109 Joliet Employees Made $150,000 In 2019

John Ferak
Updated ·11 min read

JOLIET, IL — At Tuesday's Joliet City Council meeting, interim city manager Steve Jones cautioned that Joliet still projects an operating budget deficit for this year between $12 million and $20 million as a result of the economic slowdown caused by the new coronavirus pandemic.

Joliet's two casinos generate $1.4 million in monthly city revenue. Joliet has not collected a dime from either Harrah's and Hollywood Casino Joliet because both casinos have remained off-limits to visitors for more than three months, following the new coronavirus pandemic.

About 78 percent of Joliet's budget goes toward salaries and fringe benefits for its employees. Joliet's police officers and firefighters, Jones told the council several weeks ago, are more than adequately compensated compared their peers in similar-sized cities across the U.S.

To improve Joliet's bleak financial picture, Jones previously told Joliet Patch that he wanted to impliment a 3.8 percent temporary pay reduction for all city employees beginning this month, but that has yet to materialize.

In an effort to foster greater local government transparency and to keep you informed on how your city of Joliet tax dollars are being spent, Joliet Patch has compiled its annual summary of the city of Joliet's top paid employees.

The list of city employees includes anyone making about $150,000 or higher in gross wages in 2019. Patch obtained the data as a result of a multiple Freedom of Information Act requests to City Hall. The city's finance department initially responded to Patch's FOIA by providing Patch with salary data that did not contain the names of any city employees.

At any rate, a total of 109 city of Joliet employees made at least $150,000 in 2019. The previous year, in 2018, the city of Joliet had 90 city employees making $150,000 or more.

Here is a summary of all city workers who made at least $150,000. In cases where there was a significant amount of overtime, specialty assignment pay or a large payout for retirement, Joliet Patch tracked down those figures and included them in compensation data listed below.

1. $268,204, Joe Formhals, fire chief, retired October 2019, retirement severance totaled $96,465 for unused vacation and accrued sick leave.
2. $236,224, Ron Schroeder, battalion chief, retired in 2019, made $29,084 in overtime and $60,730 in retirement severance for cashing out unused vacation and accrued sick leave.
3. $232,380, David Stobbe, roadways maintenance foreman, retired in 2019, included $34,672 in overtime pay and $78,437 in retirement severance for cashing out sick, vacation and comp time.
4. $221,002, Al Roechner, chief of police, included $10,211 in specialty pay and $46,867 for cashing out some sick, vacation and comp time.
5. $217,216, John Perona, deputy police chief, retired July 2019, included $119,247 payout for sick, vacation and comp time.
6. $216,234, Leonard Gomez, roadways maintenance foreman, retired in 2019, included $18,630 in overtime, retirement severance totaled $78,521 for unused vacation, comp time and sick leave.
7. $214,605, Carlos Matlock, police investigations, included $51,011 in overtime pay and $54,788 in special assignment pay.
8. $203,318, Michael Pauly, police officer, included $56,869 in overtime and $39,871 in special assignment pay.
9. $186,975, John Stachelski, fire battalion chief, included $32,744 in overtime.
10. $187,158, Marc Reid, deputy police chief, included $11,242 in specialty assignment pay and $13,562 for cashing out some vacation/comp time/sick leave payout.

11. $184,376, Michael Batis, deputy police chief, included $11,327 in specialty assignment pay plus $8,010 for cashing out some vacation/comp time/sick leave payout.
12. $180,751, Jeff Kneller, police officer, retired July 2019, retirement payout included $104,346 for unused vacation, accrued comp time and sick leave banks.
13. $180,751, John Koch, fire battalion chief, included $22,448 in overtime pay.
14. $180,525, Doug Palmer, police officer, included $40,969 in overtime pay and $27,778 in specialty pay.
15. $180,103, Ronald Fox, fire battalion chief, included $35,431 in overtime pay.
16. $177,119, Fred Offermann, fire battalion chief, included $26,225 in overtime and $17,137 in specialty pay.
17. $176,900, Laroy Aldridge, fire battalion chief.
18. $176,100, David House, fire captain, included $30,432 in overtime and $13,770 in specialty pay.
19. $175,957, Pat Strocchia, fire battalion chief, included $31,061 in overtime and $13,356 in specialty pay.
20. $175,491, James Blake, fire battalion chief, included $23,897 in overtime and $12,737 in specialty pay.
21 $175,036, Greg Blaskey, deputy fire chief, promoted to fire chief in November 2019.
22. $174,705, Christopher D'Arcy, police officer, included $45,404 in overtime pay and $23,406 in specialty pay.
23. $174,032, Floyd Woods, fire department lieutenant, included $29,675 in overtime.
24. $173,583, Steve Jones, city economic director, named interim city manager in August, 2019.

