Editor’s note: This story was updated with additional information. Earnings information for county judges was not originally included when this story was first published because they are mostly paid from state funds.
Stark County employs over 2,000 people across 35 departments covering everything from parks, facilities and Job and Family Services.
The highest-paid elected official from county payroll is Prosecutor Kyle Stone, who made a salary of $156,066.00 in 2025, $161,395 when including all other earnings and reimbursements. But Stone is the fifth-highest paid employee on the county payroll.
The Canton Repository received 2025 compensation information from the Stark County Auditor’s Office. The county spent over $130 million on payroll last year using various sources such as the general fund, the justice system sales tax fund, grants and other sources.
Total earnings include base salaries, overtime and any bonuses or other earnings such as reimbursements for mileage or other qualified expenses.
Who were the top earners in 2025?
Two employees at Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery were among the top 3 earners in 2025.
Stark MHAR is tasked with leading the county’s mental health and addiction prevention, treatment and recovery system and is funded from federal, state and local sources.
Executive Director John Aller was the highest-paid county employee in 2025, earning $200,952.01. Aller was hired in 2002.
Third was Stark MHAR Chief Integration Officer Anju Mader, who earned $187,370.40 in 2025. Mader was hired in 2020.
William Green, superintendent of the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities, which coordinates care and support services for people with disabilities in Stark County, earned the second highest amount in 2025 at $191,532.06.
The fourth highest earner is county Administrator Brant Luther who works in the commissioners’ office. The administrator manages county operations and oversees county department heads. Luther has been in the role since 2013. He took home $178,011.99 in 2025.
Stark County judges are high earners but are mostly paid from state funds
Stark County’s 9 common pleas judges took home $163,792 in 2025 according to Ohio court salary information from the Supreme Court of Ohio website.
Common pleas judges are paid mostly from state funds, so their earnings from Stark County payroll were less than $15,000 each.
Some Sheriff’s Office employees earned large amounts from overtime
A corrections officer barely snuck into the top 30 earners list because of overtime earnings.
Garrett Grier worked over 1,000 hours of overtime, the most of any county employee. He collected over $50,000 in overtime earnings as a result.
Just over 1,000 employees from various departments earned some amount of overtime pay in 2025, ranging from $50,000 to just a few dollars.
The highest overtime earners are mostly from the Sheriff’s Office. Some county engineer employees also collected tens of thousands in overtime pay.
How much did the Stark County commissioners make?
The Stark County commissioners don’t fall within the top 30 earners.
Commissioners Alan Harold and Bill Smith earned $105,527.36 in 2025. Richard Regula earned $104,968.22. The county commissioners oversee numerous Stark County departments and serve as the taxing, budgeting, appropriating and purchasing authority for the county.
Base pay for county elected officials is set by state law.
Elected officials who earned more than the commissioners were Stone, Coroner Ronald Rusnak, Engineer Keith Bennett, Sheriff Eric Weisburn and Auditor Angela Kinsey.
Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@usatodayco.com Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County employs over 2,000 people. Who makes the most?
Reporting by Grace Springer, Canton Repository / The Repository
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