In North Las Vegas, the highest-earning public employees took home considerable sums last year, with each of the ten most highly compensated individuals garnering at least $500,000 in total pay and benefits, according to payroll data from city government records.
The top earner, Ryann Juden, the former city manager, received an impressive $915,500 in compensation before departing his role in April 2024. The bulk of this amount stemmed from severance pay, which included an annual salary coverage for twelve months, benefits contributions, health insurance for Juden and his family, and a cash payout for leaving accrued vacation and sick days.
It was noted that while Juden chose to resign voluntarily, his contract also contained a provision for a transitional consultancy agreement which the city took advantage of, approving a $633,000 consulting contract just prior to his exit. This contract was later evaluated by the Nevada Ethics Commission, which found that he had committed a nonwillful violation of state ethics law by negotiating the contract while still in office.
City Council members have praised Juden’s tenure as a pivotal era for the city, often describing him as a transformational leader who successfully navigated the city away from the brink of bankruptcy. However, the ethics commissioner characterized the prior consultant agreement as ‘unconscionable’ in light of the circumstances.
Most of the city’s top earners benefitted from substantial leave payouts upon exiting their roles, with many cashing out over $200,000 in unused leave, a practice that is standard within the realm of local government in Southern Nevada, though atypical in the private sector.
Data indicates that the leave payout figures also encompass severance pay, which Juden exemplified through his compensation. According to city spokesperson Kathleen Richards, while leave cashouts are common when employees leave, severance packages are not utilized frequently.
Moreover, employees also have the option to sell back a designated amount of accrued leave annually as established by their bargaining agreements.
For instance, Micaela Moore, who advanced from city attorney to city manager following Juden’s resignation, benefited from a cashout of $88,600 for unused leave in the previous year.
First responders within the city’s ranks have also benefited significantly from compensation structures that include generous overtime, callback pay, and longevity pay, the latter of which rewards extended years of service.
The practice of longevity pay is common among local governmental jobs but is rarely found in the private sector, raising conversations about pay equity across different fields.
In total, the North Las Vegas city employed approximately 2,140 positions last year, inclusive of part-time, temporary, and short-term workers. The overall payroll for the municipality accounted for $273.7 million, with an average expenditure of roughly $128,000 per employee when factoring in both salaries and benefits.
The demographic details reveal that North Las Vegas has a population of about 294,000 residents, with an average household income of approximately $77,000 as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Here’s a closer look at the compensation details of the top 10 highest-paid individuals within the city government:
1. Ryann Juden, city manager, was paid a total of $915,500. This figure included $129,000 in regular pay, $781,100 attributed to severance and leave payouts, plus a car allowance amounting to $2,500 and an additional $2,000 from other pay sources. His benefits totaled an impressive $207,300, bringing the grand total to $1.1 million.
2. Mario Perez, a police captain, earned $478,500 in total, comprising $171,200 in regular pay, $285,000 in leave payout, $17,100 in longevity pay, and $5,250 in various other payments, with benefits adding another $189,700. Thus, his overall compensation reached $668,200.
3. Mark Suranowitz, a police lieutenant, had a total compensation of $419,700, including $121,350 in regular pay, $45,200 in overtime, $16,500 in longevity pay, banked leave payouts of $221,650, and $15,000 from other pay sources. His benefits amounted to $199,000, resulting in total pay and benefits of $618,750.
4. Micaela Moore, who transitioned to city manager from city attorney, was compensated a total of $410,500, primarily from $316,700 in regular pay, $88,600 in leave cashout, and a $6,000 car allowance, while benefits contributed an additional $203,400, totaling $614,000.
5. Travis Anderson, deputy fire chief, received $449,100 in total pay, derived from $153,600 in regular salary, $293,400 in leave payout, and $2,100 in other specified payments, with benefits totaling $163,950, culminating in a total of $613,000.
6. Christopher Cannon, a police lieutenant, was compensated $309,300, including $149,700 in base pay, $123,700 attributed to overtime, $12,000 from longevity compensation, and $23,900 in various additional payments, alongside benefits amounting to $187,300, leading to total compensation of $496,600.
7. Jacqueline Gravatt, chief of police, received $283,700 in base pay bolstered by $240,900, along with longevity pay of $20,500, a leave payout of $17,400, and $5,000 in other payments. The total benefits covered $209,600, summing her total pay and benefits to $493,300.
8. Bradley Wine, another police lieutenant, had a total compensation of $319,100, including a base salary of $112,900, $9,900 in overtime, $8,500 based on longevity, $177,200 accrued from leave payouts, and $10,700 in other payments, while benefits constituted $148,100 for a total of $467,200.
9. Dale Daffern, serving as both public works director and city engineer, had earnings totaling $367,900, which incorporated $76,100 in regular pay, $7,600 from longevity pay, a broad leave payout of $281,300, and an additional $3,000 in miscellaneous payments. He received benefits totaling $95,700, leading to a total of $463,700.
10. Lastly, Jeffrey Hurley, fire battalion chief, totaled $281,400 in pay, composed of $119,900 in regular salary and $41,500 from overtime and callbacks, supplemented by $118,400 in leave payout. Additionally, he gained $1,600 in other payments, with benefits accounting for $177,300, finishing at $458,700 overall.
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