Sturgis-Coldwater News

18 Branch County employees earn $100,000 or more annually, according to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The highest annual salary earned among Branch County employees was $142,826.76 to Joseph Lopez.

The highest salary was $171,444.63 in 2019.

According to records, 937 individuals received compensation for their work from Branch County in 2020. Of those, 346 earned less than $20,000.

A report from members of the Federal Salary Council published on May 2, 2019, argued the pay structures within the U.S. government are skewed and federal workers are overpaid.

Downsizing the Federal Government, a project advocating for smaller government in the face of rising deficits, argued over 2 million federal employees earned $30,000 more on average than private-sector employees in similar fields and have more generous benefit packages.

Highest paid Branch County employees

Employer	Employee	Annual salary
Branch County Intermediate School District	Kristine Jenkins	$142,826.76
Union City Community Schools	Ronna Steel	$126,499.94
Branch County Intermediate School District	Randall Sowles	$120,596
Branch County Intermediate School District	Darrin Adair	$119,996
Quincy Community Schools	Marc Kramer	$117,285
Coldwater Community Schools	William Milnes	$116,535.40
Coldwater Community Schools	Amanda Miller	$111,594.40
Union City Community Schools	Christopher Katz	$111,463.04
Branch County Intermediate School District	Diane Shiery	$111,232
Coldwater Community Schools	Julie Slusher	$109,953.20
Coldwater Community Schools	Tobi Reardon	$104,817.77
Branch County Intermediate School District	Viveca Skean	$104,761
Coldwater Community Schools	Krista Searls	$103,824.94
Branch County Intermediate School District	Hilary Curtis	$103,764
Coldwater Community Schools	Gary Dancer	$102,582.02
Branch County Intermediate School District	Cynthia Rowe	$101,929
Coldwater Community Schools	Todd Farmer	$100,353
Branch County Intermediate School District	Raymond Wheaton	$100,119