By BOB BURGESS
WAKEFIELD — No women were among the 50 top paid town employees last year, a list that remains dominated by police, Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department workers and firefighters, many of whom accept a lot of overtime and extra shifts to get on it.
The top group’s gross compensation — which includes base salary, stipends, educational incentives and more — ranges from Police Sgt. Jonathan Burnham’s $264,233 to Patrolman Ryan Doran’s $155,697. Of the town’s top 10 wage earners last year, seven are members of the Wakefield Police Department; 21 police patrolmen and officers were among the town’s top 50 paid employees in 2022.
A lot of members of the department continue to benefit from the availability of work details which require their presence to keep both crews and the public safe. Burnham, for example, made about $21,500 in details, which can be ordered by either the town or a private company. If it is a private detail, the town requires a 10 percent administrative fee to process detail work.
Just about all town workers have some sort of additional pay opportunity, and are rewarded for earning degrees. Firefighters also work some paid details.
The information used in this report was supplied upon request by Town Hall and is based on an employee’s W-2 earnings in 2022, which the Item does not have access to. The full list of the top 50 city wage earners appears inside this week’s paper.
Employees also receive money if they opt out of the health insurance plans the town offers.
In addition to the 21 police patrolmen and officers on the top 50 list for 2022, there are 12 WMGLD employees, 10 members of the Fire Department and one School Department employee, Supt. of Schools Dr. Doug Lyons. He oversees a department staffed by over 600 employees.
Others on the list include WMGLD General Manager Peter Dion, Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio, Information Technology leader Todd Bowden, DPW Director Joseph Conway, Water Department Supervisor Steven Fitzpatrick, Assessments Director Victor Santaniello and Town Accountant Kevin Gill.
In the city of Melrose, the top wage earner in municipal government — also a police officer — made $305,235 in 2022. There were eight women among the top 50 city wage earners in Melrose last year.