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Clifton Forge Town Manager Darlene Burcham: perhaps the best-compensated town manager per capita in the entire state of Virginia.

UPDATED: Burcham Pay Deal Involves $150,000 Yearly Town Expense
Expense Is At Least $88.12 Per Local Household; Grants Received Noted
By Jerry E. Clark
 
(Editor's note: due to our belief that the proposed cost of getting all the documents produced by the town to get every cost involving the employment of Darlene Burcham as Clifton Forge Town Manger completely detailed, we'll settle for the facts we are able to obtain from other state and local sources. The differences in total costs will be minor. If the town would like to correct any part of the figures produced here, we would be glad to make those adjustments. We have listed the grants the Mayor left with us sometime ago, but do not have any estimate of town-related costs involved with those grants. ).

Clifton Forge, VA (April 22, 2017) - Darlene Burcham's employment contract, in full, will appear at the bottom of this article. Readers may download a copy.

Here is a brief summary of the most significant financial aspects of that contract. We do NOT claim that this listing includes all the costs and we'll provide notes where necessary to indicate unknown items.

1) Salary, $105,171,000 through June 30, 2017. (The council just voted to give Mrs. Burcham a $3,000 additional raise).

2) Employer (Town of Clifton Forge) FICA tax =$13,041; Medicare, $3,050. Total= $16,091.

3. VRS (Virginia Retirement System match by the town). Approximately 13.49% or $14,188.

4. 20 days paid vacation. "Sick leave and holidays shall be paid in accordance with personnel policies and regulations governing other full-time salaried employees." If the town allows these days to accumulate and later be paid if unused, we don't know. If so, that cost could be substantial. If no, there is no extra cost. We're happy for the town to enlighten us.

5. Virginia Retirement System life insurance contribution. Point 52% (.0052) times the salary of $105,171 or about $546.89

6. Medical and dental coverage at about $600 per month. At least $7,200.

7. $200 PER MONTH "retention bonus" to a deferred compensation interest bearing account or annuity for "the benefit of Darlene L. Burcham. Not payable until her employments end, but principle and interest would be due then. $200x 12 months per year or $2400 per year.

8. $350 per month "as a vehicle allowance" plus "standard mileage rate for any business use of the vehicle beyond the greater Clifton Forge area....which is later defined as travel to locations greater than a sixty (60 mile radius of Clifton Forge). We do not know how much Mrs. Burcham receives in annual mileage dollars. $350 x 12 is her vehicle allowance or at least $4,200.

Total Costs Of Which We Are Aware - $149,796.89, plus mileage, plus other official travel-related expenses, plus subscription and dues to professional publications and professional organization plus a soon-to-be acquired new laptop computer (the cost of which is not yet known to us). As noted above, we do not know if sick days may be accumulated and then paid at some future date, nor even the number of sick days that are allowed. Twenty (20) vacation days per year is part of the contract.

As Clifton Forge Mayor Carl Brinkley accurately noted recently, "Darlene Burcham has been a part of bringing in tens of thousands of dollars in grants over her term of employment with us. I'd have been willing to pay her $125,000 a year."

The mayor did drop off an extensive list of grants that Mrs. Burcham has been instrumental in acquiring for the town (see below)*.

Many other intangible benefits of Mrs. Burcham's leadership involving town events, numerous new ideas and concepts she has introduced and representations of the town in area, regional or state governmental or social settings should not be minimized.

To download a copy of the Burcham/Town of Clifton Forge employment contract we were able to obtain under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, please click here

(Editor's note 1 : page 2 of the contract has two side notes we made after visiting the Virginia Retirement System's website. We have done our best to make the most accurate estimate of both those costs - but once again, would be HAPPY to make any corrections if the rates are not fully accurate.

Editor's note 2: if citizens would like to get a feel for the average per person cost for this employment contract, our best estimate is that Clifton Forge has about 3650 residents - that would yield a per capita employment expense of $41.04).

* Here is a list of grants received during the tenure of Town Manager Darlene Burcham (list provided by the Mayor) As noted above: the Journal does not possess information assessing any costs involved in acquring the below noted grants.

Town Grants (2011-2017)


Fire Department, Generator Switch, $4,850; DGIF Boat Launch, $10,000; ARC Access Road Business Park, $1,000,000; VDOT Access Road Business Park, $830,000; VML Safety Grant, $2070; DCR #3 EAP Dam, $4,100; DCR EAP Dam, $7500; DCR Dam Safety Grarnt, $8,500; VDOT Smith Creek Trail, Seq #2, $274,973; Alleghany Foundation Smith Creek Trail Seg. #3, $150,144; Alleghany Foundation Linden Park, $324,838; Alleghany Foundation Business Park Design, $50,000; Alleghany Foundation Library Grants, $25,322; Alleghany Foundation Asbestos, $40,000; USDA Business Incubator, $21,803; CDBG Roxbury, $1,172,000; Alleghany Foundation Roxbury, $145,000; Alleghany Foundation Roxbury (2), $145,000; VDOT C&O Heritage Center, $420,000; Police Department - Byrn Grant, $2,581; DHCD Broadband, $50,000; AlleghanyFoundation Broadband, $5,000; Alleghany Foundation Summer Intern Grants, $5500; Alleghany Foundation Linden Park, $55,000; Alleghany Foundation Curb Appeal, $11,000; USDA Water Treatment (Dam), $25,000; VML Safety Grarnts (7), $20,165; Byrne Police Equipment Grant, $4,000; Byrne Police Equipment Grant, $22,616; CDBG Planning Grant Roxbury, $30,000; CSX Firing Range Grarnt, $3,000; Alleghany Foundation Historic District, $50,000; Dept. of Historic Resources, $10,000; Southwest RCAP -Sewer, $10,000; MWV Scoreboard Grarnt, $3,300; Commission on Arts, $30,000; Virginia Depatment of HEalth -Fluoride Grants, $34,762; DHCD RF-Masonic Theatre, $250,000 and Alleghany Foundation Business Park Design, $50,000. Total, 39 grants for $5,308,024.
 
 
 

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