College grads with an MBA and no experince start at that, or more. $68,500 is not a "hefty salary" anywhere in this state for anyone with that education or experience.

If you all want a real eye-opener, you should check into what some employees of the Rock County Sheriff's Department are making.
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And I'm talking about deputies...not just ranking officers.
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It'll knock your socks off...and no one is holding the Sheriff accountable.

$68,500/year is "an awful lot" to some of you people? For a guy with a masters degree and previous Chief of Police experience? I think some of you need to escape from the 1990's and start realizing what a competetive salary is all about.

to all you who nitpicked my 2000 hour work year to 2080, you figure in 2 weeks of paid vacation standard, you pay them for that time but you dont consider that working hours....

beachsexton,
I'm not familiar with Robert Roberts. I said my figure was not extremely exaggerated, and it isn't. As others have now also pointed out, being a police chief requires a lot of commitment of what would otherwise be personal time. The fact is, he isn't going to be working just 8 hours a day. He will work much more than 2,080 hours in a year. Even if you only increased his hours to 10 a day, that makes it 2,600 hours a year and a wage of about $26.35 an hour. I have to stress, though, that he is more than likely going to be putting in much more than 2,600 hours a year. He won't have the convenience of looking at the clock and getting up from his desk, just because of the time of day. He will almost definitely have to take his work home with him, and unfortunately, he will have to deal with calls in the middle of the night. There will be numerous times where he's going to have to put his life on hold so he can be the Police Chief he aspires to be. I think all of these factors should be considered before anyone says that he's going to be getting paid too much money.

All well and good, Biggirl......until your 911 call isn't responded to as quickly as you feel it should. Then scream about the lack of response you get. Pay him, keep the department, and everything will run just fine, as you would wish, should you need the help. You can't "eat your cake and have it, too". Use your keyboard power for positive comments, rather than blanket negativity. Good Day!

Biggirl- Are you for real? Do you honestly think the county is going to patrol City streets? Come on!!!!

A good reason to get rid of the department. We're already paying for protection from Rock County Sherrif Dept. Let's get rid of him and the department.

Hiring is often dependent on a background check that takes place AFTER the handshake. I've been on both sides.

badgerboy, Would you suggest doing background checks, drug screenings and psychological testing on every applicant who applied? I think it is the norm to wait until you've made a decision and then make the formal hiring contingent on the results of these checks. That way you're not wasting time and money on individuals you have no intention of hiring. Schuetz isn't hired yet, he's only hired if he passes the background check, the drug screening and the psychological exam.

miltonalum: You may have done some research but your calculations are incorrect. There is 2080 hours in a payroll calendar year. You may want to recalculate your per hour rate.

As far as the wages that the City of Milton has set forth for its department heads, they are all well worth it! These are key people that keep this City running and they all put in many, many hours to aid in the success of the City of Milton. I believe that all of you that have spent so much time on calculating wages, spreading ridicule, negativity and defaming City Staff should take a walk in their shoes one day...you just might be singing a whole different tune. Really now....do any of you have a clue as to what it takes to keep a City strong and successful? Based on some of these comments, I highly doubt it. Ignornace makes people act out this way.

miltonalum mentioned: i did some research and $68,500 is straight time, base salary based on 2000 hours a year in this position. which works out to $34.25 per hour.
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I might sound picky but the standard 40 hr workweek is 2080 hrs, which makes the hourly rate $32.95.

Wow, that don't pay crap and that is the top (of a small town). Not enough for me I tell ya.

Thekai, 15 hours a day? 15 hours a day leaves 9 hours to drive to and from work, sleep, spend time with family, cut down a tree, shop, cook & eat, take a shower, water your plants, workout, have a hobby....
For the millionth time, stop exaggerating! Seriously, who works 15 hours a day? That is 63% of every day. But, heck, whatever it takes to get to the end result you want right? Is thekai code for Robert Roberts?

i did some research and $68,500 is straight time, base salary based on 2000 hours a year in this position. which works out to $34.25 per hour. any overtime incurred is above and beyond this salary. It seems a bit high for a city the size of Milton, although were all going to see inflation pay increases to offset the gas price inflation soon so maybe its bot that offline.

Well I'm sure you're fully aware the being on call means that you can be called to work at any moment. On top of that, being a police chief means a lot of management. A lot of work needs to be put in, which often times requires working very late and on the weekends. It is possible that you don't fully realize the amount of dedication that the billet of police chief requires. If you are thinking the police chief is going to work 9-5 Monday through Friday then you are very wrong. Even if you reduced my figure to seven hours a day, that's still less than $30 an hour for a very important job. I can guarantee you the police chief will end up working a lot more than just seven hours a day, though.

"If he works 15 hours a day"

Yeah right. I am sure the job description doesn't call for 15 hours a day.

Being a Police Chief isn't a walk in the park. He will be on call at all times, and he's going to have to devote a lot of his personal time to work. He won't be able to take lengthy vacations, and he will always bear the weight of a very heavy responsibility. He's going to be devoting a lot of his time to work even outside of the office. If he works 15 hours a day, then he's only getting paid about $12.50 an hour. That's not an extremely exaggerated figure, either. He's basically making about as much as a Major (Officer pay grade 4) in the Marine Corps. Anyone who has been in the military should be able to fully understand the kind of dedication you have to commit for public services such as being a police officer or fireman... naturally, as you are higher up the ladder, the level of dedication increases with the level of responsibility. This does not seem unreasonable to me.

DW

Putting your demeaning remarks about lug nuts aside,the $68,500 figures to about $33 an hour. There maybe some, but not many, on the line at GM making that much. They'd have to hit some overtime to make it, I'd guess.

The Good Ole Boys network is alive and well. Unfortunately, it's an unscrupulous, unethical group of boys scratching each other. I guess bad things DO happen to good people (i.e. the citizens of Milton and the loyal, longtime staff at the department). It's really unfortunate that the good people around here keep getting shafted over and over and over.

Yet, it is acceptable for someone putting lug nuts on vehicles on a line to make this much, or more?
Pulllleaassseeee.....yes, I know it is not spelled correctly, but, you won't mind.

Salary does seem high for a city the size of Milton.

I think it sure is odd he has Roberts doing the background. Most departments have at least 1 outside department conduct the background. Let me guess, Roberts has convinced the Commission that his interests are so far removed that there is nothing to worry about. If that is the case, why waste time with the due diligence? Why not just base an approval off his last hiring, a wink, and a nod? Mr. Conger, would you do this job for $55-60,000 the first few years, a promotion of your life, and a set of goal oriented incentives that could boost your pay based on your performance? To the taxpayers of Milton, when your taxes go up later this year, look back on this chance to speak up and be heard. Better yet, do as MtnDew suggested and get involved.

sounds like a hefty salary for a 1st year even considering hes the chief......

Is hiring an employee before background checks, screenings etc. the norm with public safety officials? It sure isn't in the private sector.