Top money-makers for city of BI

By Steven Powell Bainbridge Island Review • January 22, 2021 1:30 am

As 2021 gets underway, it is a good time to check in on how much Bainbridge Island taxpayers pay for their city officials.

Outgoing city manager Morgan Smith is at the top of the list, making $188,600 a year.

To compare, the city manager in Vancouver makes $266,447; in Olympia $195,000; and in Lacey $162,003, according to the Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials.

The city is in the process of hiring a new city manager. There are three candidates still in the running. Keith Campbell is city manager in Stayton, Ore.; Blair King, city manager in Coronado, Calif.; and Anthony Williams is mayor of Abilene, Texas. The City Council is expected to make a decision this month.

Deputy City Manager Ellen Schroer is next on the list of top money-makers, annually taking in $183,144.

The list takes a pretty big drop before getting to the officials tied for third: Joe Levan, city attorney, and finance director DeWayne Pitts, each making $166,495 a year.

New police chief Joe Clark is fifth, annually bringing in $157,166. In sixth place is new public works director Chris Wierzbicki at $152,811.

There’s another big drop before getting to planning director Heather Wright, at $136,564 annually.

Both public works manager Charles Krumheur and accounting manager Karl Shaw are tied for eighth at $129,470.

And rounding out the top 10 are three officials each making $122,46 a year: Kate Brown, human resources manager; Kim Dunscombe, budget manager; and Mike Michael, an engineer manager.