(Article continues below this photo of Steve Jones.)

Interim city manager Steve Jones convinced the Joliet City Council to approve the NorthPoint Development's Compass Business Park. Image via John Ferak/Patch
Interim city manager Steve Jones convinced the Joliet City Council to approve the NorthPoint Development's Compass Business Park. Image via John Ferak/Patch


25. $173,231, Robert Brown, police supervisor, included $24,450 in overtime and $10,550 in specialty pay.
26, $173,018, Gregory Jordan, police supervisor, his 2019 compensation included a payout for sick, vacation and comp time of $32,800.
27. $172,887, Jeff Carey, battalion chief, promoted to deputy fire chief in December 2019, included $20,130 in overtime.
28. $172,654, Jose Tellez, police officer, included $41,328 in overtime and $23,492 in specialty pay.
29. $172,344, Raul Alvarez, police detective sergeant, included $45,996 in overtime.
30. $172,325, Aaron Kozlowski, fire battlion chief, included $28,686 in overtime and $12,282 in specialty pay.
31. $171,414, Marty Shanahan, interim city manager January-June 2019, corporation counsel July-December.
32. $169,234, Ted Parks, fire captain, retired in 2019, included $18,070 in overtime pay and $56,424 retirement payout for unused sick and vacation time.
33. $169,044, Joe Egizio, police supervisor, included $24,441 in overtime and $12,863 in specialty assignment pay.
34. $168,712, Mark Vershay, fire department captain, included $25,904 in overtime and $11,158 in specialty pay.
35. $168,050, Rich Demick, police captain, included $15,310 in specialty assignment pay.
36. $167,345, Lindsey Heavener, police supervisor, included $28,234 in overtime pay and $18,849 in specialty pay.
37. $167,286, Jeremy Harrison, police supervisor, included $27,137 in overtime.
38. $166,297, Tom Banas, police officer, included $40,270 in overtime and $18,194 in specialty pay.
39. $166,238, William Davis, city utility services worker, included $47,145 in overtime.
40. $166,105, Matt Baxter, fire captain, included $19,940 in overtime.
41. $165,946, Robert Mau, police officer, included $45,858 in overtime.

(Article continues below this photo of Bob Mau.)

Joliet Officer Bob Mau made nearly $46,000 in overtime in 2019. Image via city of Joliet FOIA
Joliet Officer Bob Mau made nearly $46,000 in overtime in 2019. Image via city of Joliet FOIA

42. $165,878, Juan Acosta, police officer, included $51,055 in specialty assignment pay and $24,618 in overtime.
43. $165,591, Matthew Breen, police supervisor, included $33,761 in overtime and $12,066 in specialty pay.
44. $165,225, Terry Mangun, fire battalion chief, retired in 2019, included $57,785 for unused vacation and accrued sick leave payout.
45. $164,965, Victor Stachelski, fire battalion chief, included $24,526 in overtime.
46. $164,727, Sherrie Blackburn, police supervisor, included $30,143 in overtime and $10,489 in specialty pay.
47. $164,143, Darrell Gavin, police deputy chief.
48, $163,661 Terry Juricic, city public utilities, included $49,471 in overtime pay.
49. $162,281, John Stefanski, police supervisor, $33,009 in overtime.
50. $162,189, Jeff German, police detective, included $42,554 in overtime pay.
51. $162,047, Michael Georgantas, police officer, included $44,172 in specialty assignment pay
52. $162,037, Peter Van Gessel, police officer, included $44,331 in overtime.
53. $161,592, James Robertson, police detective, included $26,109 in overtime and $28,569 in specialty assignment pay.
54. $161,386, Tizoc Landeros, police supervisor, included $39,797 in overtime.
55. $161,035, Kenneth Brown, police supervisor, included $24,450 in overtime and $10,550 in specialty pay.
56. $161,586, John Byrne, police officer, included $27,141 in overtime and $26,611 in specialty pay.
57. $161,404, Tim Powers, police supervisor, included $39,037 in overtime pay.
58. $159,798, Patrick Cardwell, police supervisor, included $23,275 in overtime and $16,530 in specialty pay.
59. $159,623, Manuel Ponce, city automotive mechanic, retired in 2019, included $51,883 retirement payout for unused vacation, sick leave and comp time banks.
60. $159,282, Jamere Price, police officer, included $45,403 in overtime.
61. $159,102, Paul Yanak, fire department captain, included $23,112 in overtime and $16,510 in specialty pay.
62. $159,030 James Ward, police officer, included $42,118 in overtime.
63. $158,624, Joe Rosado, police supervisor, included $17,621 in overtime.

