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| As of today--the total wages paid yearly to every employee of Escambia County (already an often requested public record) is available for citizens to search in a newly established database that went live today. |
The state of Florida has a website where citizens can search for the total compensation for any state employee---because this data is a public record and citizens have the right to know.
The salaries of the public employees of local governments are also a public record.
We often receive public records requests for this information on specific employees.
But if the state can publish a searchable database--why can't the county?
Answer: we can. And now we are.
As a part of my NEXT4Escambia plan--a strategy position paper I have developed for addressing specific issues over the next four years that I have written based upon public input---this very sort of an open, searchable salary database initiative was a major component!
I brought it forward to the administrator, the idea was socialized with my counterparts, and ----voila---here it is. Glad we got it done.
Now, citizens do not have to ask permission to see the total wages paid to any Escambia County Employee--they just need to go here--and look it up for themselves. They can peruse all of the salaries or just look for specific individuals.
It is important that citizens know what we pay our employees, because we treat our employees well and they are well compensated with good pay and generous benefits. Often times an employee's total wages paid will greatly exceed what an "hourly rate" might otherwise indicate. So folks need to look at this.
Surprisingly--we have dozens of job openings in multiple departments that we have had a tough time filling. I tell folks that working for the county, you'll never get rich--but if start out and stick with it and make it a career--you will have excellent benefits and a pension and if you stick it out you can have a great retirement!
NOTE:--this database indicates total wages paid per the FISCAL year, not calendar year.
I am going to request that the IT folks also add a "date of hire" column to the database, as I feel this will be a good addition to add some context to the salary information (e.g. is the employee "new" or a "journeyman")
Commissioner May asked if we could add a column for employee race and sex, and I believe that is in the works as well.
Can you add a column for total hours worked? So we can see that information as well? Or can you add a column for hourly rate as well so we can see how those yearly numbers are made.
ReplyDelete“Pay our employees well”
ReplyDelete-Fire department is lowest paid fire department in the state. Fire department has lost 30 firefighters over the last 30 months due to pay issues, and barely any incentive for staying with the department for longevity. The only reason any of them can make money is because they work overtime. Don’t forget to add that to the database. If someone works every day of their life, they are bound to make more money than others. But should they have to do that to make a livable wage? No. The answer is no. And that’s before the budget runs out (like it does every year due to lack of planning). After that, it’s back to getting paid dirt to work here. Commissioners see them as expendable and can get away with it because they know no matter how badly they treat them, they can’t go on strike. The commissioners haven’t planned for the growth of the county, specifically in district 1. I mean the list can go on and on of how badly the fire department is actually treated. It is definitely not all rainbows and butterflies like this guy always wants to portray it as.
Oh and last thing, how is your mutual aid agreement going with Lillian? Glad to know they haven’t done jack sh*t on the past two fires (yes that’s more than your “one fire a year”) in paradise beach even though you said it was going to be sufficient enough coverage for that area.
Weren’t a majority of these (30) part timers? I don’t think the IAFF represents part timers.
DeleteNo. That is completely false. Whoever told you that is just plain ignorant.
DeleteSo you are saying that all 30 were full time employees then?
DeleteHow can a Volunteer make $25,000 in a year.
ReplyDeleteHow can a Volunteer make $25,000 in a year.
ReplyDeleteBecause there truly are no volunteers in the fire service. Everyone is paid. The term, "volunteer" is misused.
DeleteYes lets see how many hours each person worked to make the "liveable wage". An average person how works 40 hours a week, ends up working 1920 hours in a year. A firem who works no overtime has to work 2880 hours a year. Some of our firefighters worked over 4000 hours to make the wages they make. Put that in your database.
ReplyDeleteIAFF support Joe Biden for POTUS
ReplyDelete^^ Is that your stance against firemen? Is that really why you oppose firefighters? Really? Lol. ECFR doesn’t make up the IAFF. We’re just a local union. You’d be happy to know The majority of us vote republican.
