By Kathryn Reed

It pays to work for El Dorado County. In 2017, the salary and benefits for three employees topped $300,000, while another 46 people surpassed $200,000.

Six people’s compensation package was more than the chief administrative officer’s and he’s the top official in the county.

“The list highlights some problems with the county’s compensation policies.  For instance, the cost of the undersheriff’s total compensation is higher than that of his boss, the sheriff,” Joe Harn, the county’s auditor-controller, said in a statement. “The cost of each employee’s CalPERS benefit is included on the list, but the reported retirement cost should be reviewed with some skepticism. CalPERS has intentionally understated the actual cost of its retirement programs statewide. Undoubtedly, higher costs for the county’s retirement program and retirees’ health stipend will need to be paid in the future.”

Harn released the numbers last week. Here is that top 100 list.

“Posting the list to the county’s website is part of the ongoing effort to increase transparency in our County government,” Harn said. “The best government transparency involves placing all financial information online in a readily understandable manner. Government transparency allows taxpayers to see how our county is spending tax money, and gives El Dorado County citizens the ability to hold us accountable. The internet is a great place to enhance transparency.”

On top of the list is the mental health director with a base pay of $239,132, and a total package worth $364,056.

Forty of the top 100 work in the sheriff’s department. While most make more than $100,000 a year, it’s the overtime that adds up.

The lowest compensation package was $180,663 for an attorney in child support services.