Highest paid city executives: Lindsay managers' pay surpasses Porterville

Editor’s Note: The Recorder delivers this second installment in a week-long salary series. We’ve also launched a searchable online database for local salary information.

Lindsay’s five highest paid administrators each earn more than, or as much as, the highest ranking administrator in Porterville — a community five times its size.

When comparing overall compensation packages, Scot Townsend, the city manager in Lindsay, receives the distinction of the highest paid municipal executive in the South County. Townsend runs the city government serving 10,705 people in the citrus-bearing town 10 miles north of Porterville.

The Recorder’s review of public-sector salary information found that Townsend’s compensation, including a salary of $143,353.60 and $2,931.40 in benefits every two weeks, cost taxpayers $219,570 in Fiscal Year 2009-10. Those benefits, according to Asst. City Manager Kindon Meik, include compensation for health insurance, employee deferred compensation plans and PERS.

He was paid $83,599.09 more than his counterpart John Lollis, the city manager in Porterville, population 52,153.

Included in Lollis’ compensation package in the last fiscal year was $4,800 for a car allowance, $7,571.59 in paid time off and $5,004.56 in administrative pay. He was one of 13 full-time managers on the City of Porterville payroll to receive a car allowance, a majority of them costing taxpayers $4,800 each.

Even with those benefits, Lollis was paid less than Lindsay’s Finance Director Kenny Walker — $149,206.20 — City Services Director Michael Camarena — $139,678.85 and Richard Wilkinson, the chief of the public safety department, who was paid $197,986.62.

Wilkinson oversees 25 personnel, including both firefighters and police patrol officers. In comparison, Porterville’s Chief of Police Chuck McMillan manages a staff of 80 and was paid $131,506.45, and Mario Garcia, chief of the Porterville Fire Department, heads a department of 37 and was paid $120,042.

Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.