The Syndicate Salary Increases 2019-2024

The Top Offenders

There is absolutely NO.....

There is NO explanation, justification, reasoning, excuse, nothing that can change Point A (2019) to Point B (2024) in the numbers below. Base vs gross, pay grades, classifications, unions, pay steps, COLAs, COVID, experience percentages (formerly "longevity"), overtime, job changes, etc. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Heck or Eviston could offer up in a Commission meeting or otherwise that changes Point A and Point B. The entire country paid for this. By their own admission, ARPA monies went into their general fund, so this is city, county, state, and federal tax dollars. Every dime is spent on themselves. The Don has a vendetta that feels a little more dangerous every year. (Fear and vendetta don't mix well.)

And I guarantee there is no other place you can find multiple people with 100% increases in their salaries, or even 60-100% increases, in four years or less.

Know Why the 2024 Payroll Data is Quite Different

The City of Springfield payroll data has been available on multiple websites online since 2014 (as far back as I checked). You can search on a person's name or a job title or a department. It's public record.

In August 2024, the Dayton Daily News published an article, "Payroll Project: Springfield City Doubles Six-Figure Earners in 2023".

So, they've reported or made available payroll data for over 10 years. Every other city in Ohio had reported. And FOIA and public records laws require it.

So, I sent a request in to the Talk to Us form buried at the bottom of the page with all the Commissioner's bios.

Interestingly enough, the City Clerk's first response to my question asking when it would be available was, "On what site are you looking for the salaries? I know the Springfield News-Sun inquired and we responded back in February on salaries."

And AI responded, "For the Springfield, Ohio city government, specific 2024 payroll information isn't publicly consolidated."

So, I asked for base salary data for all employees making over $75K in 2024 for my own reporting.

The Clerk directed me to the Public Records Request, also on the website, but not linked from any page or searchable.

So, I submitted my request that had to be sent to the Law Department for some reason. They responded 3 weeks later with the files and a note:

1. What is the reason that payroll/salary data is not published and readily available (in public database websites – there are several) for 2024, and I assume from here on out. Why would the city, after over a decade of reporting this information, suddenly NOT. Why would the City of Springfield suddenly want to force the citizens to send a request on a buried form? I know the answer, of course, but I’d like an answer from a legal rep here.

2. I’d like a list of ALL employees earning over $75,000 in 2024 base salary, to include Job Title, Employee Name, and 2024 salary amount. All of which is public record.
   

In response to request #1: Thank you for your message. We are happy to clarify.

First, this is not a public-records request. Rather, it is a general inquiry regarding the City’s practices for publishing payroll information.

The City has not discontinued reporting payroll or salary data, nor is there any intent to make that information harder for citizens to obtain. The external websites you referenced are privately operated and are not maintained or controlled by the City. Those sites independently choose which data sets to pull, how often to update their databases, and whether they continue to publish certain information.

To ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance with Ohio law, the City continues to make payroll information available upon request through our standard public-records process. The online form is simply one of several ways to submit a request; it is not intended to “bury” or restrict access to any information.

In response to request #2, attached please find Gross Earnings 2024 Employee Active Payroll Balance Report. Note: This report reflects gross earnings, which includes base salary as well as overtime pay. In an abundance of caution, we have also attached COS All Person which includes each staff member’s pay grade and step, along with the corresponding pay scales for base salary. We have compiled the responsive records and are providing them attached to this email.

This completes your request. If anything changes or if you have further questions, feel free to reach out. Have a great day!

Thank you!
Sarah A. Gillis
Legal Assistant

They've reported salaries for over a decade. And then all of a sudden. Why would they stand alone in wanting to hide the information?

It’s incredibly telling that her first response was to ask me what sites I was using to look for information. I’d bet my annual salary that it’s to send legal threats to take the information down?

**These numbers are just base salary. They don't include benefits, retirement, perks, bonuses, etc.

The City's list of 2024 payroll earners over $75K that should be available online

My spreadsheet comparing 2019-2024 (last uploaded Nov 12, 2025

Episode 3: I talk about it (but I got the dates wrong about the Daily News article (it was published in 2024 about 2023 payroll

Episode 4: And I talk about it again

Salary Summary - this is the best summary by person (This is also linked and in a long list below.)