DeleteIf Escambia employees were actually compensated with good pay and good benefits, you wouldn't have a hard time filling jobs. People would be applying left and right if the pay was "good." Also, employees wouldn't be leaving to work the same job elsewhere for higher pay if the pay for Escambia is so good. Fortunately for the sake of this county, most of the employees working here that have decided to stay are great people and great employees that have high hopes for a greater future. All of these employees deserve so much better. The fire service for example, has no future. There is no game plan for the future, no 5 year plan, no 10 year plan, nothing in sight. You can't run a business this way, businesses require game plans for a better future. A future of growth and a future of getting the best bang for your buck from each and every employee. Sending your employees to trainings, having pay incentives in place so that your employees have goals to reach, this is what good paying counties/businesses are doing for there employees. Also, a cost of living wage increase at 3% is hardly a pay raise, especially when your starting pay is $10.79 and hour. For example: An employee could get 6 cost of living wage increases in a row and still only be at $12.86 an hour. Or a new employee could come in starting at $10.79 an hour and not receive a cost of living wage increase for the first 5 years of there career, thus no incentive to stay. The only way a firefighter in Escambia can make more pay is by working overtime if it is even available, possibly getting a cost of living wage increase, which is very sad to say and hoping that they can one day get promoted to Lieutenant. The pay in Escambia isn't competitive with any of the surrounding counties/cities, these other counties and cities are hiring, so Escambia will once again lose employees, and I mean very good employees. It is very sad that the Escambia County Fire Rescue is not a priority and disheartening for a great group of men and women that work here.
ReplyDeleteCan you ask the commission to list the hours worked??
ReplyDeleteWhere's the link? It was in your blog earlier or am I just missing it. Looked for it several times.
ReplyDeleteDoes the database include the amount the County pays for employee benefits? I would like to see a column for that. The Commissioner Aides are paid very well. Way above the average in this County for executive assistants.
ReplyDeleteTo all...
ReplyDeleteThis was spearheaded to "expose" the evil, dastardly and greedy union firefighters because they are so "well compensated" and are whining about a pay raise. This does not show hours worked as compared to the "bottom line". Nor does it show longevity, OT (built in or not), hrly wage?, or anything that would help explain the generous bottom line.
A FF works 24hrs on 48 hrs off. They receive no holiday pay. Their OT shift can be as little as 2 hrs but normally aren't 24hrs because the entire shift has to be covered. So now they have worked a 48hr shift with 24hrs off. Look at it this way, the FF begins work at 7am on Monday and is scheduled to get off shift at 7am Tuesday. An OT slot occurs for Tuesday. They accept the shift. Now instead of getting off shift at 7 on Tuesday, they will get off shift at 7am on Wednesday. Also, the OT shift may not be at the station they are assigned. So now they pack up all their gear, clothes, bedding, etc and travel to another station. 7am Wednesday rolls around. They get to go home unless they pick up another OT shift. (The FD is terribly understaffed so the possibility is quite good). Now they will be at work (their station or another) for, y'all ready?, 96hrs (4 days) straight.
You ask, how is that possible? It's possible because the FD is terribly understaffed and had been for years. That's another issue all together. So now maybe this will help y'all understand why some have a healthy bottom line. Some FF's have second and/or third jobs because they either don't want to be away from family that long, have the job(s) because they know the OT will dry up as it had done for several years or simply can't.
So this database isn't all inclusive nor is it completely accurate.
You say you want accuracy, but so many statements coming from this firefighters group is far from it and so misleading. First off this public accessible data base had nothing to do about firefighters. It’s awfully apparent now that these amounts are something you wish we couldn’t see.
DeleteSo let’s just look at one statement above, “they receive no holiday pay”. So what is Article 19 Holidays in your contract about then. I did some checking and you chose 19.02 to receive compensation in leu of holidays. Seems fair, but don’t twist it into pulling on heart strings that you are not getting anything for holidays. I’m sure other county employees would like this option.
Wow! On another Blog, Hunsucker and Edler are crying. They can’t believe you exposed fire fighter $100,000 a yesr pay. They’re whining that deputy pay isn’t listed. Sort of funny that these guys believe that 100k a year isn’t enough money. Cry me a River because you sleep at the station. Crying.
ReplyDeleteYou sure are quick to name names, wow! You think they have time to reply as every post on here. Oh no, look at me assuming you're assuming! You also seem to be upset they "sleep" at the fire station. You really have no idea how precious that statement is. Do some get to sleep though the night? Sure. Are some up all or most of the night? Sure. Tell you what, let's do a little experiment to help your ignorance. Give dispatch your address and phone number. Every time a call is dispatched in your District, they can call you and you can go meet the FF's and watch them work. Even if it's just one time and we'll see how you function the next day, at your second job, or w/ your family or on OT at another Station for 24hrs. Yes, they signed up for it. Yes, they do it for pay. Maybe you should find out what it takes to get the cert to be a career FF. Now, go lay back down and get some rest so you can be ready to kick some keyboard warrior butt!
