. McKinney, High Point — $108,441

Risk management (Winston-Salem)

1. Risk Administrator Anthony J. Baker, Winston-Salem — $107,531

Customer services

1. Customer Services Director Troy R. Martin, High Point — $103,495
2. Contact Center Manager Mary E. Jutte, Greensboro — $81,145

Human relations

1. Director Wanda Allen-Abraha, Winston-Salem — $103,173
2. Director Love Crossling, Greensboro — $101,945
3. Director Al Heggins, High Point — $96,435

Downtown Development (High Point)

1. Core City Administrator Wendy Fuscoe — $101,837

Fleet services (High Point)

1. Director Gary L. Smith — $101,837

Public transit

1. Manager Libby James, Greensboro Transit Authority — $93,367
2. Manager Angela W. Wynes, HiTran — $71,490

Garbage collection

1. Sanitation Director Johnnie F. Taylor, Winston-Salem — $101,425
2. Solid Waste Collections Manager Sheldon D. Smith, Greensboro — $92,411

Marketing/public affairs

1. Marketing & Communications Director Ed McNeal, Winston-Salem — $89,886
2. Communications Manager Donnie Turlington, Greensboro — $74,704
3. Communications Officer Jeron Hollis, High Point — $68,754

City clerk/city secretary

1. City Clerk Betsy Richardson, Greensboro — $79,177
2. City Secretary Renee Phillips, Winston-Salem — $79,152
3. City Clerk Lisa Vierling, High Point — $72,087

Museums

1. Greensboro Historical Museum Director Carol Hart — $67,486
2. High Point Museum Director Edith Brady — $52,428

Starting salaries

Council members

1. Greensboro — $13,638
2. High Point — $10,800
3. Winston-Salem — $10,185

* Councilman Dan Besse receives a salary of $9,834. His pay is less than his colleagues because he declined to accept a salary increase approved as part of the fiscal year 2013-14 budget.

Mayor

1. Greensboro — $17,377
2. High Point — $15,000
3. Winston-Salem — $13,020

* Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines declines his salary, and contributes the funds to community groups and nonprofits.

Custodian

1. Winston-Salem — $21,008
2. Greensboro — $20,409
3. High Point — $20,169

Laborer

1. High Point — $21,179
2. Winston-Salem — $21,008

Meter reader

1. Greensboro — $24,384
2. Winston-Salem — $22,563
3. High Point — $22,237

Recreation activity leader

1. High Point — $23,350
2. Winston-Salem — $21,285

Sanitation laborer

1. High Point — $23,350
2. Winston-Salem — $21,008

Parking enforcement

1. Greensboro (specialist) — $24,384
2. Winston-Salem (officer) — $21,008

Lead grillroom attendant

1. High Point — $25,744

Landfill

1. Greensboro (landfill tech) — $26,091
2. High Point (scale house operator) — $25,744
3. Winston-Salem (landfill mechanic) — $25,395

Sanitation/solid waste

1. Greensboro (solid waste operator) — $26,091
2. High Point (sanitation special route operator) — $24,517
3. Winston-Salem (sanitation equipment operator) — $22,563

Bus driver

1. High Point — $27,032

Crime scene

1. High Point (crime scene technician) — $32,856
2. Winston-Salem (crime scene technician) — $32,551
3. Greensboro (crime scene investigator) — $29,891

Firefighter

1. High Point — $32,856
2. Greensboro — $32,667
3. Winston-Salem — $30,881

* Starting pay in Winston-Salem is $32,425 for a firefighter with an associate’s degree and $34,047 for a firefighter with a bachelor’s degree.

Police officer

1. Greensboro — $35,556
2. High Point — $34,499
3. Winston-Salem — $32,580

* Starting pay in Winston-Salem is $34,209 for a police officer with an associate’s degree and $35,919 for a police officer with a bachelor’s degree.

Rec center director/supervisor

1. Winston-Salem — $34,906
2. High Point — $34,499
3. Greensboro — $34,199

Code enforcement officer

1. High Point — $36,223
2. Greensboro — $34,199