City of Wichita workers averaged $50K in 2020. Here are each department’s top earners
Employees working for the city of Wichita’s departments — including police, fire, human resources and elected officials under the city council umbrella — made an average of $50,580.21 in total compensation last year, according to an analysis of 2020 public salary data obtained by The Eagle.
The calculation takes into account overall pay for all employees who made money from the city in 2020 including low earning seasonal workers, such as teenage swimming pool lifeguards who made much less than the average, and those making six-figure salaries, like the police and fire chiefs, the mayor, the head of Eisenhower National Airport and the city manager. The data includes all employees who received pay from the city in 2020, including those who retired, quit or left their jobs for other reasons.
The median income for all city workers was just north of $52,000 — close to the 2019 citywide median household income of $52,620 reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The 3,704 people on the city’s 2020 payroll earned a collective $187,349,110.65 in overall compensation and put in more than 7 million working hours.
More than 237,000 of those hours were overtime, which cost the city more than $7.9 million, or $33.38 per hour on average.
The city’s top earner, Robert Layton, made a total of $245,059.35 in his role as city manager.
Police Chief Gordon Ramsay came in second with $224,056.64 in total compensation, followed by Director of Airports Victor White with $207,267.04; City Attorney and Director of Law Jennifer Magana with $204,781.61; and Alan King, the director of public works and utilities, with $194,281.59.
Below, you’ll find a list of the top five earners in each city department including their total compensation and number of hours worked. Overall compensation includes things such as base and overtime pay, car and telephone allowances, benefits and other money earned.
You can also use The Eagle’s searchable public salary database to find the overall compensation, hourly rate and other pay-related facts for any city employee.
Airport
- Victor D. White, director of airports: $207,267.04 - 2,160 hours
- E.B. “Brad” Christopher, assistant director of airports: $147,789.51 - 2,160 hours
- John M. Oswald, manager of airport engineering and planning: $139,758.94 - 2,160 hours
- Roger F. Xanders Jr., chief of airport public safety: $117,430.56 - 2,160 hours
- Jean T. Zoglman, senior accountant/finance manager: $109,547.39 - 2,160 hours
Art Museum*
- Jan K. Harper, program manager: $106,709.25 - 2,160 hours
- Kourtney H. Carson, program coordinator: $83,185.07 - 2,160 hours
- Teresa C. Veazey, communications specialist: $79,328.28 - 2,160 hours
- Leslie J. Servantez, registrar: $76,802.23 - 2,160 hours
- Kirk A. Eck, museum specialist II: $68,639.36 - 2,160 hours
Central Inspection
- Paul D. Hays, senior plans examiner: $121,522.15 - 2,160 hours
- Kortney D. Capello, co-assistant director: $93,534.65 - 2,160 hours
- Mark J. Janzen, plans examiner: $88,836.55 - 2,160 hours
- Matthew B. Lee, plans examiner: $88,651.55 - 2,160 hours
- Richard E. Chamberlin, plans examiner: $88,607.43 - 2,160 hours
City Council
- Brandon J. Whipple, mayor: $105,314.84 - 1,920 hours
- Megan E. Lovely, communications specialist: $63,039.58 - 2,160 hours
- James W. Clendenin, city council member: $52,067.62 - 2,160 hours
- Vincentia “Cindy” A. Claycomb, city council member: $50,294.78 - 2,160 hours
- Bryan K. Frye, city council member: $50,060.00 - 2,160 hours
City Manager’s Office
- Robert L. Layton, city manager: $254,059.35 - 2,160 hours
- Scot H. Rigby, assistant city manager/director of development services: $185,477.95 - 2,160 hours
- Donte L. Martin, assistant city manager: $183,060.15 - 2,160 hours
- John C. Philbrick, real estate administrator: $117,252.33 - 2,160 hours
- R. K. Blair, city arts manager: $100,914.94 - 2,160 hours
Finance
- Shawn S. Henning, director of finance (retired in November 2020): $152,432.69 - 1,873.06 hours
- Mark L. Manning, director of finance: $151,946.16 - 2,160 hours
- Melinda A. Walker, purchasing manager: $143,108.28 - 2,160 hours
- Dale R. Raine, senior management analyst: $137,678.87 - 2,160 hours
- Verl L. Niedens, risk manager: $127,617.16 - 2,160 hours
Fire Department
- Elizabeth C. Snow, fire chief: $173,032.16 - 2,160 hours
- Jay P. Newton III, program coordinator: $121,163.00 - 2,160 hours
- Douglas W. Winter, fire battalion chief: $119,895.57 - 3,192 hours
- Matt W. Bowen, fire battalion chief: $117,334.73 - 3,240 hours
- James D. Wilson, fire division chief: $114,833.72 - 2,160 hours
Housing
- Sally A. Stang, director of housing and community services: $165,938.14 - 2,160 hours