DeleteYou sure are quick to name names, wow! You think they have time to reply as every post on here. Oh no, look at me assuming you're assuming! You also seem to be upset they "sleep" at the fire station. You really have no idea how precious that statement is. Do some get to sleep though the night? Sure. Are some up all or most of the night? Sure. Tell you what, let's do a little experiment to help your ignorance. Give dispatch your address and phone number. Every time a call is dispatched in your District, they can call you and you can go meet the FF's and watch them work. Even if it's just one time and we'll see how you function the next day, at your second job, or w/ your family or on OT at another Station for 24hrs. Yes, they signed up for it. Yes, they do it for pay. Maybe you should find out what it takes to get the cert to be a career FF. Now, go lay back down and get some rest so you can be ready to kick some keyboard warrior butt!
DeleteGuess what y'all!? Some of the names on here are paid-on-call ff's. You know what else? How would you feel if some of these pocff's got money for just showing up and doing some data entry, washing a truck, helping clean up maybe after a fire or something else that doesn't really help out other than being a nice person? Yeah, do some more digging.
DeleteOh no! You kicked a hornets nest. Now everyone knows the fire fighters make good money and are whining...Edler beats up Mayor Grover so much. I’d fire that whiner. I don’t care if they had to settle with him later. He’d have to move and make more money somewhere else...but he’d have to move. Bye bye Edler.
ReplyDeleteThe true facts are at hand for anyone to see, and this database doesn't do our firefighters any true justice and most likely other employees in other job classifications as well. I am sure there are firefighters that would be more than willing to show you what amount they actually are bringing home to deposit in the bank. A database showing gross amount of pay before taxes and everything else like benefits are taken out sure makes it look like pay is "GOOD." Also, when there is overtime and an employee works almost double the amount of there regular hours, yes they have an opportunity to make "good" money and that is well deserved money, working 4000 plus hours. "WOW" How about you break down the math on that. The comments on Edler?, and Hunsucker? These two men are fighting tooth and nail to make there departments and county/city that you probably live in as well safer and better, if you want to sit around like a lump on a log and not try to make yourself better than keep spitting out your opinions. At the end of the day your opinions don't matter and neither do mine, but facts do and maybe then you will understand.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of cry babies...it's only gross pay...wah! So what? It's much better than most earn in this community. Look, I served overseas in a war. No overtime, retirement, which I never saw, was never as good as these firefighters have it with 3% of their pay per year and plus an automatic 3% COLA when they retire. I was gone for a year when I served. Missed kids birthdays, holidays and no overtime. I got woken up plenty by things blowing up, not by some sort of alert that grandma fell and can't get up.
ReplyDeleteGuess what, you learn to sleep when you can. I was awake more than asleep anyways and no gym to work out in. Plus, men were dying. Not just once in a great while, I mean a lot. This younger generation is weak and spoiled.
Here is what is on the list, remember gross salary not including benefits (which makes it much higher)-
DANIEL A AKERMAN FIRE LIEUTENANT FIRE DEPT PD $110,295.99 (what!?)
STEPHEN D BOOTHE BATTALION CHIEF FIRE DEPT PD $107,971.84 (Too low!?)
KEITH W CHAPMAN FIRE LIEUTENANT FIRE DEPT PD $107,235.32 (!?)
JONATHAN D HOLLINGSWORTH BATTALION CHIEF FIRE DEPT PD $101,005.70
LYNN J GARRETT JR FIRE LIEUTENANT FIRE DEPT PD $100,013.19
SCOTT WAYNE HUNSUCKER FIRE LIEUTENANT FIRE DEPT PD $98,802.79 (this is the biggest cry baby whiner of then all, who cries on blogs saying---I don't make enough money!!! I only have a 90% retirement with 2% or more + COLA every year--Boo Hoo-- I retire so young I have to pay for health insurance until I reach 65 years old, decades from now-- Boo Hoo sniffles--I had to work overtime-- (most wish they could)-- Boo Hoo--I get woken up when I'm sleeping and earning overtime because a cat's in the tree---WAH!!!--)
NICHOLAS REID GRADIA FIRE LIEUTENANT FIRE DEPT PD $63,024.82 (I guess he's got a beef as he's the union chief and makes so little--I mean compared to the others--he must not work a lot of overtime and has a side business with 1-day on 2-days off---but he whines a lot too)...
See! A weak and spoiled generation of cry babies.
This is what these firefighters fail to see or acknowledge. There are people in our area who have hard and risky jobs too. Many of our military have situations like you and I know several in food stamps. So these firefighters are Demanding that these struggling individuals pay more taxes. As you stated these individuals are never given the opportunity for OT with pay. I’m quickly losing respect for the firefighters I always admired.
