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South County's top paid officials
Hospital CEO is highest paid public administrator
Editor’s Note: The Recorder delivers this first installment in a week-long salary series. Today, we also launch a searchable online database for local salary information.
The CEO and President of Sierra View Local Health Care District Dennis Coleman is the highest paid public administrator in Southeastern Tulare County.
The Recorder’s review of public-sector salaries found that he took home $333,575.92 in Fiscal Year 2009-10, after earning $52,934.56 in paid time off, a car allowance totaling $5,999.76, $15,198.56 in miscellaneous pay and $264,443.04 in salary.
Coleman, a graduate of Porterville Union High School in 1961, works under an elected Board of Directors to oversee the 163-bed acute care facility, including a cancer treatment center and 32-station outpatient Dialysis Center. He started his health care career as a hospital orderly before attending Porterville College and becoming a board-certified respiratory therapist. He was placed into the hospital’s highest position in April 2007.
Coleman earns nearly $100,000 more than the next highest paid administrator, Douglas S. Dickson, also an employee of the health care district.
A review of salary information obtained via public records act requests shows many top managers earn benefit packages around $40,000 in an area where the average weekly wage was among the lowest in the state — $666 — in 2009. Coleman’s benefits total $69,132, close to the highest amount paid in the South County area to Lindsay Public Safety Chief Richard Wilkinson with $76,780.60.
The Recorder began its review in the wake of reporting by other media outlets showing city officials in the small community of Bell in Los Angeles County have been collecting extraordinary wages, including $800,000 paid annually to its city manager.
The base pay, overtime pay, paid time off, bonuses and expense accounts, such as housing and car allowances, for all public employees were requested of the City of Porterville, City of Lindsay, County of Tulare, Sierra View Local Health Care District, Porterville Unified School District, Woodville Union Elementary School District, Alta Vista Elementary School District and Porterville College. None of the wages found in the records equal or come close to, the pay given to Bell officials.
Reporters are beginning to compile all of the information into a searchable database — up and running today — with salary information for the top paid administrators, as well as from the local health care district and the City of Porterville.
In the weeks to come, the same information will be requested of other smaller public agencies, such as local irrigation and water districts.
Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.
