Gaffney Board of Public Works General Manager Donnie Hardin is fond of saying he has many highly-skilled and long-term employees.

They also tend to be well-paid.

More than 40 percent of the utility's 78 full-time employees earn more than $50,000 a year, according to salary information released by the utility.

Hardin is the highest-paid employee by far, earning $150,904, a bump of more than $7,000 from the $143,645 he pocketed last year.

Although there was no salary increase or additional benefits in the current fiscal year budget, the 2008-09 budget did contain a mid-year merit raise.

Hardin isn't the lone six-figure employee. Kim Fortner, the utility's operation engineer, makes an annual salary of $115,003.

The four superintendents are next on the salary rung. John Williams, the electrical superintendent, earns $93,787 a year. That's about $5,000 more than sewer plant superintendent Ronald Pack, who makes $88,109 a year. Zane Knight, the water plant superintendent, earns $83,637; and Matt Sellars, who supervises the distribution department, earns $81,969.

Eleven of the 34 employees who earn more than $50,000 are salaried employees. The remaining employees on the list are paid by the hour.

Randy Parris, an electrical foreman, is the highest-paid hourly employee, earning $72,072 a year.

The high wage scale may be a reason that Board employees tend to stick around. The current crop of employees have worked at the Board for an average of 21 years.

"We have a lot of highly-skilled, longterm employees," Hardin said.

In addition to offering the normal benefits package, including required employer contributions to the South Carolina Retirement System, the Board also matches a percentage of employee contributions to the South Carolina Deferred Compensation 457/401K plans.

Hardin and Fortner have even sweeter deals. The Board also makes a match to the contributions they make to a non-qualified insurance plan and pays the taxes associated with the plan.

Fortner, along with superintendents Williams and Sellars have the use of Board-provided vehicles.

Hardin, though, isn't left out. He is the only employee who receives a reimbursement for the use of his personal car. That's expected to amount to about $645 a month this year.

The complete list of salaries of personnel who earn $50,000 or more appears below:
Donnie L. Hardin: $150,904
Kimberly R. Fortner, PE: $115,003
John Williams: $93,787
Ronald Pack: $88,109
Zane Knight: $83,637
Matt Sellars: $81,969
Charles Bolin: $75,067
Randy Parris: $72,072
Brice Moss: $69,742
Mark Bradley: $68,515
James Woodlief: $66,622
Jackie Carelock: $66,186
Ann Goode: $65,832
Gloria Baker: $65,208
Scott Mathis: $63,814
Tonya Blanton: $62,754
Joseph Adam Ruppe: $62,774
Boyce Childers: $62,296
Bryant Flemming: $59,467
Thomas Couch: $59,883
Jane Byars: $58,872
Diane Fowler: $58,635
Todd Holmes: $58,282
Steve Steele: $57,450
Earnest Ramsey $56,909
Terry Belue: $56,555
Joel Kim Brannon: $56,472
Ken Moore: $56,118
Bryan Paysour: $54,891
John Greg Price: $54,891
James Owens: $54,310
John Mark Vassy: $51,750
Jack Humphries: $52,291
Rodney Bryson: $50,440