- Laurie E. Wolf, controller: $122,590.69 - 2,160 hours
- Bradley E. Snapp, assistant director of housing and community services: $120,079.58 - 2,160 hours
- Mark J. Stanberry, housing manager: $109,199.63 - 2,160 hours
- Marlys E. Duchinsky, program specialist/property manager: $81,099.28 - 2,160 hours
Human Resources
- Michael E. Bezruki, director: $188,442.12 - 2,160 hours
- Susan K. Leiker, senior human resources specialist: $108,252.93 - 2,160 hours
- Valery M. Sokol, senior human resources specialist: $106,814.78 - 2,160 hours
- Pamela J. Pennington, senior human resources specialist: $103,986.88 - 2,162.01 hours
- Betty T. Schrader, senior human resources specialist: $99,960.61 - 2,160 hours
Information Technology
- Michael D. Mayta, chief information officer: $166,046.34 - 2,160 hours
- Kevin L. Norman, senior enterprise architect: $121,284.49 - 2,160 hours
- Marvin T. Bush, deputy chief information officer: $110,943.41 - 2,160 hours
- Clifford B. Thomas Jr., senior developer: $108,202.95 - 2,160 hours
- Mark L. Dawson, info security architect: $107,517.10 - 2,160 hours
Law
- Jennifer L. Magana, director of law and city attorney: $204,781.61 - 2,160 hours
- Sharon L. Dickgrafe, first attorney/chief deputy city attorney: $175,274.88 - 2,160 hours
- Brian K. McLeod, senior attorney: $157,717.75 - 2,160 hours
- Jay C. Hinkel, senior attorney: $151,783.31 - 2,160 hours
- Van M. Halley, deputy city attorney: $120,193.53 - 2,160 hours
Library
- Cynthia K. Berner, director of libraries (retired in September 2020): $153,456.96 - 1,927.38 hours
- Tammy L. Penland, senior management analyst: $107,976.62 - 2,160 hours
- Julie D. Sherwood, library manager: $106,208.02 - 2,160 hours
- Cynthia L. Bailey, senior librarian: $99,493.84 - 2,160 hours
- Kristi E. Dowell, director of libraries: $89,495.93 - 2,160 hours
Municipal Court
- Jennifer L. Jones, judge: $152,946.06 - 2,160 hours
- Teddy R. Griffith, judge: $146,092.80 - 2,160 hours
- William M. Kehr, judge: $145,616.87 - 2,160 hours
- Nathan W. Emmorey, municipal court administrator: $144,330.40 - 2,160 hours
- Bryce A. Abbott, judge: $143,347.75 - 2,160 hours
Parks and Recreation
- Troy Houtman, director: $161,292.39 - 2,160 hours
- Marty R. Miller, Botanica manager: $124,846.00 - 2,160 hours
- Troy C. Hendricks, golf course manager: $109,655.17 - 1,960 hours
- David A. McGuire, superintendent of forestry and maintenance: $107,465.67 - 2,160 hours
- Reginald O. Davidson, superintendent of recreation: $104,110.67 - 2,160 hours
Planning
- Scott A. Wadle, director: $121,588.70 - 2,160 hours
- Stephen M. Banks, senior planner: $97,755.73 - 2,160 hours
- Neil E. Strahl, senior planner: $96,747.28 - 2,160 hours
- John R. Cox, Jr., inspection supervisor: $93,721.10 - 2,160 hours
- Kathy L. Morgan, senior planner: $93,560.95 - 2,160 hours
Police Department
- Gordon S. Ramsay, police chief: $224,056.64 - 2,160 hours
- Patrick M. Phipps, police lieutenant: $144,808.31 - 2,852.5 hours
- Jeffrey S. Gilmore, police lieutenant: $134,613.35 - 2,697.75 hours
- Jeffery D. Swanson, police sergeant: $132,656.97 - 2,794.75 hours
- Jose H. Salcido, deputy police chief: $129,172.88 - 2,160 hours
Public Works and Utilities
- Alan D. King, director: $194,281.59 - 2,160 hours
- Gary L. Janzen, city engineer: $145,513.30 - 2,160 hours
- Paul D. Gunzelman, assistant city engineer: $138,778.82 - 2,160 hours
- Don A. Henry, assistant director: $136,843.15 - 2,160 hours
- Aaron W. Henning, senior division manager: $130,527.80 - 2,160 hours
Transit
- Michael C. Tann, director: $169,427.80 - 2,160 hours
- Gregg T. Ringold, general maintenance supervisor: $108,481.05 - 2,160 hours
- Vallery L. Fields, senior program specialist: $97,337.50 - 2,160 hours
- Nathaniel B. Hinkel, senior communications specialist: $80,737.71 - 2,160 hours
- Elgin J. Earl, superintendent of transportation: $77,884.14 - 2,160 hours
Water Department
- Rebecca R. Lewis, sewage treatment superintendent: $145,959.14 - 2,160 hours
- Michael G. Jacobs, water production division manager: $136,125.22 - 2,160 hours
- Shawn L. Maloney, program manager: $131,193.43 - 2,208 hours
- Anthony C. Daniel, water distribution division manager: $130,477.25 - 2,160 hours
- Rufus B. Edwards, maintenance mechanic: $107,790.46 - 3,374.5 hours
* The Wichita Art Museum’s director, Patricia McDonnell, is not a city of Wichita employee, so her salary information is not included in the data. The Wichita Art Museum is operated using a hybrid model where it is owned by the city but managed by Wichita Art Museum, Inc., which pays McDonnell’s salary, according to city spokeswoman Megan Lovely and art museum spokeswoman Teresa Veazey. The museum’s board of trustees hires its director.
