Holland Reporter

Four Ottawa County employees earn $200,000 or more annually, according to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The highest annual salary earned among Ottawa County employees was $244,672 to Judith Abraham.

The highest salary was $248,393 in 2020.

According to records, 7,142 individuals received compensation for their work from Ottawa County in 2021. Of those, 2,870 earned less than $20,000.

A report from members of the Federal Salary Council published on May 2, 2019, argued the pay structures within the U.S. government are skewed and federal workers are overpaid.

Downsizing the Federal Government, a project advocating for smaller government in the face of rising deficits, argued over 2 million federal employees earned $30,000 more on average than private-sector employees in similar fields and have more generous benefit packages.

Highest paid Ottawa County employees

Employer	Employee	Annual salary
Jenison Public Schools	Thomas Tenbrink	$244,672
Hudsonville Public Schools	Douglas Vanderjagt	$216,151.12
Grand Haven Public Schools	Andrew Ingall	$214,103.23
Holland Public Schools	Brian Davis	$209,367.87
Zeeland Public Schools	Calvin Dekuiper	$194,317.15
West Ottawa Public Schools	Thomas Martin	$190,671.52
West Ottawa Public Schools	Jeffrey Malloch	$189,320.25
Spring Lake Public Schools	Dennis Furton	$185,934.33
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Kyle Mayer	$182,284.13
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Julia Gillespie	$168,434.53
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Christopher Lamer	$156,805.98
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Michael Rohwer	$156,190.88
Allendale Public Schools	Garth Cooper	$156,142
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Margaret Putnam	$155,873.15
West Ottawa Public Schools	Jens Milobinski	$154,898.02
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Kathleen Flynn	$154,858
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Scott Powers	$154,428.67
Jenison Public Schools	Crystal Morse	$153,287.94
Jenison Public Schools	Leslie Philipps	$153,230.71
Zeeland Public Schools	Jon Voss	$152,093.15
West Ottawa Public Schools	Todd Tulgestke	$151,398.68
West Ottawa Public Schools	Brian Field	$151,398.68
Grand Haven Public Schools	Scott Grimes	$149,215
Spring Lake Public Schools	Scott Ely	$145,742.67
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Steven Goodman	$144,534.89
Coopersville Public Schools	Matthew Spencer	$143,000
Jenison Public Schools	Brandon Graham	$141,761
Hudsonville Public Schools	Patrick Briggs	$141,605
Jenison Public Schools	Mary Pollock	$140,294
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	David Searles	$139,304.37
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Rex Thelen	$138,591.70
Zeeland Public Schools	Brandi-Lyn Mendham	$138,117
Hudsonville Public Schools	Ami Taylor	$136,654
Hudsonville Public Schools	Anne Armstrong	$136,654
Jenison Public Schools	Christine Marcy	$136,591
Hudsonville Public Schools	Jordan Beel	$135,952
Spring Lake Public Schools	Michael Gilchrist	$135,514
Coopersville Public Schools	Margaret Zainea-Baker	$135,005.88
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Robert Park	$134,683.95
West Ottawa Public Schools	Jason Reinecke	$133,727.24
Holland Public Schools	Karen Sherwood	$133,725.18
Zeeland Public Schools	Gregory Eding	$133,668.15
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Jason Pasatta	$132,247.34
Zeeland Public Schools	Holly Boehle	$131,893
Jenison Public Schools	Rebekah Redmer	$131,779
Zeeland Public Schools	Nancy Clyde	$129,872.96
Jenison Public Schools	Kristy Rogalla	$127,780
Grand Haven Public Schools	Tracy Wilson	$126,870.12
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Tamela Mannes	$125,154.47
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Jessica Woodard-Robbert	$123,845
Spring Lake Public Schools	Aaron West	$123,796
Grand Haven Public Schools	Mary Evink	$122,878.08
Jenison Public Schools	Lloyd Gingerich	$122,800.40
Zeeland Public Schools	Lynn Vankampen	$122,155
