Published February 27, 2019
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Fifty-one town employees earned six-figure salaries last year.
According to town documents supplied by Town Treasurer Christine O’Sullivan and based on employees’ W-2 forms, Superintendent of Schools Jane Tremblay was the highest paid employee in 2018 with $195,185.
Unlike neighboring Wakefield, which had no women make that communities’ top 50 highest paid employees list, Lynnfield had eight women earn six-figure salaries last year. All but one worked for the School Department.
Police Chief David Breen was the second highest paid town employee with a $192,284 salary. In addition to Breen, there were 19 members of the Police Department who earned six-figure salaries. Salaries for police officers include base pay, overtime, details, holiday and longevity pay, clothing allowances and funds associated with the Quinn Bill. The Quinn Bill is a police career incentive program enacted in 1970 by the State Legislature that encourages police officers in participating municipalities to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice. The educational incentives result in salary increases.
Police Sergeant Sean Donovan was third on the list with $188,443. Town documents revealed Donovan earned a base pay of $104,548, $64,035 in overtime and $19,860 in detail pay.
Lynnfield Police Patrolman Mark Bettencourt was the fourth highest paid employee after earning $169,004, which included a base salary of $88,326, $26,756 in overtime and $53,921 in detail pay. Patrolman Steven O’Connell was fifth on the list with $164,468, and received $84,360 in base pay, $47,270 in overtime and $32,838 in detail pay.
Patrolman Patrick Curran was the sixth highest paid town employee after earning $163,852. Curran received a base salary of $72,707 as well as $36,045 in overtime and $55,100 in detail pay. Police Sergeant Christopher DeCarlo was the seventh highest paid town employee with $161,599, which included a base salary totaling $89,875 along with $59,658 in overtime and $12,066 in detail pay.
Police Patrolman Scott Fitzemeyer was the eighth highest paid town employee with $156,046, which included a base pay of $79,981, $55,955 in overtime and $20,109 in detail pay. Town Administrator Rob Dolan was ninth on the list after earning $153,835 last year.
Lynnfield Police Sergeant Louis Trapasso was the 10th highest paid employee with $149,468, which included a base pay of $98,815, $43,116,69 in overtime and $7,536 in detail pay. Police Sergeant Al Scotina was the 11th highest paid town employee with $148,424, which included a base pay of $104,148, $38,595 in overtime and $5,681 in detail pay.
There were eight members of the Fire Department who earned six-figure salaries. Lynnfield Fire Chief Glenn Davis informed the Villager the EMS user fees that firefighters received is “a portion of salary paid by insurance carriers.”
Fire Lt./EMT Richard Ripley was 14th on the list with $139,525, which included a base pay of $81,085, $31,428 in EMS user fees, $26,774 in overtime and $238 in detail pay. Fire Lt. James Alexander was the 16th highest paid employee with $136,829, which included a base pay of $84,026, $31,159 in EMS user fees and $21,645 in overtime.
Lynnfield Fire Captain John Walsh was the 20th highest paid employee with $130,818, which included a base pay of $92,790, $21.985 in EMS user fees and $16,043 in overtime. Fire Lt./EMT Kevin Mutti was 24th on the highest paid town employees list with $126,918, which included a base pay of $82,752, $27,948 in EMS user fees, $15,735 in overtime and $484 in detail pay.
Fire Lt./EMT Daniel Veinot was the 25th highest paid employee with $126,853, which included a base pay of $75,635, $34,499 in EMS user fees, $15,198 in overtime and $1,521 in detail pay. Firefighter/EMT Christopher Cavalieri was the 32nd highest paid employee with $119,073, which included a base pay of $68,619, $25,485 in overtime, $24,255 in EMS user uses and $714 in detail pay. Former Fire Chief Mark Tetreault was 34th on the list with $115,250.
In addition to Tremblay, there were 19 School Department employees who earned six-figure salaries. Lynnfield High School Principal Bob Cleary was the 13th highest paid town employee with $145,033. Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston was 19th on the list with $131,545. School Finance Director Tom Geary was the 22nd highest paid employee with $129,195.
Teaching and Learning Director Kevin Cyr was 26th on the list with $125,192. Huckleberry Hill School Principal Brian Bemiss was the 28th highest paid employee with $122,764. LHS guidance counselor/boys’ basketball head coach Scott MacKenzie was 37th on the list with $108,218. Educational Technology Director Stephanie Hoban was the 38th highest paid town employee with $107,058.
LHS Social Studies Department Head Michael Boulay was the 40th highest paid town employee with $105,537. High school math teacher/cross-country head coach Joe DiBiase was the 41st highest paid town employee with $105,223. Elementary Math/Science Curriculum Specialist Christina Perry was 42nd on the list with $105,174. LHS special education teacher Andrea Knight was the 43rd highest paid employee with $105,045.
School psychologist Lydia Rundell-Gjerde was the 45th highest paid town employee with $104,700. High school science teacher/girls’ lacrosse head coach Ethan Blanchette was 46th with $102,291. High School Assistant Principal Brian Bates was 47th on the list with $101,609.
LHS Science Department Head Scott Gordon was the 48th highest paid town employee with $101,484. LHS Foreign Language Department Head Julie Sgroi was 49th on the list with $101,314. LHS Band Director/former Summer Street School music specialist Harry Wagg was the 50th highest paid town employee with $100,765. High School Math Department Head Marylou Sambatakos was 51st with $100,198.
In addition to members of the Police, Fire and School departments, there were three other town employees who received six-figure salaries last year. DPW Director John Tomasz was the 17th highest paid town employee with $135,041. Town Accountant Julie McCarthy was 29th on the list with $122,598. Town Engineer Charlie Richter was the 39th highest paid employee with $106,928.