(Article continues below photo of Joe Rosado.)

In March, Joe Rosado was promoted from lieutenant to deputy chief of operations. Image via city of Joliet FOIA
In March, Joe Rosado was promoted from lieutenant to deputy chief of operations. Image via city of Joliet FOIA

64. $158,309, Matthew Bozicevich, fire department, included $46,250 in specialty pay.
65. $158,062 James Ryan, fire department, included $20,446 in overtime and $11,021 in specialty pay.
66. $157,995 Corrado Venzon, police officer, included $32,089 in overtime and $19,492 in specialty pay.
67. $157,763, Robert Dilorenzo, fire department battalion chief.
68. $157,252, David Fox, police officer, included $42,631 in overtime pay.
69. $157,073 John Merriman, fire department captain, included $16,082 in overtime pay.
70. $156,980, Robert Rosado, fire department lieutenant, included $27,129 in overtime and $10,292 in specialty pay.
71. $156,895, Jeffery Allbert, police captain.
72. $156,816, Bruce Larson, police captain.
73. $156,800, Melissa Andrzejewski, police officer, included $27,870 in overtime and $36,360 in specialty pay.
74. $156,656, Leslie O'Connor, police captain.
75. $156,540, Eric Johnson, fire department captain.
76. $156,476, Daniel Berta, fire department captain, included $24,841 in overtime.
77. $156,301, Matt Ehrsam, fire department captain, included $29,243 in overtime.
78. $155,931, David Wall, police officer, included $44,050 in overtime.
79. $155,727 David Braner, city information technology director.
80. $155,126, Rodney Leggero, fire department captain, included $14,950 in overtime.
81. $155,052, Jeffery Fornoff, police evidence unit, included $38,473 in overtime.
82. $155,017, Doug May, police supervisor, included $27,744 in overtime.

(Article continues below photo of Joliet Police Sgt. Larry Collins.)

Joliet Sgt. Larry Collins supported the removal of Marty Shanahan as interim city manager one year ago. Image via city of Joliet FOIA
Joliet Sgt. Larry Collins supported the removal of Marty Shanahan as interim city manager one year ago. Image via city of Joliet FOIA

83. $154,996, Larry Collins, police supervisor, included $17,235 in overtime and $17,997 in specialty assignment pay.
84. $154,837, Jim Trizna, city public works director.
85. $154,573, Bruce Trevillian, police officer, included $32,974 in overtime pay and $13,438 in specialty pay.
86. $153,955, Jeffrey Haiduke, police officer, included $40,834 in overtime pay.
87. $153,940, James Kilgore, police detective, included $40,520 in overtime pay.
88. $153,705, James Lukancic, fire captain, included $20,575 in overtime and $11,518 in specialty pay.
89. $153,524, Jerry Austin, police evidence unit, included $37,062 in overtime.
90. $153,459, Ken Mihelich, city finance department.
91. $153,084, Bradley Dubs, police supervisor, included $19,005 in specialty assignment pay.
92. $153,029, Jim Ghedotte, city finance director.
93. $152,637, Eric Kobe, fire lieutenant, included $25,012 in overtime pay.
94. $152,143, Don McKinney, police investigations, included $39,282 in overtime pay.
95. $151,965, Bill Foster, fire suppression, retired in 2019, included $46,301 retirement severance for unused vacation and sick leave banks.
96. $151,828, Moises Avila, police supervisor.
97. $151,743, Frank Wascher, police officer, included $40,379 in overtime.
98. $151,205, Bob Wohlrab, fire captain.
99. $150,717, Andrew Jose, police supervisor.
100. $150,448, Eric Mattson, fire lieutenant, included $23,003 in overtime.
101. $150,248, Brian Edman, fire captain.
102. $150,0248, Daniel Koerner, fire lieutenant, included $21,459 in overtime pay.
103. $150,085, Darren Prochaska, police supervisor, included $28,782 in overtime.
104. $150,078, Julie Larson, police supervisor, included $21,792 in overtime.
105. $149,955, Marcus Wietting, police officer, included $26,109 in overtime and $15,042 in specialty pay.
106. $149,865, Kyle Killian, police officer, included $30,742 in overtime pay and $28,918 in specialty assignment pay.
107. $149,857, Stephen Breen, police supervisor.
108. $149,525 Paul Sturgill, police officer, included $21,765 in overtime and $19,927 in specialty pay.
109. $149,506, John Miller, fire captain, included $19,333 in overtime pay.

This article originally appeared on the Joliet Patch