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Douglas Greer	$121,955.28
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Sara McIntyre-Lindstrom	$121,877.65
West Ottawa Public Schools	Tanya Uganski	$121,845.77
Zeeland Public Schools	John Holwerda	$121,676.15
Zeeland Public Schools	Michael Dalman	$121,676.15
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Peter Johnson	$121,609.13
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Joanne Thorsen	$120,842.88
Holland Public Schools	Jennifer Headley-Nordman	$120,684.82
Grand Haven Public Schools	Lyndsey Fleser	$120,313.08
Jenison Public Schools	Joseph Devries	$120,208
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Peter Haines	$120,132.98
West Ottawa Public Schools	David Stefanich	$119,966.55
West Ottawa Public Schools	Dennis White	$119,819.88
Jenison Public Schools	Timothy Ritsema	$119,701
Hudsonville Public Schools	Amanda Thomas	$119,326
West Ottawa Public Schools	Kristin Graham	$119,218.25
Zeeland Public Schools	Ralph Neal	$119,193.45
Grand Haven Public Schools	Brian Wheeler	$118,731
West Ottawa Public Schools	Gregory Rutten	$118,687.29
Zeeland Public Schools	Laurie Poll	$118,678.15
Grand Haven Public Schools	Kevin Berko	$118,632.06
Spring Lake Public Schools	Elizabeth Boeve	$118,544.76
Zeeland Public Schools	Sarah Huizenga	$117,629.15
Hudsonville Public Schools	Kevin Wolma	$116,753.80
Hudsonville Public Schools	Joel Olson	$116,749.25
West Ottawa Public Schools	Brevet Bartels	$116,647.10
Spring Lake Public Schools	Sandra Smits	$116,395.80
Hudsonville Public Schools	William Ross	$116,280.75
Zeeland Public Schools	Craig Greshaw	$116,008.15
Spring Lake Public Schools	Shelley Peets	$115,781.18
Zeeland Public Schools	Timothy Minnear	$115,080.59
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Jessica Elenbaas-Domingues	$114,777.10
West Ottawa Public Schools	Michelle Woods	$114,732.86
Allendale Public Schools	Douglas Bol	$114,577
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Michael Klavon	$114,386.88
Zeeland Public Schools	John Tuttle	$114,120.43
Grand Haven Public Schools	Michael Shelton	$114,047.20
Hudsonville Public Schools	George Murphy	$113,648.32
Grand Haven Public Schools	Kate Augustyn	$113,447.20
West Ottawa Public Schools	Thomas Winegar	$112,644.23
Hudsonville Public Schools	Mark Heagle	$112,639.88
Hudsonville Public Schools	John Gillette	$112,639.88
Zeeland Public Schools	Douglas Roskamp	$112,611.74
West Ottawa Public Schools	Kevin Westrate	$112,150.60
Coopersville Public Schools	Brent Hadden	$111,753.26
Jenison Public Schools	Brett Cataldo	$111,668
West Ottawa Public Schools	Krista Visser	$111,312.12
Holland Public Schools	Anna Clawson	$110,974.69
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Kimberly St. Martin	$110,921.94
Hudsonville Public Schools	Andrew Secor	$110,865.90
Hudsonville Public Schools	Melanie McClure	$110,865.90
Zeeland Public Schools	Jessica Kiwiet	$110,863.16
Zeeland Public Schools	Tammy Barense	$110,684.13
Spring Lake Public Schools	Jonathan Fitzpatrick	$110,622.18
West Ottawa Public Schools	Samuel Lemmon	$110,322.43
West Ottawa Public Schools	Thomas Swifney	$109,905
Zeeland Public Schools	Thomas Degraaf	$109,798.15
West Ottawa Public Schools	Eric McCourt	$109,541.78
Zeeland Public Schools	Jessica Knoth	$109,524
Zeeland Public Schools	Allyson Apsey	$109,276
Zeeland Public Schools	Marilyn Wheeler	$109,244.61
Zeeland Public Schools	Cynthia Lubben	$109,244.61
Jenison Public Schools	Kip Medendorp	$108,850.66
Hudsonville Public Schools	Paul Bentley	$108,640.14
Jenison Public Schools	Rachael Postle	$108,606.06
Grand Haven Public Schools	Debra Mann	$108,510.96
West Ottawa Public Schools	Paul McNitt	$108,403.54
Allendale Public Schools	Gary Torno	$108,220
Grand Haven Public Schools	Jeffrey Marcus	$107,910.96
Grand Haven Public Schools	Kevin Blanding	$107,835.96
West Ottawa Public Schools	Michael Ghareeb	$107,821.40
West Ottawa Public Schools	Victor Perez	$107,696.14
Zeeland Public Schools	David Miller	$107,621.87
Coopersville Public Schools	Scott Plough	$107,570
