JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayor-elect Donna Deegan’s top officials are individually set to earn as much as $275,000 per year – with only one of the top positions making less than the corresponding member of the current administration.
Deegan announced a large part of her executive team Wednesday morning as a bipartisan group with varying experience in previous mayoral administrations and governmental organizations.
Records requested by the Times-Union show that the team’s salaries range from $85,000 to $275,000, with one still to be negotiated. The current administration’s top officials make higher or similar salaries, with the exception of Brian Hughes, the chief administrative officer.
Deegan’s pick for chief administrative officer, Karen Bowling, formerly worked in the same position in the Alvin Brown administration and will make the most of the new administrative team at $275,000 per year, followed by Chief Financial Officer Anna Brosche at $250,000.
Hughes worked as Curry’s chief of staff in 2018 making $208,477, before moving to the chief administrative officer role in 2019 when his salary rose to $300,000. His salary rose each year, and he currently makes $330,977, according to salary records for the top 50 highest salary earners.
Brosche, however, will make more than the current chief financial officer, Patrick Greive, who makes $221,707.
At least two of the new roles in the Deegan administration held by Lakesha Burton and Parvez Ahmed will make the same amount of $185,000. The third new position, chief health officer, will be held by Sunil Joshi and is still being negotiated.
Here’s how the new executive team’s salaries correspond to the current administration:
Karen Bowling
Chief administrative officer: $275,000
The current chief administrative officer, Brian Hughes, makes $330,997, according to records sent from the administration.
Anna Brosche
Chief financial officer: $250,000
The current chief financial officer, Patrick Greive, makes $221,707.
Bob Rhodes
Interim general counsel: $242,000
The current general counsel, Jason Teal, makes $242,110.
Pat McCollough
Chief of staff: $230,000
The current chief of staff, Leeann Krieg, makes $194,749.
Ed Randolph
Director of economic development: $200,000
The current director of economic development, Kirk Wendland, makes $189,625.
Phil Perry
Chief communications officer: $185,000
The current director of public affairs, Katharine Wiles, makes $184,500.
Melissa Ross
Director of strategic initiatives and liaison to the press: $185,000
Lakesha Burton
Chief of public safety: $185,000
Parvez Ahmed
Director of diversity and inclusion: $185,000
Erica Connor
Executive assistant: $85,000
Sunil Joshi
Chief health officer: still in negotiations
Click here to read more from The Florida Times-Union.
