Troy’s payroll
The hike in the city’s OT budget can be seen in the paychecks of 77 employees.
The 30.5 percent increase in the city’s 2020 overtime budget could be seen in the paychecks of 77 city employees — all but one from the police and fire departments — who earned more than $100,000 last year, according to city payroll records.
The coronavirus pandemic, 14 homicide investigations and the Troy Rally for Black Lives that saw thousands attend — along with other smaller demonstrations — helped push up overtime costs for 2020, city officials say. The city’s 2020 overtime bill will top $2,643,000 or 30.5 percent more than budgeted.
Police Officer Walter J. Tague Jr. earned the most overtime in 2020, taking home $69,854. The overtime payments nearly matched his base salary
of $70,693. While Tague earned the highest overtime payments, it only pushed him to being the city’s 10th highest paid employee at $144,673.
Police Chief Brian Owens was the city’s highest-paid employee, earning $213,870. Owens earned no overtime from the city but saw his base salary of $135,600 supplemented by compensatory pay, vacation buyouts and other payments of $78,270. Owens is allowed to cash out certain benefits while he is still employed.
Owens and Fire Chief Eric
Mcmahon have the highest budgeted salaries in the city at $135,600. They aren’t paid overtime. The city’s deputy and assistant police chiefs also are not eligible to receive overtime. Total income for city employees will be higher based on various other payments that city employees receive such as longevity and other allowances.
Mayor Patrick Madden with a budgeted salary of $95,000 barely made it into the ranks of the top 100 city earners. The mayor was the 99th highest paid.
The city’s top 10 earners in 2020 were: Police Chief Brian Owens, $213,870; Fire Captain Gary Fernet, $185,282; Assistant Fire Chief David Paul, $160,993; Fire Captain Matthew Blaauboer, $156,407; Firefighter Thomas Blake, $155,701; Assistant Police Chief Christopher Kehn, $154,211; Fire Lieutenant Paul Cellucci $151,809; Deputy Police Chief Daniel Dewolf, $151,797; Police Sergeant Robert
S. Smith, $148,584; Police Officer Walter J. Tauge, Jr., $144,673.
Gary Reynolds Jr., a water and sewer maintenance supervisor, was the only city worker who was not a member of the police or fire department to earn more than $100,000 in 2020. Reynolds earned $107,074 including $28,420 in overtime.
When it comes to overtime the city police and fire departments spend the most. The police department spent about $1,415,600 for overtime, while the fire department expended about $975,000, according to figures presented by the City Council at the end of 2020.