Know Why 2023 Saw the Most Increases (the Manna from Heaven Year)

Lots happened in 2023. I'm working my way through the database, but I believe this happened throughout the "organization" as American Rescue and Cares Act (ARPA) and State money came flowing in during the Biden years. By 2023, it was spend it or lose it. And the citizens were hitting rock bottom from things like being in Year 7 of a 9-year road fund freeze. We certainly didn't deserve any of our own money.

Salary Increase Summary List of the Most Egregious Examples

Click here for the Word version (last updated November 12, 2025).

Below is the list version.

Top of the Heap 2019-2024 Increase:
Katie Eviston, Finance Director: 116.8% increase (and 4 promotions)
Logan Cobbs, Community Development Director: 101.3%
Jill Allen, Law Director: 78%
Bryan Heck, City Manager: 65.35%
Leslie McDermott, Deputy HR Director: 64.6%

Coming and Going:
In 2019, we paid full salaries for two City Managers, Heck and Bodenmiller, totaling $263,726.
In 2023, we paid full salaries for both Fire Chiefs, Miller and King, totaling $308,394.

And......Drum Roll, Please:
in 2024, we paid Cobbs $151 322, a Deputy Comm Director (only she has had the luxury of) $127,626, and a company called Grow America $207,000 to do her 2025-2029 HUD Consolidation Plan (never outsourced before), totaling $485,948. And there are other job roles who have worked on the Plan before.

**These numbers are just base salary. They don't include benefits, retirement, perks, bonuses, etc.

Law Dept
4 employees (not including Prosecutor “section”)

Marc Ross was Asst Law Director left in 2020 or 2021. Was there just one position – same question for Finance Dept – wasn’t there just the one “Assistant” position prior to 2022 (law) and 2025 (finance)?

Jill Allen

Law Director (same job since 2019)

2019-2023: Salary increased from $95,920 to $159,834 or $63,914 or 66.6%.
2023 increase alone: $136,047 to $159,834 or $23,787 or 17.5%.
2024: increased $159, 834 to $170,835 or $11,001 or 6.88%.
So, 2019-2024, in the same job: $95,920 to $170,835 or $74,915 or 78%.

Jason Irick
Asst Law Director
Just using 2021-2024. I think he came for ½ year in 2019, no data in 2020.
2021 to 2023: Salary increased from $93,424 to $112,864 or $19,440 or 20.8%.
2023 increase alone: $101,728 to $112,864 or $11,136 or 11%.
2024: increased $112,864 to $120,665 or 7,801 or 7%.
So, 2021-2024, in the same job and only with the city for 3 years: $93,424 to $120,665 or $27,241 or 29%.

Randall Stevenson
Asst Law Director
2022 (hired mid-year, earned $50,895 = ~$101,000 for a full year)
2023: $101,000 to $111,970.
2024 (and 2022-2024 increase): increased $111,970 to $119,084 or $7,114 or 6.3%.
So 2022-2024, two years, his salary increased from $101,000 to $119,084, an increase of $18,000 or 18%. In 2 years as a new employee.

Sarah Gillis
Admin Assistant
Hired in 2022 -$57K to $59K. Still less than $75K in 2024.

Finance Dept
20 employees (not including IT and Meter Readers)
One Assistant Finance Director?

Katie Eviston
Finance Director
Her jobs:
2019: Accounting Budget Manager at $76,277.
2021 Budget Manager at $91,791.
2022-2023 Assistant Director of Finance at $101,116 and $114,504
2023-2024 Director of Finance $147,095 then $165,143.
So, from 2019-2024, in 4 jobs flying up the ranks to replace the retiring person, I believe, her salary increased from $76,277 to $165, 143 or $88,866 or 116.5%.

