Augusta salaries revealed
Wages increase but workforce is smaller
The average wage of an Augusta employee increased by $1,040 since last year while the full-time city workforce shrunk by 57 people to 2,505, despite 253 new hires made this year.
More city employees now live in Augusta or other Richmond County municipalities – up 10 percent over 2018 to 69 percent – according to The Chronicle’s review of local government salary data obtained last month.
The bulk of the 2019 hires were in public safety departments, with Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree adding 67, most of them jailers, and Augusta Fire Chief Chris James hiring 63 mostly entry-level firefighters.
Largely due to cost-of-living adjustments, the average city salary is now $43,757, while the typical salary is the $34,189 starting salary garnered by 88 new fire, construction, 911 and jail personnel.
The city’s top paid personnel remain Augusta Regional Airport Director Herbert Judon and former City Administrator Janice Allen Jackson, who remains on the payroll since her April resignation after receiving a year’s salary and benefits severance package.
Thanks to $20,000 in pay increases since 2018, Judon eclipsed Jackson’s $170,520 salary and now takes home $190,387, the salary data revealed.
The number of city workers earning more than $100,000 remains at 45 who make an average of $126,539. Twenty earn more than $120,000.
The city government salaries pale in comparison to state-paid Augusta University staffers, at least seven of whom make a base salary of more than $700,000. Former Richmond County Schools Superintendent Angela Pringle, who resigned last month, made $261,152.
The largest local government divisions remain the sheriff’s office, which currently employs 667, and the fire department, which has 647.
The data revealed showed at least 400 employees live in Columbia County including 179 with Grovetown addresses and 162 with Evans addresses. Another 194 live in Martinez, which includes some Richmond County addresses.
Other factoids the data showed were common names in city government. Johnson is the most prevalent surname, at 48 followed by 44 with the last name Williams.
The most common man’s first name is Michael, with 56, followed by James at 50. The most common woman’s name is Jennifer, with 13.
Staff Writer Sandy Hodson contributed to this report.