BSO salary database shows part-time retiree out-earns half the staff

From Sun-Sentinel.com

My colleagues John Maines and Dana Williams obtained the Broward Sheriff's Office salary database, and we offer it to you here, with this story.


http://www.sunsentinel.com/bsosalaries

The Broward Sheriff's Office had to make millions in cuts last year and demoted jail
deputies to technicians with lower pay.

But one BSO retiree was worth hiring back, Sheriff Al Lamberti decided. And this retiree's advice was worth more than the average salary for a BSO deputy. Col. Edward Werder, a longtime BSO employee who was chief in several cities and served as undersheriff for BSO, could not be parted with.

Werder retired Feb. 1, 2010, according to the BSO paperwork. And four days later, as Werder and Associates, Inc., he was hired back as a consultant at $5,250 a month, or $63,000 a year, with a take-home car and a cell phone, according to the contract we obtained via records request from BSO.

To put that into context, the average salary in 2010 for a deputy was $60,203.67, according to the BSO salary database.

The median base salary, meaning half the employees make less, was $62,472.73.

Werder’s salary as a part-time consultant is higher than half the salaries at BSO, in other words.

There's more on the jump, but before you go there, here is the 2010 Werder contract, here is the 2011 contract, and here is his retirement agreement.

Some court deputies and “detention technicians” made about half what Werder makes _ with salaries of $29,175.55 annually, or $14.03 an hour.

And then of course there are the deputies making a lot more.

One deputy, Andrew Gianino, who had an annual base salary of $69,910.87 in 2010, collected $70,596.14 in overtime.

Six employees – including five fire-rescue captains -- earned more than the sheriff’s $170,081.60.

Werder’s assignment, spelled out in his first contract, was to analyze the crime lab financial troubles. The contract said he was to "advise the SHERIFF on matters related to the Cost Association analysis performed by the International City Managers Association (ICMA) and the analysis and review of the Crime Lab operations and funding in Broward County, which will include, but not be limited to, attending meetings, providing written reports and making recommendations as requested by the SHERIFF or the Contract …”

I asked for his work product for that year, and didn’t receive anything. Apparently most or all of his contributions were giving advice to Sheriff Lamberti.

This year’s version, just renewed in October, didn’t say what he had to do. It no longer said he’d get a car or cell phone. But as for work assignment, he shall “report weekly to SHERIFF or his designees regarding CONSULTANT’S progress on assigned projects.’’

The contract lasts until September 2012.

Lamberti defended the well-regarded Werder’s contract, saying he’s an invaluable asset who negotiated the first BSO contract with a city, and now acts as a liaison with contract cities. He helped BSO save its crime lab, the sheriff contends, as well.

Lamberti said Werder also researched sheriff’s office current impacts of the 1979 “Minnet Decision,’’ a court ruling in Alsdorf versus Broward County that said the county can’t tax residents countywide for services that benefit only a limited portion of the residents. He is also working on an internship program with Broward County, whose students would work in the crime lab, Lamberti said.

Werder has a home in Georgia, and here locally.

“The guy’s been here 40 years,’’ Lamberti said. “He’s got a wealth of institutional knowledge.’’
My effort to reach Werder was not successful.

I’ll let you know if I hear from him.