Who Are the Top 3 Highest Paid Maple Grove Employees?

In the interest of transparency to taxpayers, Minnesota law mandates that many municipalities publish salary information for their top three highest-paid employees.

Specifically, statute 471.701 requires that, "a city or county with a population of more than 15,000 must annually notify its residents of the positions and base salaries of its three highest-paid employees."

Maple Grove complies with this law, making the information readily available on the city's website.

Its top three annual earners are:

• City Administrator Heidi Nelson: $145,517
  • Severs as the chief of staff for the Maple Grove City Council.
• Public Works Director/City Engineer Ken Ashfeld: $138,222
  • Provides financial management and accounting services for all city operations.
• Finance Director Jim Knutson: $138,222
  • Oversees maintenance of city streets, storm sewers, municipal water and sanitary sewer systems, as well as maintenance of city vehicles.

Mayor and council salary information may be found in the Maple Grove City Code Chapter 2, Article II, Section 2-31.