How much does your mayor get paid?

sunfirst bank shut down
Photo by David Siqueira

WASHINGTON COUNTY – Just how much do public officials in the city and county get paid?

People sometimes wonder how much their elected officials get paid for their public service. Is it some exorbitant amount, or is it relatively minor? And where do these municipal salaries stack up when compared to the rest of the state?

The salaries of state, county, and municipal officials are generally a matter of public record. One way the people of Utah can access such records is at Utahsright.com, a joint venture between the Salt Lake Tribune and MediaOne of Utah. The following salaries were taken from the information posted on the Utahsright.com website. (Utahsright.com asks that if any inaccuracies are reported, or a discrepancy is found, to please contact them to so they can update the information.)

So how much do the mayors of Washington County cities make in a year?

  • Daniel McArthur – St. George City Mayor – $34,252
  • Thomas B. Hirschi – Hurricane City Mayor – $19,840
  • Chris G. Hart – Ivins City Mayor – $14,586
  • Karl Wilson – LaVerkin City Mayor – $11,200
  • Rick Rosenburg – Santa Clara City Mayor – $8,400
  • Patricia Cluff – Springdale City Mayor – $6,667
  • S. Lee Bracken – Enterprise City Mayor – $3,933

And how does this compare to other cities in Utah?

  • Ralph Becker – Salt Lake City Mayor – $117,729
  • Roberts Williams – Park City Mayor – $41,561
  • Joe Johnson – Bountiful City Mayor – $33,619
  • Joesph Clive Burgess – Cedar City Mayor – $20,755
  • Gary Showalter – Vernal City Mayor – $15,290
  • Eugene R. Larsen – Fillmore City Mayor – $10,796
  • James C. Robison – Parowan City Mayor – $4,228

According to Utahsright.com, the highest paid mayor in Utah is Thomas Dolan of Sandy with a salary of $153,694. The lowest paid is Mayor Eric Hazelet of Genola at $450.

While individuals running for mayor or city council in Washington County may not earn much in comparison to a job in the private sector (being St. George City Councilor nets $14,333), people looking to prosper in municipal service may want to consider a career in city management.

Marc Mortensen, the assistant to the city manager of St. George, compared the city manager’s position to that of the chief executive officer of a business.

“He oversees day-to-day operations of the city,” Mortensen said.

Unlike mayors and city councils, city managers are not elected, but are appointed by the city council.

“He does not create policy, but makes recommendations to the city council,” Mortensen added.

City managers also oversee the preparation, monitoring, and execution of city budgets.

An overview of a city manager’s duties can be found at International City/County Management Association’s website.

Gary Esplin is the city manager for St. George City, and has served in the position since 1977.

So, how much do city manager’s in Washington County make annually?

  • Gary Esplin – St. George City – $158,507
  • Judy A. Gubler – Ivins City – $141,496
  • Clark R. Fawcett – Hurricane City -$133,539
  • Richard Wixom – Springdale City -$118,719
  • Roger Carter – Washington City – $106,147
  • Wallace R. Ritchie – Santa Clara City -$85,696
  • Adam P. Bowler – Enterprise City – $45,230

The highest paid city manager in the state is Alex R. Jensen of Layton at $215,593. The city manager with the lowest annual pay is Robert Dotson of Enoch with $13,797.

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Copyright 2011 St. George News. This material may not be published or rewritten without written consent.

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9 Comments

  • Dave November 23, 2011 at 11:26 pm

    There is one issue you need to look at with the salaries compared to the different mayors, “Which mayors are full-time mayors and which mayors are part-time mayors.
    Mayor Daniel McArthur is a part time mayor and he makes $34,252. So he is making quite a bit of money for someone that is only working part time.
    Now the subject of Gary Esplin being grossly OVER paid is another matter entirely.

    • Jennifer Austin November 24, 2011 at 2:06 pm

      Dave, the reporter called the city and they told him that Mayor McArthur is full time, I believe.

  • urbanboy November 25, 2011 at 6:18 am

    I would sure hope we had a full time mayor in a city this size! lol

  • Big Bob November 26, 2011 at 11:17 pm

    Too much for what he DOESN’T do!!

  • Todd January 15, 2012 at 2:00 am

    That is nothing compared to the money the police department. You want to do a story there is one for you. Do you know that the salary and benefits total 9,203,119 for a year. That average to 82,910 per officer. Not to mention the free cell phone free uniforms free gas.

    • Jon Martin January 17, 2012 at 9:13 am

      No wonder we have so many police officers to the point where it becomes an almost oppressive police force.

  • Greg January 16, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    I would sure hope that the city would provide the P.D. uniforms. They are city uniforms after all. As far as gas goes, that is only in their patrol cars (which the city asks them to drive when they are not on duty). And the city definately does NOT pay for their cellular phones. However, the city doesn’t provide them with any protective gear. They have to buy their own protective vests, weapons and ammo. Sounds like someone needs to double check (or even check at all) their facts before they start spewing unfactual information.

  • Neighbor of a Police Officer January 17, 2012 at 10:51 am

    Hey Greg, how about this for a fact? http://twitpic.com/f85qb

    Cop getting a nice snooze while he showcases a PD cruiser and a Charger. At least everyone know it would be a bad time to do a crime here in the 76th Ward Whatever of Green Valley.

    • Greg January 17, 2012 at 12:21 pm

      All police leave their cars outside. Not sure what you meant by cop getting a snooze, or what 76th ward has to do with anything. I’m assuming that you are making a comment about this cop having a car and a motorcycle.

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