Presenter says Lowell City fire department top pay reached $245,943, including $57,461 in overtime

A presenter at a meeting said the highest-paid member of the Lowell City fire department had a base salary of $125,606 and total compensation of $245,943, including $57,461 in overtime. The presenter framed the overtime cost as a staffing issue and suggested that the overtime sum "could have supported a person."

The figures were reported by the presenter as part of a review of department pay; the meeting transcript does not show supporting payroll documents or a response from other meeting participants. The presenter said the base amount and the overtime total during consecutive remarks and then noted that the overtime portion could have been used to cover an additional position.

The meeting record included no motion, vote, or recorded direction to staff about changing staffing or payroll practices on this item. The transcript does not show any follow-up action or request for independent verification of the payroll numbers during the session.