Police made nearly $900G in 2014 details

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 By BOB BURGESS

MELROSE — A boatload of road work across the city in 2014 proved a boon to the Melrose Police Department, which placed 34 members on the list of the top 50 paid municipal employees for the calendar year that just ended.

Lt. James Mulrenan was the top earner among city workers in 2014. He made $201,602, which included $77,450 in details and $6,151.70 in retroactive pay (the police received a new contract last year). In 2013, Mulrenan grossed $204,043.

According to data supplied by City Hall and based on employees’ W-2 Forms, the number of police on the 2014 list was nine more than in 2013.

The 50 top paid city employees are listed inside this issue of the Weekly News.

During 2014, there were 30 police patrolmen, eight sergeants, four lieutenants and Chief Mike Lyle in the department. Nearly 80 percent of Melrose’s police force made the list of the 50 top paid city workers.

To be fair, there was an awful lot of police details needed to man the various street work sites around Melrose. Some of the major projects are: Lebanon Street, Franklin Street, East Foster Street, Cottage Street, Linwood Avenue, Lincoln Street and Beech Avenue at Swains Pond Road.

The Police Department’s David Mackey made the most among his colleagues on detail pay, $87,750, followed by Jon Piasecki’s $78,169 and Mulrenan’s $77,450.

The city charges private companies a 15 percent administrative fee to process private work details. In 2014, the police’s details alone brought $134,714 into city coffers.

The School Department had six administrators and educators on the 2014 top 50 list, led by Supt. of Schools Cyndy Taymore. Two members of the Fire Department were on the list, as were two who work in the DPW. Also making the list were Mayor Robert J. Dolan, Auditor/Chief Financial Officer Patrick Dello Russo, Health Director Ruth Clay, City Solicitor Robert Van Campen, Information Technology Director Jorge Pazos and Human Resources Director Marianne Long.

The top 50 highest gross earnings for 2014 ranged from Mulrenan’s $201,602 to Police Officer Daniel Ehlers’ $99,831, and included Fire Chief Chris Leary’s $119,499, Police Chief Mike Lyle’s $124,473 and Dolan’s $131,807. The previous year, the mayor made $106,892.

An employee’s gross pay includes all stipends he enjoys, any contractual reimbursements, any overtime pay and any money performing private details.

The fact Melrose is involved in the state’s lucrative Quinn Bill helps police get onto the list of the top 50 paid town employees each year.

Police are rewarded under the Quinn Bill for furthering their criminal justice-related education. Those who have master’s degrees get 25 percent of their base pay added to their salary; those who have a bachelor’s degree get 20 percent added and those with associate’s degrees get 10 percent of their base pay added to their overall earnings.

Certain police also get extra compensation for working night shifts, weekends and holidays.

All firefighters receive a small amount of money for working at night; some also work private details.

Information supplied by City Hall included a separate breakout of the Police Department’s private detail pay for 2014. The 34 patrolmen and officers made $898,093 in private detail pay, compared to the $749,049 the year before.