The city’s second highest paid employee last year was Stanley Earley, who left the city in March to take a job with Howard University in Washington, D.C. Earley’s pay included a $130,433 payout through the city’s “executive savings plan.”

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Earley also received $8,729 for unused vacation, which employees can cash out upon separation. This is less than police Maj. David Wolford, who cashed out $17,214 in unused vacation pay and $29,450 in sick leave; or police Lt. Kenneth Beall who cashed out $19,968 in vacation and $21,632 in sick leave.

An I-Team investigation this year found the ability to cash out unused sick and vacation leave is a rare perk in the private sector, though local governments are on the hook for tens of millions of dollars worth of these payments.

SPECIAL REPORT: Taxpayers on hook for $444M in unused state worker leave

The five highest paid Dayton employees last year were:

1. Shelley Dickstein, city manager: $184,649

2. Stanley Earley, deputy city manager/chief financial officer: $181,327

3. Tammi Clements, deputy city manager: $146,780

4. Terrence Slaybaugh, director of aviation: $142,371

5. Richard Biehl, police chief: $141,035