Nicole Weber
Assistant Finance Director
2019-2022, she was Grants acct, staff acct, etc. with significant increases.
For example, as City Treasurer (2019-2020), her salary increased from $69,991 in 2019 to $86,193 in 2020, or $16,202 or 23%.
(In 2021, she took a year as Finance Consultant at $57,711.)
In 2022, she was promoted from City Treasurer at $86,193 to Asst Finance Director at $108,649, an increase of $22,456 or 26%.
In 2023, her salary increased from $108,649 to $133,441 or $24,972 or 22.8%. (year from the heavens)
In 2024, her salary increased from $133,441 to $143,611, or $10,170 or 7.6%.
So, as Asst Finance Director, from 2022 to 2024, her salary increased from $108,649 to $143,611, or $34,962 or 32%. In TWO years.

Assistant Finance Director
NEW JOB?!?! Did they have 2 before?
No record of salary yet, hired in 2025, but salary below
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/springfieldoh/jobs/newprint/4851495

Bryan Heck
City Manager (same job since 2019)
2019-2023: Salary increased from $126,712 to $187,918 or $61,206 or 48.3%.
In 2019, Bodenmiller was City Manager and going to retire the next year. But we paid him a salary of $137,014. But Heck was appointed City Manager on February 1, 2019 and his salary was $126,712.
So, in 2019, we paid two City Managers $263,726.
2023 increase alone: $167,617 to $187,918 or $20,301 or 12%.
2024: increased $187,918 to $209,547 or $21,629 or 11.5%.
So, 2019-2024, in the same job: $126,712 to $209,547 or $82,835 or 65.3%.

Chris Moore
Services Director (same job since 2019)
2019-2023: Salary increased from $115,913 to $163,108 or $47,915 or 41.3%.
2023 increase alone: $141,209 to $163,108 or $21,899 or 15.5%.
2024: increased $163,108 to $173,080 or $9,972 or 6%.
So, 2019-2024, in the same job: $115,913 to $173,080 an increase of $57,167 or 49%.

Shawn Wilson
Deputy Service Director (same job since 2019)
2019-2023: Salary increased from $98,772 to $138,544, an increase of $39,772 or 40.2%.
2023 increase alone: $120,914 to $138,544 or $17,630 or 14.6%.
2024: increased $138,544 to $145,267 or 5% (reasonable).
From 2019-2024, in the same job: $98,772 to $145, 267, an increase of $46,495 or 47%.

Tom Franzen
Assistant City Manager and Econ Dev Manager
2019-2023: Salary increased from $135,092 to $167,825 or $32,733 or 24%.
2023 increase alone: $141,209 to $167,825 or $26,616 or 18.8%. (year from the heavens)
2024: increased $167,825 to $177,822 or $9.997 or 6%.
So, 2019-2024, in the same job: $135,092 to $177,822 or $42,730 or 31.6%.

Jason Via
Public Safety Director
Appointed to this new job in 2023 at $119,819
Salary increased in 2024 to $130,599, a raise of $10,780 or 9%.

Allison Elliott
Police Chief
Appointed to this new job in 2023 at $152,406.
Salary increased in 2024 to $167,686 or $15,280 or 10%. In first year.

Karen Graves
Communications Director
Hired mid 2023 as DEI Manager at $92,522 then promoted to Comms Director.
Salary increased in 2024 to $103,788 or $11,266 or 12%, in one year, maybe reasonable for the promotion, I guess?
BUT she created a Digital Media Specialist position to work for her. Trent Devine was hired in October 2024 at less than $75K (not in 2024 payroll query > 75K people).
So, her cost went from $92,522 in 2023 to $180,000 in 2024. Doubled.

Community Development Dept
20 employees - including a Deputy Director, an Admin Asst, a Neighborhood Svcs Manager (new and vacant), a Neighborhood Services Specialist, a Federal Programs Specialist (new and vacant).
And still spent $207,000 of taxpayer money to outsource to the 2025-2029 HUD Consolidation Plan and related surveys to Grow America. Click on the link for the specifics.

Logan Cobbs
Community Development Director
She’s both confused and confusing.
2019: Assistant To the City Manager
2020-2021: Left for a year.
August 2021- November 2022: promoted to Deputy City Director.
July 2024: came back in Community Development Director job.
So, 2021’s salary of $75,143 to 2022’s salary of $82,943 to not here in 2023 to return to 2024’s salary of $151,322 (came back July, earned $75,661 so I doubled that).
So, from 2021 (as Deputy City Manager) to 2024, her salary increased from $75,143 to $151 322 or $76,179 or 101.3%. And she wasn’t even here in 2023, so TWO YEARS.