DeleteRYAN MICHAEL MACHADO FIREFIGHTER $11,397.31
DeleteROBERT JOSEPH VARDEMAN FIREFIGHTER $10,876.32
MICHAEL ANTHONY ROZO FIREFIGHTER $10,304.46
KEVIN DUSTIN HALL FIREFIGHTER $10,158.79
NIALL P REID FIREFIGHTER $9,930.86
RICARDO HERNANDEZ FIREFIGHTER $4,587.18
Wow are you telling me escambia had a full time firefighter who only made 5k last year??? Give these guys a raise. Who can live on 10k in a year?? I saw "volunteers" making more then that.
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteTypically I do not respond to blog or social media posts; however, since you called me out and questioned my pay; I figured I would respond to you.
First, please do not group all of us into the cry baby category. I know that I am well compensated by the county and thus have never complained about my pay. Furthermore, I did not complain or “cry” when the county chose to withhold the majority of two years of the COLA, even though I was one of the only county employees to not receive it.
As many people have replied on this blog, this data does not reflect overtime. Specifically, it does not reflect unscheduled overtime. This is time that we choose to serve our community, rather than spend it with our families. In my case, for the 2019 time period, I worked over 850 hours of unscheduled overtime. That is equivalent to 35 days or 28% of my scheduled shifts.
The data presented by the county also does not provide any details about each individual. For example, I have been a firefighter for 24 years, 20 of those years as a career firefighter. I am a certified paramedic and hold three Associate degrees, including one in Emergency Medical Services and one in Fire Science. I also hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. Furthermore, I am a certified Executive Fire Officer through the National Fire Academy. Thus, my pay can be seen as reflective of my knowledge, skills, and abilities.
While I do not complain or “cry” about my pay, I do advocate for the county to correct the pay within our department. This is especially true for our starting firefighter pay. The starting pay for a firefighter is within the poverty range, and does not provide a true living wage. Furthermore, as the pay is significantly lower than many other departments, it is difficult for the department to recruit high quality candidates.
As for your “weak and spoiled generation of cry babies” comment. There is not a single career member within Escambia County Fire Rescue that is making more money here than they could be making at another department. Thus the question comes to why do we stay if we can make more money elsewhere. The answer is, we truly love the Escambia County community, and we choose to serve here. We choose to spend one third of every year, away from our families, in service to our community. In return, we ask to be treated fairly and to be paid a wage that is commensurate to the service we provide.
Lt. Daniel A. Akerman, EFO
These numbers, as presented, are very misleading. I worked for Escambia County for several years, including the first part of the fiscal year represented in this data set. Extrapolating the "total wages" figure shown by my name would lead you to believe (if you knew my employment dates) that my wages were $16k higher (annual) than they actually were.
ReplyDeleteFor salaried employees, it would be better to show "Total Wages" as the actual gross annual wages and/or the hourly equivalent.
And since most classifications of county employees don't get overtime, you could just show the number of overtime hours worked for those employees who do work OT.
If you want to show "Total Compensation" to include health and retirement benefits, it should be listed separately.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteone of the anonymous fire fighters on this blog said they lost 30-men in 30 months. Escambia County must have a huge shortage of fire fighters. How many openings are there for fire fighters now? you must have a hard time attracting them according to the $100,000 a year anonymous posters. I understand, If you can make more money somewhere else, please move. Let me know how much more you'll make than the $100,000 here in Escambia county. My gut feeling is not much. Maybe the starting pay is skewed lower here in the beginning (maybe), but I bet it evens out later in time. Plus, you live here and not in Miami with traffic. Maybe I can apply if there are a lot of openings. I like 1 day on 2 days off. Sounds like freedom.
What is the anonymous former fire fighter at 954 on July 7 talking about. Put my other salary on there as I left and it shows 16K more. What voodoo economics is that? You earn money and it is showed at the end of the year on the spread sheet. What's so hard about that? Who cares if you worked some overtime. Everybody does. Ask your UPS driver, he does all the time. Oh, I forgot, he's always in motion, no perpetual FF coffee break, first breakfast, second breakfast, Elevenses, Luncheon, Afternoon tea, dinner and then supper like the fire fighter hobbits get. Plus the county pays for the food for the 1-day (but not the 2-days off). Hey wait--don't tell me some young single guys do not work (and sleep) shift after shift to make more money (the dreaded but still much loved and coveted overtime) and have their food paid for. Heck, that might save you a thousand a month, too. What a deal. Plus pumping iron.
ReplyDeleteSome people's ignorance on how the fire department works is showing quite a bit. I'll let you guess which one's I mean...
