The city of Concord remains a male-dominated group when it comes to its highest-paid employees.

None of the top 25 earners on the city payroll for calendar year 2018 are female, public records show. And of the top 51 active employees – all making more than $100,000 a year – eight were women.

It’s been a consistent trend in the city for years as men earn the highest pay, even as the city hires more women as department heads. But the city has made some progress. For example, one of the new employees near the top of the salary list is Economic Development Director Suzanne Pegg, who was hired in 2017, and earned $106,000 in 2018. The highest paid woman last year was City Prosecutor Tracy Conolly, according to a Monitor review of Concord’s employee pay records as part of Sunshine Week.

A contributing factor to the lack of women on the top of the city payroll is that nearly two-thirds of the top 51 earners work for the police and fire departments, both of which employ few women.

Those departments also have the greatest ability to boost base pay with overtime. Concord’s fire department paid out $8 million in wages last year, including overtime. Four of its 100 employees were women, three remain as active employees and only one on them made more than $50,000.

The police and parking enforcement came in second spending $7.9 million, including overtime, with 128 employees. About 25 of those are women.

Studies have shown men hold most of the highest paying government jobs, including at the federal level. A recent article published at Governing.com illustrated how women are often paid less in starting salary, which stunts their wage growth throughout their careers.

Concord’s highest paid employee – City Manager Tom Aspell made $196,889 last year, which is $45,000 more than the second highest paid worker – Deputy Fire Chief Sean Brown.

In addition to his regular earnings, Aspell is paid a monthly $400 car allowance, $250 for job-related expenses, $100 for his cellphone, and $75 to maintain his computer. He’s also entitled to travel expenses, as well as membership into professional and civic organizations. Aspell has 30 sick days per year and gets a 3-month sabbatical once every three years.

Aspell’s contract is a public document kept on file at the City Clerk’s office, however, his annual evaluation is done by the City Council behind closed doors in non-public session.

By comparison, in Dover, a city slightly smaller than Concord, City Manager Michael Joyal was paid $197,859 in wages in 2016.

Overall, the Concord paid $32 million in salary and other wages to 475 active employees and another 50 inactive employees, who have either retired or ended their employment with the city. The city paid out $3.3 million in overtime in 2018, about 10 percent of its total wages.

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