Published in the May 9, 2016 edition.
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department placed 20 members on the list of the 50 top earning town workers in calendar year 2015, led by General Manager Peter Dion’s $185,944. For the second consecutive year, the light department had more employees holding top earner spots than any other department and two more than appeared on the list for 2014.
But Wakefield Police again placed more of its members — seven — within the top 10 of the 50 highest paid town employees last year. This was accomplished, as it usually is, by private detail work.
In total, 15 police made the top 50 list, which appears here and inside today’s paper.
Last year, police continued to be among the top paid employees in Wakefield, as they are in just about every other community in Massachusetts. They were led by night shift commander Lt. Steven Skory’s $193,758. In addition to his regular salary and overtime, Skory’s total salary working in Wakefield included $23,893 in private detail pay.
Police Chief Rick Smith was fifth on the list of the top earning town employees in 2015.
Rounding out the top 10 were Town Administrator Stephen Maio ($158,254) and the head of the town’s Information Technology Department David Knox ($156,048).
No one on the top 50 earner list made less than $118,900 in 2015.
Six firefighters, including Fire Chief Michael Sullivan, are on the top earner list, one more than in 2014.
The information used to compile the list was supplied by Town Hall and is based on the employees’ W-2 earnings in calendar year 2015.
Three members of the School Department earned their way onto the top 50 list last year as well. They were Schools’ Supt. Dr. Kim Smith (12th position at $152,923), Wakefield Memorial High Principal Rich Metropolis (46th position at $121,912) and Business Administrator Mike Pfifferling (50th position at $118,952).
For police and MGLD employees especially, the availability of overtime work proves crucial to boosting their pay each year. In the case of police and to a lesser extent firefighters, they also have the chance to work private details, particularly when there is street construction or a utility site that needs protection from motorists.
Officer John Ryan, who made the third most in 2015, earned $41,387 working details. Sgt. Geoffrey Eriksen made $31,861 in detail pay. Lt. Scott Reboulet made $29,950 working details last year.
The gross earnings of police also reflect extra incentives for night work and for earning college degrees related in some way to law enforcement. The lucrative Quinn Bill rewards officers who have master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees or associate degrees. Some years ago the town and police were able to agree to lesser payments for the newer members of the department.
But many who have master’s degrees get 25 percent of their base pay added to their salary, while a bachelor’s degree carries an additional 20 percent for those officers grandfathered in. An associate degree brings 10 percent of an officer’s base pay added to his overall salary. Younger members of the department have a smaller percentage of their base pay added to their overall salary.
The town charges a 10 percent administration fee to private companies for each job a police officer gets paid to work.
