The town of Fairfield will pay its highest-salaried employee, Superintendent David Title, about $87,000 more in 2011 that it did in 2010. But before you get too alarmed, its important to note that theres a logical explanation for the huge raise last years figure accounted only for about six months. So, even though Title will be taking home more money from Fairfield next year, over the course of the towns full spending, hell actually save Fairfield money with his salary.
The Board of Educations proposed budget lists Titles salary for the next fiscal year at $225,000. His predecessor, Dr. Ann Clark, made more than that for 2009-2010 ($227,423), and her standard raise bumped the line item up to $234,861 in 2010-2011. Simply by being the new kid in town, Title saved Fairfield nearly $10,000 in salary at its most costly position.
Police Chief Gary MacNamera will also save the town money at first. Under the old budget, approved while Chief David Peck was in his last days on the job, the chiefs salary listed for $137,214. MacNameras pay for 2011-2012 will be $136,000. MacNamera also saved the town money by vacating his old position as deputy chief. He was slated to make $122,228 before taking the top spot. His successor Christopher Lyddy will make $120,601 in 2011-2012.
Sure, the change is small. After all, the difference in the superintendents salaries represents only .006 percent of the total schools budget Title proposed. But the town will also save a few thousands in raises they did not need to give this year.
Consider another top earner in Fairfield, Fire Chief Richard Felner. Like most town employees, his salary will rise per his contract with the town from $140,857 to $142,228. Or Public Works Director Richard White, who will see his salary go from $146,148 to $148,271. Even First Selectman Kenneth Flatto will get a slight bump next yearfrom $127,000 to $127,600.
Still, those raises are mostly planned into department contracts. But one of Fairfields top employees got a bit greedy, and gave himself an unusual raise. Chief Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller, for the first time in years, bumped up his $129,098 salary by $1.
(Note: The figures above do not include overtime pay, benefits, expense accounts or other factors in employees take-home pay. They reflect only salaries listed as line-items in the towns budget.)
You can read more
To find out how other cities and towns in Fairfield County are spending on employees, click on the headlines below
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Check out the full 2011-2012 budget proposal here. Have trouble making sense of it all? Send questions to [email protected], and well get back to you with answers on TheDailyFairfield.
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