Steve Thompson
Community Dev Deputy Director
(Promoted to job in 2021 probably to take over for Shannon Meadows didn’t have a Deputy Director. He was her Planning and Zoning person. I think he was probably in place to take over for her when she retired/left. But Heck appointed Cobbs.)
Promoted from Planning Zoning Code Administrator to Deputy Community Dev Director in 2021, from 2019-2023, his salary increased $33,424 or 39.5%.
His raises in 2021 and 2023 were 8% and 10%, respectively.
From 2021-2024, $99,908 to $127,626 or $27,718 or 27.75%. In 3 years.

Some Fire
$5 million in ARPA funds for FIRE PAYROLL.

Matthew Smith
Assistant Fire Chief
From 2019-2024 in the same job: His salary increased from $98,034 to $140,220 or $42,186 or 43%.
2023 increase alone: From $122,704 to $137,59 for an increase of $14,887 or 12%.

Brian Leciejewski
Assistant Fire Chief
From 2019-2024 in the same job: His salary increased from $84,921 to $139,191 or $54,270 or 64%.
2023 increase alone: From $111,963 to $133,244 for an increase of $21,281 or 19%. (year from the heavens)

Brian Miller
Chief
From 2019-2023 in the same job: His salary increased $109,566 to $167,844 or $58,278 or 53%.
They hired a new Fire Chief named Jacob King in 2023 and paid him $140,550 in 2023 and $142,517 in 2024.
In 2023, Miller was the second highest paid. Heck was and remains the highest paid.
So, in 2023, taxpayers paid full salaries for both Miller and King totaling $308,394.

HR Department
Jim Bodenmiller
(retirement benefits AND salary now)
HR Director
In 2019, his salary as City Manager was $137,014. But Heck was appointed City Manager on February 1, 2019 and his salary was $126,712.
So, in 2019, we paid two City Managers $263,726.
He was retired in 2020-2021.
2022: Heck hired him back in June 2022 as HR Director and we paid him $134,650. For half a year?
In 2023, his salary increased to $141, 524, and in 2024, again to $155,736.
From 2022-2024, his salary increased from $134,650 to $155,736 or $21,086 or 15.66%.

Leslie McDermott
Deputy HR Director (2023)
Deputy Services Director (2019-2022 under Chris Moore?)
From 2019 – 2022 in Deputy Services Director job, her salary increased from $79,010 to $111,980 or $32,970 or 41.7%.
From 2023-2024, in Deputy HR Director job, her salary increased from $111,980 to $130,028 or $18,048 or 16%.
From 2019-2024, in Director roles, she went from $79,010 to $130,028 for an increase of $51,018 or 64.6%

Some Stragglers

Kevin Colvin
Traffic Control Superintendent
He left in 2023
From 2019-2023, in the same job: His salary went from $75,828 to $130,095. An increase of $54,267 or 71.5%.
Most of the increase was in 2023, his salary increased from $88, 752 to $130, 095 or $41,343 or 46.5% from 2022. In other words, in ONE year. The manna from heaven year, and maybe they were raising his salary so he could earn more in retirement. Government does that sometimes.

This Isn't Mismanagement of Funds

What Heck has been doing since becoming City Manager in 2019 isn't just mismanagement of funds anymore, in my opinion, it's criminal. Granted, he has rulers from higher up, too, but he is the ONE who controls the money. He's not the smartest tool in the shed (there are so many tools here), and he feigns incompetence and ignorance (I don't know, I don't have that data, I'll have to have Logan Cobbs look into that), but he absolutely knows what he's done and doing with other people's money. Thus the doubling of Katie Eviston's salary in from 2019-2023 and the hiring of more Assistant Finance Directors and Accountants and Analysts and Supervisors. They have FOUR slices in the pie chart of funds. I think it's 60% or 80% that go into "public safety" or "general" fund - they switch back and forth depending on the discussion topic, which is where he readily admits to putting most everything. And public safety isn't just for the police and fire, as one would think. Again, it's "general". As in comingled.