Sande, Kelly Lee
NR Forestry Regional SpecNatural Resources DeptItasca CountyFull-time
FOR Fire Protecton. Minnesota state employee pay history, from State of Minnesota salary data.
Total paid
$884,947
over 16 fiscal years
Latest year
$100,581
FY 2026 · $23,005 overtime
Highest year
$100,581
FY 2026
Yearly average
$55,309
across years on record
Change since first year
+487%
FY 2011 to FY 2026 · prices +48%
Pay by fiscal year
Total paid across all records in each year, overtime included, compared with consumer prices.
Paid in yearFY 2011 pay grown with consumer prices (CPI)
From FY 2011 to FY 2026, pay went up 487% while consumer prices went up 48%. After inflation, pay is up 296% (it beat inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $100,581 | +0.3% | +3.1% | −2.7% |
| FY 2025 | $100,271 | +5.5% | +2.6% | +2.8% |
| FY 2024 | $95,080 | +16.3% | +3.3% | +12.6% |
| FY 2023 | $81,777 | −2.1% | +6.3% | −7.9% |
| FY 2022 | $83,568 | +46.0% | +7.2% | +36.2% |
| FY 2021 | $57,249 | +23.6% | +2.3% | +20.8% |
| FY 2020 | $46,329 | +2.7% | +1.6% | +1.1% |
| FY 2019 | $45,122 | −6.8% | +2.1% | −8.7% |
| FY 2018 | $48,397 | +2.2% | +2.3% | −0.1% |
| FY 2017 | $47,370 | +56.8% | +1.8% | +54.0% |
| FY 2016 | $30,213 | +25.7% | +0.7% | +24.9% |
| FY 2015 | $24,036 | −8.9% | +0.7% | −9.5% |
| FY 2014 | $26,372 | −40.3% | +1.6% | −41.2% |
| FY 2013 | $44,155 | +18.4% | +1.7% | +16.5% |
| FY 2012 | $37,289 | +117.6% | +2.9% | +111.4% |
| FY 2011 | $17,140 | — | — | — |
Each change compares a year with the one before. Large swings usually come from a partial year, extra hours or a change of job rather than a raise. Prices: Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, U.S. city average) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, averaged July to June; FY 2026 uses 11 months because October 2025 was not published.
Compared with the same job title
FY 2026 · NR Forestry Regional Spec
Paid more than 70% of the 23 people with this job title that year. The median was $94,745.
Uses the amount paid in the year, so partial years and part-time positions read low.
See everyone with this job titleEvery record
25 records, newest first
| FY | Agency | Job title | County | Base pay | Overtime | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Natural Resources Dept FOR Fire Protecton | NR Forestry Regional Spec Full-time | Itasca | $38.55 /hr | $23,005 | $100,581 |
| 2025 | Natural Resources Dept FOR Fire Protecton | NR Forestry Regional Spec Full-time | Itasca | $36.71 /hr | $25,870 | $100,271 |
| 2024 | Natural Resources Dept FOR Fire Protecton | NR Forestry Regional Spec Full-time | Itasca | $33.90 /hr | $34,065 | $95,080 |
| 2023 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Tech Full-time | Beltrami | $26.52 /hr | $24,413 | $81,777 |
| 2022 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Tech Full-time | Beltrami | $25.87 /hr | $26,819 | $83,568 |
| 2021 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Tech Full-time | Beltrami | $25.24 /hr | $15,416 | $57,249 |
| 2021 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $21.63 /hr | — | — |
| 2020 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $21.10 /hr | $5,290 | $46,329 |
| 2020 | Natural Resources Dept OSD MR Region 1 Equipment | General Repair Worker Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $22.77 /hr | — | — |
| 2019 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $20.64 /hr | $8,410 | $45,122 |
| 2019 | Natural Resources Dept OSD MR Region 1 Equipment | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $20.64 /hr | — | — |
| 2018 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $20.19 /hr | $11,395 | $48,397 |
| 2018 | Natural Resources Dept OSD MR Region 1 Equipment | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $20.19 /hr | — | — |
| 2017 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $19.79 /hr | $5,659 | $47,370 |
| 2017 | Natural Resources Dept OSD MR Region 1 Equipment | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $19.79 /hr | — | — |
| 2016 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $19.31 /hr | $6,141 | $30,213 |
| 2015 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $18.84 /hr | $5,178 | $24,036 |
| 2015 | MN St Colleges & Universities MnSCU NW Bemidji TC Faculty | Tech College Faculty Part-time · left during year | Beltrami | $282 /2 wk | — | — |
| 2014 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $17.83 /hr | $4,634 | $26,372 |
| 2014 | MN St Colleges & Universities MnSCU NW Bemidji TC Faculty | Tech College Faculty Part-time · left during year | Beltrami | $565 /2 wk | — | — |
| 2013 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Resp Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $16.90 /hr | $9,549 | $44,155 |
| 2013 | MN St Colleges & Universities MnSCU NW Bemidji TC Faculty | Tech College Faculty Part-time · left during year | Beltrami | $3,692 /2 wk | — | — |
| 2012 | MN St Colleges & Universities MnSCU NW Bemidji TC Faculty | Tech College Faculty Part-time | Beltrami | $1,412 /2 wk | $11,859 | $37,289 |
| 2012 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Response Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $16.17 /hr | — | — |
| 2011 | Natural Resources Dept FOR R1 Bemidji Asst Staff | NR Forest Fire Response Lead Full-time · left during year | Beltrami | $15.70 /hr | $2,825 | $17,140 |
The state reports one pay total per person per year, covering all of their positions, so it appears on one of that year’s lines and the others show no separate pay.
Highest paid in Natural Resources Dept
FY 2026, amount paid
- Lais, Daniel R$215,649State Prog Admin Manager Sr
- Smith, Rodmen E$205,052NR Dir - Enforcement
- Naramore, Barbara Lynn$198,561Deputy Commr Natural Resources
- Strommen, Sarah$197,945Commissioner-Natural Resources
- Lotthammer, Shannon M$186,471Asst Commr NR Operations
- Richards, Jess W$185,409Asst Commr NR Operations
- Meier, Robert H$185,344Asst Commr NR Operations
- Gorecki, Robert Andrew$184,600NR Asst Dir - Enforcement
Highest paid as NR Forestry Regional Spec
FY 2026, amount paid
- McGuire, Andrew J$129,401Natural Resources Dept
- Wilson, James V$129,224Natural Resources Dept
- Wiley, Daniel J$113,881Natural Resources Dept
- Olson, Blair$111,630Natural Resources Dept
- Baysal, Cassandra J$108,998Natural Resources Dept
- Meyer, Joseph V$101,146Natural Resources Dept
- Nelson, Bennett Charles$99,326Natural Resources Dept
- Palmer, Michael Anthony$98,920Natural Resources Dept