City Will Save Over First Two Years with a New Chief

If he'll net an initial pay increase of less than $300 over what he is paid now as a fire captain.

If he stays in the position, however, he'll rise to the pay scale of his predecessor in two years.

As captain, Carley is paid a base annual salary of $67,380. He draws an additional $4,600 in holiday pay, a $950 food allotment and an $825 clothing allowance. His average overtime is about $6,500 a year, bringing his total yearly compensation package to $80,258.

The compensation package being offered to him as chief is $80,526, with a base salary of $74,547.

That's about $11,700 less than what was paid.

Carley will catch up to that amount in two years through several planned step increases in his salary.

After six months on the job, his base salary will rise to $78,312. After a year, to $81,848. And after two years, to $85,529–the amount MacDonald drew when he retired.

As chief, Carley is still entitled to holiday pay and a clothing allowance, but the food allotment and overtime is stricken.

City Administrator Todd Drysdale said from the onset that the salary of the next fire chief would be cut somewhat.

“You pay for experience,” “We certainly wouldn’t expect to pay the new chief the same rate as the old chief who spent a number of years in that position.”

Carley, who has been with the department for nearly 22 years, has accepted the proposed compensation package and is expected to be approved as the new fire chief at Monday night's Wyandotte City Council meeting.