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New Canaan's Highest-Paid Town Employees of 2012

About two-thirds of the 25 highest-paid municipal employees are school officials, with police making up the second-largest group in the set.

 

Seventeen of the 25 highest-paid municipal employees work for school district, including Superintendent Dr. Mary Kolek, who tops the list with total wages earned in calendar year 2012 of $218,145, according to the New Canaan Finance Department.

Police also are represented well on the list, as five of those 25 highest-earning town workers are with the department, including three of the top four.

The town invests in its high-achieving schools. In the current fiscal year, two-thirds of New Canaan's taxpayer funds go to the Board of Education—$83.3 million out of $125.6 million. The figure includes operating, capital and debt service costs (see attached PDF).

The following list includes total gross wages for municipal employees, including overtime which drives pay for first responders.

 

Gross Pay Name Job Title $218,145 Mary Kolek Superintendent $208,921 William Ferri Police Lieutenant $182,001 John Milligan Poilce Sergeant $181,466 Jason Ferraro Police Sergeant $177,412 Bryan Luizzi High School Principal $168,597 Darlene Planka Director of Pupil Personnel $165,350 Alexandra Potts East School Principal $165,060 James George Police Lieutenant $165,059 David Abbey Superintendent $165,050 Greg Macedo Middle School Principal $162,559 Eugene Tiani Fire Captain $158,770 Jill Correnty West School Principal $157,964 William Sneath Director of Visual & Performing Arts $157,673 Joanne Rocco South School Principal $156,967 John Egan Athletic Director $156,912 Lawrence Sullivan High School Assistant Principal $154,298 Joseph Meehan Director of Finance & Operations $153,652 Mary Ann DeFelice Special Education Coordinator $153,599 Carole Pakkala Special Education Coordinator $153,232 Lizette D'Amico K-8 World Language ELL Co. $152,412 Wendy McConaghy Middle School Assistant Principal $152,112 Frederick Pickering Police Lieutenant $151,176 Robert Miller Director of Information & Technology $150,575 Kristene Woleck East School Assistant Principal $149,700 Ari Rothman High School Assistant Principal
Glen K Dunbar February 6, 2013 at 01:27 pm
I know of some of these folks. More power to them. God bless them. They are VERY lucky. I want to Thank the people at Patch for making this public. For me..politely speaking it is hard to read these numbers w/o choking. I am NO where close to any of these. Wish I could find an easy gig like these. Wish someone would GIVE/OFFER my wife a job of some sort. Go to the condo and tell her when She starts?? Is that too much to ask????? Geesh. The swim on your own attitude of this town/state amazes me. really. Out to make Glen tow the line. Poverty. I am drowning. Mom $ gone. What now???? I may have to run away
Glen
Concerned Citzen February 6, 2013 at 02:25 pm
How dare you say that these people have an "easy gig" This list represents some of the hardest working people in town who are eduating our children and keep us safe...Shame on you get off your computer and go get a job.
G. Eastman February 6, 2013 at 02:42 pm
Pretty much everyone on this list is an unsung hero in this wonderful town of ours. Their compensation is well-earned.
Patrick Henry February 6, 2013 at 03:22 pm
Glen never personally attacks anyone, and has as much right to post on here as anyone. If you don't agree with his comments, then say so. If you don't want to read what he writes, ignore them.
Lisa Buchman (Editor) February 6, 2013 at 06:07 pm
A comment has been deleted for personal attacks. See our terms, here: http://newcanaan.patch.com/terms
Hollywood2 February 6, 2013 at 11:10 pm
Leave now before the snow!
Blast from the past February 6, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Police overtime skews these numbers. There is no way we should allow a top tier police officer to pad his pay with $150,000 in overtime. The poor Chief of police doesn't even make the list...he doesn't get overtime. The Police Commission should take control of this outrage. There are 40 something other police officers out there who are just as deserving of our support and praise. The officers listed do a great job, but should not be allowed to 'game the system. No Town official appears on this list...they are more closely responsible to the public. The school administration has always been out of control, and there is little we can do as long as they want to pad their pay at the expense of money that could be better spent on the kids themselves.

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