Highest paid Winnebago County employees in 2023: 15 were paid more than $150,000

Fifteen Winnebago County employees earned more than $150,000 in fiscal year 2023 including base salary and overtime.

If you expected the highest paid employee to be the sheriff, the state’s attorney, director of public health or maybe even the coroner, you would be wrong.

The highest paid Winnebago County employee last year was a nurse at the often short-staffed, county-operated River Bluff Nursing Home.

Winnebago County’s budget is personnel driven with nearly three-quarters, or $47.3 million, of its $63.7 million general fund budget dedicated to employee salaries and benefits.

Winnebago County: Salaries over $75,000

In an effort to foster greater transparency and inform residents about how their tax dollars are being spent, the Rockford Register Star is examining the highest paid employees of area governments.

Here were the highest paid employees in Winnebago County during 2023.

Mary A. Schmuttenmaer, $220,480

The lead licensed practical nurse at the county-owned River Bluff Nursing Home Mary Schmuttenmaer was the highest paid employee in Winnebago County last year with a base salary of $65,987, overtime of $143,578 in overtime and $10,915 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay.

J. Hanley, $192,928

J. Hanley is the Winnebago County State’s Attorney, serving as the county’s chief prosecutor, leader of the county’s stable of 42 assistant state's attorneys and chief legal counsel to the Winnebago County Board. His salary is set by state law.

Tomasz Wysocki, $185,000

Tomasz Wysocki is a Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy who earned a base salary of $147,041 and $18,828 in overtime in addition to sick, vacation and miscellaneous other payments.

Sandra Martell, $174,922

Public Health Administrator since 2014, Sandra Martell manages the Winnebago County Health Department organized into five centers, its roughly $11.8 million budget and its estimated 100 employees. Martell led the region through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nick Zimmerman, $173,633

Winnebago County Public Defender Nick Zimmerman has worked in the office since 2011 as an assistant public defender and was named the chief public defender in 2021. He is a University of Wisconsin - Platteville graduate and received his law degree from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 2000. By state law, his salary is a percentage of the state's attorney's salary.

Patrick Thompson, $172,400

With nearly 40 years experience in government, Patrick Thompson serves as Winnebago County administrator after coming here in 2020 from St. Croix County in Wisconsin, an area with about 90,700 residents.

Richard Ciganek, $167,721

Chief Deputy Rick Ciganek is No. 2 in the chain of command of the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department. He was a commander in the Elgin Police Department where he worked 29 years before coming here. Last year he earned a base salary of $142,788 and $24,169 in paid time off.

Michael Gruninger, $159,768

Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Gruninger earned a base salary of $128,869, $16,459 in overtime, and $14,440 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay in fiscal year 2023.

Thomas Lawson, $155,160

Winnebago County Deputy Circuit Clerk Thomas Lawson earned a base salary of $130,343 and $24,761 in paid time off in fiscal year 2023.

Gary Caruana, $154,403

Sheriff Gary Caruana serves as the elected chief law enforcement officer of Winnebago County overseeing a more than $33 million budget and was paid $154,403 last year. Caruana is responsible for law enforcement, jail, emergency dispatching and disaster response personnel. The sheriff's salary is set by state statute.

Brent Phillips, $152,305

Winnebago County Sheriff's Sgt. Brent Phillips earned $111,249 in base salary, $30,966 in overtime, and $10,090 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay last year.

Anthony Miceli, $152,111

Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Anthony Micelli earned $131,209 in base salary and $20,902 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay in 2023.

Joseph Boomer, $152,111

Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Joseph Boomer earned $135,891 in base salary and $16,220 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay in 2023.

Kenneth Austin, $150,054

Winnebago County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Austin earned $93,563 in base salary, $38,004 in overtime and $18,486 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay in 2023.

Daniel Riportella, $150,034

Winnebago County Sheriff's Sgt. Daniel Riportella earned $131,936 in base salary, $3,311 in overtime and $14,787 in overtime and $18,486 in paid time off and miscellaneous pay in 2023.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at  (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Highest paid Winnebago County employees in 2023: 15 were paid more than $150,000