Hudsonville Public Schools	MacKenzie Stefanich	$107,567.50
Hudsonville Public Schools	Joshua Meersma	$107,567.50
Hudsonville Public Schools	Dawn Heerema	$107,567.50
West Ottawa Public Schools	Diana Mireles	$107,469.66
Grand Haven Public Schools	Michael Roberson	$107,274.60
Allendale Public Schools	Julia Reynolds	$107,118
West Ottawa Public Schools	Elaine Stiefel	$107,105.59
Grand Haven Public Schools	Kathryn Drake	$107,090.82
West Ottawa Public Schools	Kristine Jernigan	$106,972.55
Zeeland Public Schools	Jennifer Loucks	$106,766.59
West Ottawa Public Schools	Jacob Manning	$106,621.21
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Michael Fine	$106,453.32
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Beverly Schroeder	$106,352.34
Zeeland Public Schools	Hal Bell	$106,219.93
Spring Lake Public Schools	Robin Kieft	$106,065.61
West Ottawa Public Schools	William Kennedy	$106,017.91
Zeeland Public Schools	Tiffany Meyer	$105,911.03
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Kristine Doenges	$105,735.24
West Ottawa Public Schools	Richard Becker	$105,678.20
Jenison Public Schools	Rhonda Raab	$105,467.18
Holland Public Schools	Michael Werley	$105,351.17
Zeeland Public Schools	Todd Kamstra	$105,059.86
Grand Haven Public Schools	William Robertson	$104,874.60
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Anna Harms	$104,713.94
Holland Public Schools	Kathleen Ramirez	$104,650.03
Zeeland Public Schools	Matthew Inman	$104,563.93
Spring Lake Public Schools	Amy Kendall	$104,455
Zeeland Public Schools	Jason Maynard	$104,306.36
Zeeland Public Schools	Marcia Lindberg	$104,204.80
Zeeland Public Schools	Peter Rogovich	$104,072
West Ottawa Public Schools	Robert Myers	$104,056
Hudsonville Public Schools	Matthew Baer	$104,048.50
Spring Lake Public Schools	Byron Kelly	$104,005.41
Grand Haven Public Schools	Paul Tarr	$103,956.77
Zeeland Public Schools	Marc Vansoest	$103,806.25
Grand Haven Public Schools	Amanda Sorrelle	$103,763
West Ottawa Public Schools	Wendy Bosma	$103,751.64
West Ottawa Public Schools	Susan Deforest	$103,711.87
Jenison Public Schools	Brian Gray	$103,473.07
Zeeland Public Schools	Brian Skaggs	$103,149.02
Jenison Public Schools	David Zamborsky	$102,889.96
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Meredith Kucharczyk	$102,838
Hudsonville Public Schools	Rebecca Vansomeren	$102,822.10
Hudsonville Public Schools	Christopher Bolhuis	$102,695.58
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Melinda Plank	$102,589.34
Jenison Public Schools	Kelly Cole	$102,524.81
Jenison Public Schools	Heather Breen	$102,345.52
Grand Haven Public Schools	Robert Coyne	$102,160.60
West Ottawa Public Schools	Michael Hamann	$102,067.66
Allendale Public Schools	Troy Vanderlaan	$102,000
Coopersville Public Schools	Gary Klein	$101,958.67
Zeeland Public Schools	Marie Tenelshof	$101,919.85
Zeeland Public Schools	Steven Turner	$101,889.15
Jenison Public Schools	Jonathan Mroz	$101,455
Coopersville Public Schools	Bernard Stanko	$101,420
Zeeland Public Schools	Jesse Carrell	$101,291.74
Jenison Public Schools	Caroline Clement	$101,205.99
Zeeland Public Schools	Meridell Carpenter	$101,195.74
Holland Public Schools	Nicholas Cassidy	$101,152.74
Zeeland Public Schools	Shirley Dykstra	$101,151.74
Zeeland Public Schools	Benjamin Hondorp	$100,968.46
Zeeland Public Schools	Rebecca Purnell	$100,748.66
Hudsonville Public Schools	Ryan Crete	$100,628.53
Jenison Public Schools	Michael Vanderbeek	$100,587.21
Zeeland Public Schools	Michael Costello	$100,478.93
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Gregory Shepard	$100,420.02
Coopersville Public Schools	Corey Deridder	$100,370
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District	Emily Taylor	$100,346.60
Zeeland Public Schools	Randall Bolhouse	$100,311.41
Grand Haven Public Schools	Jason Lawson	$100,226
Zeeland Public Schools	Roberta Brown-Parker	$100,223.58
Zeeland Public Schools	Richard Krachenberg	$100,169.13
Holland Public Schools	Katharine Pennington	$100,114.97
Jenison Public Schools	Julie Roby	$100,086
Grand Haven Public Schools	Jenanne Voss	$100,014.64