ReplyDeleteReplying to this person:
ReplyDelete"What is the anonymous former fire fighter at 954 on July 7 talking about. Put my other salary on there as I left and it shows 16K more. What voodoo economics is that? "
I am not and was not a firefighter. I worked in a different department. I only worked there for a portion of the fiscal year represented in this report. Take the wages shown, divide by the number of months actually worked, then multiply by 12 months to see what the annual salary would have been... it doesn't add up. My annual salary was about $16-18K less than represented in this report. This report does not paint the whole picture. I worked no overtime. The figures in this report must include compensation other than actual wages... maybe county paid health premiums and/or contributions to FRS, etc.
I'm not getting into the firefighter issues because I know nothing about that situation. what I do know, since I'm listed in the report, is that the data is not completely accurate as it is presented.
Lt Akerman,
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts are noted, but for a taxpayer outside of your profession, it's hard to decipher your comments. Like, no one here makes more money than they would in any department anywhere else? Is that in Florida? The world? It seems unsupported. Anyone with any gumption would move to another county and take a job making more, so their must be more to the equation than I just love Escambia County. Why then do some Escambia Fire Fighters live in Santa Rosa county, like your union president? To a tax payer, your comments seem like whining. My grandkid's teacher was a in the military as a medic and saw combat. Probably treated injuries like you did. Maybe more, maybe even worse than you saw. Then left the military and earned a degree in science and a masters degree in science, but wanted to teach (could make more with the science degrees) and makes less than half what you make. Guess what? It was that person's decision to go into teaching. Long hours. Grading papers. Planing lessons. Many hours after work. On the weekends. No overtime (though they all would welcome it and use it). Their retirement figure is 1.6% of their salary per year. Yours is 3%. You can retire at 25 years. Everyone else must do 30 years. So the question is why would anyone work so much overtime? Does it help to have a high last 5 year salary so you can have 75% or 90% (if you go the normal 30 years) of your highest salary for the rest of your life? Of course. So, when your union cries about pay, and, when sunlight is shined on it, don't be surprised when people see any response as whining. Few in any profession make what you do in this community. NONE HAVE RETIREMENT YOU DO. NONE. So, how do you advocate for a comparable wage compared to other places, which makes sense for anyone in your situation? Humbly, deftly. Not with a union who cries and whines. How do I know? My grandkid's teacher's union calls for raises (they all make way less than you) and my neighbors discuss this with me. You know what they say? We respect Teachers, but they get 3 months off in the summer (Really less than 2), they get spring break and fall and or Christmas Break, so they really make more (an oversimplification. I'm sure you agree?). You know what they say about fire fighter pay? First they are stupefied by such a wage after 20 or so years. They respect you, but because you work 1 day on 2 days off, have built in overtime, sleep in the station, have a gym there, et cetera, et cetera (an oversimplification. I'm sure you agree?), they have no patience for your low pay grievances. So, that is just reality. Firefighters deserve respect. Police deserve respect. Teachers deserve respect. Taxpayers deserve respect, too. Walk a while in their shoes and you might understand.
You have to understand the 3% multiplier is there because of the job itself. This is not exclusive to just the fire department, ems and police get this as well. If you get injured in the military and can no longer fill a "combat" role, they can always move you to the office and you can finish your career there. We are not afforded that luxury. Our department has 4 office positions, 3 are at the chief level one is a captain's position. You can teach a class full of kids til you are 70 years old if you had to, you cannot ride a fire truck and actually do the job that long. Teachers also just recieved a huge raise, 47.5k starting. This is well deserved, but starting pay for a fireman is low 30s. Which is pretty crap for the hours we work. of course you can point out the top 5 people on the list and complain they make too much. When you realize those guys have been in the department since it started with career personnel and work excessive amount of overtime your argument loses its validity. If I had to guess I would guess some of those guys were averaging 70 to 80 hour weeks for that year.
DeletePolice deserve respect, and just got a raise in escambia last year.
EMS deserves respect, and just got a raise in escambia this year.
Teachers deserve respect, and just got a raise in all of florida this year.
Firemen also deserve respect.
Tax payers deserve respect, many here in escambia pay a fire tax and recieve less then adequate fire protection.
You get what you pay for, our fire tax is lower then the surrounding areas, we have the lowest pay. We also have recruitment and retention issues. We have fire trucks that barely run, stations rotting away.
Most people go to their boss and ask what do I need to do for a raise. In this scenario these firefighters believe they need to educate, berate and threaten the commissioners and citizens.
ReplyDeleteInstead of calling your bosses ignorant, try what the rest of the rest of America’s workforce does. Otherwise we see that you don’t support or respect us.
Hey ECW. This is a year old..Share it in the string today.
ReplyDelete