The most recent compensation data for public employees across seven major cities in Jefferson County — Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Littleton, Westminster and Wheat Ridge — offers a detailed look at how local governments allocate taxpayer dollars. This report includes salary information for 3,446 full-time employees and 1,853 part-time, seasonal or variable-hour workers paid by the hour.
The data, released in response to Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests, reveals wide disparities in earnings depending on position and department.
Kathy Hodgson, city manager of Lakewood, holds the highest salary at $362,825. Hodgson recently celebrated 40 years with the city. She is followed by Westminster’s City Manager Jody Andrews, earning $335,000 annually. Andrews officially took over the position in September 2024 after serving as acting city manager following the resignation of Mark Freitag, who earned $278,250 before stepping down in July.
Other notable salaries include David Frankel, city attorney of Westminster, who earned $277,876, and Lorie Gillis, the former city manager of Arvada, who earned $275,600 before resigning in July 2024. The city has not yet named a permanent replacement; Linda Haley is currently serving in an interim capacity. Scott Vargo, city manager of Golden, also appears among the top earners, taking home $275,134 and ranking sixth overall.
Across all seven cities, 58 employees earn more than $200,000 annually. The median salary for full-time staff is $87,980, highlighting the overall compensation structure in city government.
A separate list outlines the pay for part-time, seasonal and hourly employees, many of whom work in parks and recreation or the police department. Common roles include police agents, lifeguards, and fitness instructors. For these workers, the median hourly wage is $23.31.
This dataset provides a transparent snapshot into local public sector compensation and can help residents understand where their tax dollars are going — whether toward executive leadership, public safety or community services.