The American economy may have been stagnating for years, but the latest figures show that city of Sedona staff are still getting their raises.

The number of members of city staff making $100,000 or more per year rose to 27 from 24 in 2024, 20 in 2023 and 17 in 2022, while the number of city staffers making between $80,000 and $100,000 increased to 23 from 15 last year.

Sedona’s FY25 budget authorized 189 full-time equivalent staff positions, up 4.4% from FY24, to be paid $14,027,312 in salaries, up 9.6% from FY24, and an additional $11,305,382 in benefits, up 50.7% from FY24, for a total of $25,332,694 in budgeted compensation paid for by tax dollars, which was up 24.8% from FY24. Budgeted compensation per FTE staff member averaged $74,219 before benefits, up 5% from FY24, or $134,035 after benefits, up 19.5% from FY24.

New additions to the Sedona’s over-$100K salaries this year, apart from new hires, were Assistant City Attorney Monique Coady, Wastewater Regulatory Compliance Specialist Kelly Hanzel, Principal Planner Cynthia Lovely and three police sergeants.

Those city employees earning more than $100,000 annually — before benefits — are:

• City Manager Anette Spickard: $190,000. New hire in 2024.
• Deputy City Manager Andy Dickey: $180,366; 16.3% increase from 2024.
• Financial Services Director Barbara Whitehorn: $180,000. New hire in 2024.
• City Attorney Kurt Christianson: $172,777; 5% increase.
• Police Chief Stephanie Foley: $155,584; 7.4% increase. n Community Development Director Steve Mertes: $141,255; 5.5% increase.
• Magistrate Judge Paul Schlegel: $140,438 from $133,750; 5% increase.
• Director of Public Works Kurt Harris: $139,913. 5% increase.
• Wastewater Director Roxanne Holland: $135,187 from $128,140; 5.5% increase.
• Information Technology Manager Chuck Hardy: $134,427; 5.5% increase.
• Criminal Prosecutor William Kunish: $131,602; 9.3% increase.
• Assistant City Attorney Monique Coady: $130,000. Upgraded from part-time in 2024.
• Assistant Director of Public Works Sandra Phillips: $128,339; 4% increase.
• Human Resources Manager Russ Martin: $125,840; 3.8% increase.
• Transit Administrator Amber Wagner: $120,000. New hire in 2025; the previous administrator, Robert Weber, was paid $119,303 in 2024.
• Communications Manager Lauren Browne: $117,096; 6.5 % increase.
• Network engineer, unspecified staff: $112,543; 2.5% increase.
• System administrator, unspecified staff: $112,543; 2.5% increase.
• Parking Manager Lance Lunsway: $112,000. New hire in 2025.
• Planning Manager Cari Meyer: $111,697; 5.5% increase.
• Police Support Services Manager Erin Loeffler: $110,760.
• Engineering Supervisor John Hall: $108,665; 5.5% increase.
• Police sergeant, unspecified staff: $105,394.
• Wastewater Regulatory Compliance Specialist Kelly Hanzel: $105,269; 5.5% increase.
• Principal Planner Cynthia Lovely: $102,600; 5.5% increase.
• Police sergeant, unspecified staff: $101,379
• Police sergeant, unspecified staff: $100,942

In addition, 23 city staffers are paid more than $80,000 per year before benefits, up from 15 in 2024, including Arts and Culture Specialist Nancy Lattanzi at $92,494, two assistant engineers at $82,493 and $82,555, two associate engineers at $91,929 and $96,841, Chief Engineering Inspector Sal Valenzuela at $85,134, a waste water plant operator at $91,291, City Clerk JoAnne Cook at $96,993, City Maintenance Manager Ryan Hayes at $92,782, Court Administrator Brenda Schorr at $84,038, Housing Manager Jeanne Blum at $90,272, Marketing Manager Rob MacMullen at $86,670, Parks and Recreation Manager Josh Frewin at $99,891, two police officers at $86,258 and $93,600, three police sergeants at $89,669, $95,368 and $97,864, Procurement Officer Ian Coubrough at $97,375, Revenue Supervisor Bernadette Krchnavy at $82,836, Senior Accountant Kim Quick at $90,002, Senior Planner Gary Leikness at $85,010 and Sustainability Manager Bryce Beck at $96,862.

The 27 staffers who earn more than $100,000 account for 25% of the city’s budgeted pre-benefits wages bill, and the 23 who earn between $80,000 and $100,000 account for an additional 14.9%, up from 11.4% in 2024.

The typical raise for staffers earning over $100,000 was 5.5%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, real average hourly earnings nationally increased 1.4% from 2024 to 2025, while inflation from February 2024 to February 2025 was 2.8% per the U.S. Department of Labor.

Arizona’s minimum wage is $14.70 per hour. Sedona’s median individual income is $33,284 and median house hold income is $58,901. As of March 2025, the city employed 157 full-time staff, an increase from 149 in March 2024 and 141 in March 2023.

The city manager, magistrate judge and city attorney are directly hired by Sedona City Council.