Back to Main Page

Caroline Officials: What Do They Make?
By Brandon Shulleeta

Caroline Superintendent of Schools Stanley Jones receives a salary of $126,000 this fiscal year--more than any Caroline official.

The five percent raise for the 2006/2007 fiscal year was approved by the school board over the summer and increased Jones’ pay by $6,000 from the prior year.

William Anderson, vice chairman of the Caroline School Board, said the salary increase was awarded to Jones as part of an across-the-board increase to school officials. Anderson said that Jones is worth far more than his salary pay.

“He has so much knowledge, not only about the operation of the schools but [also] the operation of the county,” Anderson said. “We’re just so fortunate to have someone like him.”

Anderson, who is expected to be named next year to chair the school board for one term, said that he will support Jones for as long as the superintendent seeks to hold the school system’s top position.

Jones has worked in the Caroline school system off and on for the past four decades and has been the superintendent since 2001.

By a significant margin, Jones’ salary now surpasses the salaries of superintendents serving King George and Westmoreland counties, which have comparable population and growth rates as Caroline County.

The superintendent of King George is paid $113,727 for the 2006/2007 fiscal year. The Westmoreland superintendent is paid $94,403.

However, larger counties granted far more to their superintendents this year than Caroline.

Loudoun County awarded $215,775 to its superintendent. Hanover awarded $181,000.

When comparing all county officials, those from Caroline largely make less money than those from King George, but more than officials from Westmoreland. The Caroline Board of Supervisors is the largest exception to the trend.

Each member of the Caroline Board of Supervisors is paid $16,538 a year, while King George and Westmoreland board members are paid $5,000 to $6,500 respectively.

In Caroline, County Administrator Percy Ashcraft is the second highest paid official, earning $110,775. The salary falls short of the $132,000 paid to King George’s county administrator, and surpasses the $95,605 salary of the Westmoreland county administrator.

Vice Chair Anderson, of the school board, describes Superintendent Jones as humble and dedicated in his services to Caroline. He said that Jones could make far more money in a larger county, but the military veteran continues to serve Caroline because of his love for the people.

Members of the Caroline Sheriff’s Office have a similar sentiment for their motivations to serve Caroline County.

Labeled an aggressive and tireless law enforcement officer by colleagues, Captain Scott Moser, who has served more than 18 years with the sheriff’s office, is paid $50,467 for the current fiscal year.

The captain said that his colleagues put their lives on the line, for the residents of Caroline County, not for the money.

Sheriff Tony Lippa fares more than $5,000 better than Westmoreland’s sheriff. Lippa’s $76,658 salary for the 2006/2007 fiscal year is more than $4,000 less than that of King George’s sheriff.

Members of the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, like other constitutional officers, are paid primarily through the state compensation board with a supplement from county funds.

Other county government positions--including the director of public works, director of economic development and planning director among others--are paid entirely through the county budget. The county budget is put to a vote by the board of supervisors each June to be adopted by July 1 for the fiscal year.

The superintendent of schools is paid through the school budget, which is adopted and approved by both the school board and the board of supervisors each year.

As of next month, the budgets of both boards will pass the six month mark for the fiscal year. Budget negotiations begin soon for the 2007/2008 fiscal year budget.