Published February 24, 2021

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Seventy-eight town employees’ earned six-figure salaries last year.

According to town documents supplied by Town Treasurer/Tax Collector Leslie Davidson and based on employees’ W-2 forms, Police Patrolman Mark Bettencourt topped the highest paid employees list with gross earnings of $237,300.83. Town documents revealed Bettencourt made a base salary of $93,297.49 as well as $112,760.90 in detail pay and $31,242.44 in overtime.

Salaries for police officers include base pay, overtime, details, holiday and longevity pay, clothing allowances and funds associated with the Quinn Bill. The Quinn Bill is a police career incentive program enacted in 1970 by the State Legislature that encourages police officers in participating municipalities to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice. The educational incentives result in salary increases.

There were 56 town employees who earned six-figure salaries in 2019.

The data revealed 29 out of the 78 employees who earned six-figure salaries were women, which surpassed the 13 women who earned six-figure salaries in 2019. Town Accountant/Assistant Finance Director Julie McCarthy was the highest paid woman in town and was 23rd overall with a $141,794.63 salary. The remaining 28 women who earned six-figure salaries were educators.

Retired Police Chief David Breen was second on the list with a $226,041.37 salary last year. Police Patrolman Patrick Curran was third with $224,643.15, which included a base salary of $82,949.69, $97,716.57 in detail pay and $43,976.89 in overtime. Police Patrolman Scott Fitzemeyer was the fourth highest paid town employee with $195,503.34 after he received a base salary of $82,585.41 as well as $75,792.63 in overtime and $37,125.30 in detail pay.

Town Administrator Rob Dolan was the fifth on the list with $189,846.33. Police Sgt. Sean Donovan was the sixth highest paid employee with $189,667.37, which included a base salary of $110,233.67, $45,651.43 in detail pay and $33,872.27 in overtime. Patrolman Steven O’Connell was seventh on the list with $177,654.73 after he received $89,042.31 in base pay, $46,998.97 in detail pay and $41,613.45 in overtime.

Police Sgt. Al Scotina was the town’s eighth highest paid employee with $174,459.53, which included a base pay totaling $109,501.49 as well as $36,651.05 in overtime and $28,306.99 in detail pay. Fire Capt. James Alexander was ninth on the list with $174,047.37 after he received $98,150.78 in base pay, $48,962.34 in overtime and $26,934.25 in EMS user fees. Patrolman Michael Topping was 10th on the list with $163,327.20, which included $92,737.44 in base pay, $40,451.28 in detail pay and $30,138.48 in overtime.

There were 21 police officers who earned six-figure salaries last year. Patrolman Jonathan Duzz was the 11th highest paid employee in Lynnfield with $161,408.24 after he received $88,107.87 in base pay, $41,464.53 in overtime and $31,835.84 in detail pay. Police Sgt. Christopher DeCarlo was the 12th highest paid employee with $156,319.27, which included $106,279.75 in base pay, $36,318.77 in overtime and $13,720.75 in detail pay.

Police Patrolman Louis Trapasso was the 16th highest paid employee with $153,668.65 after he received $105,873.48 in base pay, $41,824.27 in detail pay and $5,970.90 in overtime. Patrolman Bryan Materazzo was 18th on the list with $147,941.65, which included $83,253.76 in base pay, $39,338.90 in detail pay and $25,348.99 in overtime. Police Cpt./Interim Police Chief Nick Secatore was 19th on the list with $147,724.70 after he received $113,258.82 in base pay and $34,465.88 in overtime.

There were 46 School Department employees who earned six-figure salaries last year. Lynnfield High School Bob Cleary was the 13th highest paid employee with $156,191.50. Finance Director Tom Geary was 14th on the list with $155,444.12. Lynnfield Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston finished 22nd overall with $141,964.58.

Teaching and Learning Director Kevin Cyr was the 27th highest paid employee with $134,829.13. Student Services Director Roberta Keane finished 28th on the list with $133,457.96. Educational Technology Director Stephanie Hoban was the 35th highest paid town employee with $119,854.60. Huckleberry Hill School Principal Melissa Wyland finished 36th on the list with $118,011.47. Summer Street School Principal Dr. Karen Dwyer was the 37th highest paid employee with $116,936.47.

Special Education Coordinator/Middle School Special Education Team Chair Lydia Rundell-Gjerde was the 38th highest paid town employee with $115,104.93. Lynnfield High guidance counselor and former boys’ basketball coach Scott MacKenzie was 39th overall with $113,749.50. Retired Superintendent Jane Tremblay, who worked as a consultant for the school system during the second half of last year, was the 41st highest paid employee with $111,625.72. Special education teacher Gerard Coughlin was the 42nd highest paid employee with $110,554.59.

In addition to Alexander, there were six members of the Fire Department who earned six figure salaries last year. Fire Cpt. Kevin Mutti was the 15th highest paid employee with $154,184.98, which included $96,367.73 in base pay, $35,846.99 in EMS user fees and $21,970.26 in overtime.

Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis was the 17th highest paid employee with a $150,587.60 salary. Deputy Fire Chief James Wallace was 24th on the list after he received $97,631.11 in call firefighter pay and $33,230.24 in EMS user fees. Firefighter/EMT Jeffrey Fiorentino was 26th on the highest paid employees list with $136,517.94, which included $79,289.99 in base pay, $38,666.32 in user fees and $18,561.63 in overtime.

Firefighter/EMT Christopher Cavalieri was the 29th highest paid employee with $131,010.32 after he received $84,213.08 in base pay, $28,881.59 in EMS user fees and $18,915.65 in overtime. Firefighter/EMT Steven Yobaccio was the 32nd highest paid employee with $126,432.98, which included $72,220.28 in base pay, $37,266.18 in EMS user fees and $16,946.52 in overtime.

There were three DPW employees who earned six-figure salaries last year. Director John Tomasz was the 21st highest paid employee with $142,074.65. Town Engineer Charlie Richter finished 40th overall with $112,478.89. Facilities Director Steven deBettencourt was the 63rd highest paid employee with $101,821.12.