George Brown

6:09 p.m. CDT, June 4, 2009
FAST FACTS:
  • Numerous Herenton appointees earn more than $100,000
  • Herenton has complete control of appointees
  • Kemp Conrad wants salary cuts

(Memphis 6/4/2009) Memphis City Council Member Kemp Conrad says too many appointees of Mayor Willie Herenton are pulling in big checks.

Kemp is looking to cut fifty million dollars from the city budget, "Over 60% of the city budget is personnel costs. So if we're going to shave fifty million dollars from the budget, we've got to look at the people."

Here's a small list of appointees and their salaries:
  • Keith McGee, Chief Executive : $143,000
  • Bob Nations, head of EME: $100,000
  • Joseph Sanders, Chief Information Officer: $127,000
  • Elbert Jefferson, City Attorney: $115,000
  • Gerald Thornton, Deputy City Attorney: $105,000
  • Wain Gaskins, City Enginner & Director: $112,000
  • Roland McElrath, Director, Division of Finance: $115,000
  • James Stokes, Deputy Director of Finance: $105,000
  • Estrice Boone, Director General Services: $112,000
  • Rebecca Kissling, Deputy Director of General Services: $101,000
  • Cindy Buchannan, Director of Parks Services: $112,000
  • Alvin Benson, Director of Fire Services: $116,000
  • Larry Godwin, Police Director: $$116,000
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  • Keith McGee, Chief Executive : $143,000
  • Bob Nations, head of EME: $100,000
  • Joseph Sanders, Chief Information Officer: $127,000
  • Elbert Jefferson, City Attorney: $115,000
  • Gerald Thornton, Deputy City Attorney: $105,000
  • Wain Gaskins, City Enginner & Director: $112,000
  • Roland McElrath, Director, Division of Finance: $115,000
  • James Stokes, Deputy Director of Finance: $105,000
  • Estrice Boone, Director General Services: $112,000
  • Rebecca Kissling, Deputy Director of General Services: $101,000
  • Cindy Buchannan, Director of Parks Services: $112,000
  • Alvin Benson, Director of Fire Services: $116,000
  • Larry Godwin, Police Director: $$116,000
Conrad is watching that list closely, "I'll be proposing, including city council and the boards in city government that we take a reduction along with management and hopefully the chief executive himself."