With boost from legal claims, two Boston teachers among highest paid city workers

By Matt Carroll and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Two of the three highest-paid Boston employees last year boosted their pay by settling and winning court cases against the school department, according to the city.

Teacher Teresa D. Underwood was paid $427,522, with most of that coming from a court judgment she won against the city, said Matt Wilder, a spokesman for the Boston school department. Her base pay was less than $30,000.

Jonathan D. Bonds, with a base pay of just over $90,000, was paid a total of $318,158, with most coming from a settlement, said Wilder.

Wilder said the cases involved personnel matters. He declined to discuss their nature or even what court they were in. The cases were unrelated, he said. They are still employees, although Bonds is on leave.

Court records showed that in 2009 Bonds won a $341,000 Suffolk Superior Court jury verdict against the Boston Public Schools because Boston Latin School administrators retaliated against him when he alleged he was the victim of racial discrimination at the elite school.

The verdict in Bonds’ favor was overturned by a judge in 2009, but then reinstated by the Massachusetts Appeals Court in 2011, records show.

After the ruling by the Appeals Court, the city decided to pay Bonds rather than continue to litigate the case, and the large dollar amount paid to him reflects that decision, records show.

The only other city employee to be paid more than $300,000 was School Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, who was paid $323,722.

The numbers came from city payroll data released today. More than 3,700 employees earned $100,000 or more in 2012, up slightly from 2011, but down from 2010, according to city records.

Six police officers and one firefighter completed the top 10 earners.

Andrew O’Halloran, a chief of field services for Boston Fire, earned $280,120.

Boston Police Lieutenant Luis A. Cruz was the highest paid officer, at $266,971. He was followed by: Lieutenant Haseeb Hosein, $261,446; Lieutenant Timothy M. Kervin, $257,195; Captain John H. Danilecki, $250,687; Captain Paul M. Ivens, $236,805; and, rounding out the top 10, Captain Timothy J. Murray at $235,268.

Officers can greatly supplement their base pay with overtime, paid details, and Quinn Bill money, salary increases provided to law enforcement officers who earn degrees.

Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com .