Staff photo illustration by Emily Zych Click the image for a closer look
	FREDERICK WATCHDOG — Your portal to access databases, including the Frederick County employee salary database, special projects, investigative reports and more. fredericknewspost.com/watchdog

The highest-paid was County Attorney John Mathias, who received $151,860.

Michael Marschner, director of the Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management, was the only other employee to make more than $140,000, receiving $143,971.

Alan Hudak, director of the Public Works Division, made $136,186.

Frederick County's operating budget in fiscal 2008 was $472.2 million.

County government had more than 2,630 employees that year, and spent about $122.4 million on salaries. That figure includes paycheck salary costs only, not health insurance and other benefits.

During a Frederick County Commissioners meeting in February and again in March, Commissioner Charles Jenkins said he thought county salaries are competitive with its peers.

Comparison

Frederick County government salaries, particularly at the top end, fall between those of its neighbors in Washington and Montgomery counties.

In fiscal 2008, Washington County had only seven employees making $100,000 or more, and none making more than $118,014.

Overall that year, Washington County had approximately 1,170 employees and paid $36 million in salary and overtime.

In contrast, Montgomery County had at least 32 employees making $137,000 a year or more in fiscal 2008, nearly all of them department heads. Five of that county's employees make more than $200,000 a year.

Montgomery County could not provide detailed data for the bulk of its employees, such as total number employed. The county paid out more than $662.5 million in salaries in fiscal 2008.

In Frederick County, department and division heads and team leaders made up most of the employees receiving more than $100,000 in pay in fiscal 2008.

Some fire lieutenants, operations and maintenance staff also cracked the $100,000 barrier. In each of those cases, their base salaries were supplemented by between $26,000 and $56,000 in overtime.

More than 1,000 county employees made $50,000 or more in fiscal 2008.

Mitchell Hose, the county's human resources director, noted that the figures the county provided represent take-home pay, so employees who worked for the county for only part of the year may have higher annual base salaries.

The county is working on its fiscal 2010 budget.

Despite taking measures, including cutting $10 million from the capital budget, the county still has a deficit of more than $7 million to close.

The commissioners and county staff have discussed options to close the gap including furloughs, pay cuts, eliminating positions and continuing a hiring freeze.