While many area police officers reached six figures with lots of overtime, 27 Kettering officers were paid more than $100,000 in regular compensation — more than captains and majors in other departments.
With overtime, two patrol officers each earned more than $146,000 last year — more than the police chiefs in most cities, including Kettering and Centerville.
The police officers union president did not return messages seeking comment.
In the fire department, 49 employees were paid more than $100,000, fewer than the 65 who earned that much in Dayton. Records show the individual pay rate for firefighters is higher in Kettering.
In its negotiations with the firefighters union this year, the city’s negotiator produced a survey comparing Kettering firefighter pay with other cities.
It says the minimum and maximum salaries of Kettering firefighters in 2020 was the highest in the region. Minimum and maximum pay in Dayton was $51,875 and $74,693, respectively. In Kettering it was $68,702 and $92,914.
The survey also compared Kettering to 18 similarly sized cities across the state. It found Kettering’s minimum and maximum were both nearly $30,000 more than the average for other cities.
The president of the firefighters union referred all questions to their attorney, who did not return messages seeking comment.
A factfinder in June recommended a three-year contract with 2.5% pay raises this year and next, and 2.25% after that.
Payroll Project: Public salaries in the Dayton area
City, critic respond
“Our residents are in responsible, capable, dedicated hands,” Kettering Mayor Don Patterson said when asked about the newspaper’s findings.
“The quality services and amenities Kettering offers would not be possible without the skilled and caring employees who are proud of what they do and invested in the residents they serve,” he said.
But resident Sterling Abernathy said the wages are too costly to taxpayers.
“While Kettering has competent, dedicated city employees, other cities like Dayton, Centerville and Beavercreek have equally competent, dedicated employees for much less cost to taxpayers in those cities,” he said.
Kettering City Manager Mark Schwieterman said compensation for half of the city’s full-time employees is governed by collective bargaining agreements. The city offers matching across-the-board wage increases to non-union employees.
Schwieterman was the city’s highest paid worker, grossing $211,634. The fire chief and two city administrators also made more than the highest-paid cop or firefighter.
Schwieterman said a large percentage of the city’s workforce has been there more than 20 years.
“Cost-of-living increases averaging 2% over the course of many years, when considering some of our longest-tenured employees, account for a lot and are well deserved,” he said. “Employees who have been with the city 20 years or more have developed specialized skill sets that are valuable to taxpayers and patrons.”
He said total personnel costs in 2020 were essentially flat from 2019. They continued filling police and fire positions last year while holding costs down with a hiring freeze in non-public safety positions.
Retirements, the pandemic and protests did create some overtime opportunities for officers, he said, but overall public safety overtime costs were down considerably, he said.
The city faces uncertain budgetary concerns, including the loss of income tax from major employers such as Synchrony Financial. Departments were tasked with cutting costs by 5% this year and a hiring freeze was extended with the exception of public safety positions.
This year’s budget includes two fewer patrol officers and one fewer firefighter. They had more vacancies than that through attrition, but had little trouble filling police positions and expect a strong applicant pool for an upcoming firefighter recruitment.
“We pride ourselves on our service level and the quality of the people that serve our community,” he said. “Our compensation packages gives us a competitive advantage in recruitment and retention of employees.”
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