Hank Atha, longtime Pima County exec, to retire

Atha has worked for Pima County since 1979. He currently is a deputy county administrator overseeing the Community and Economic Development department, which includes the Pima County Public Library, Pima County Stadium Districts, neighborhood conservation and employment training.

“His role has grown fairly dramatically,” Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said.

He said Atha started with the county managing job training programs. As the county began to expand its role in providing services, Atha’s responsibilities grew.

Atha eventually was called upon to take on the Kino Stadium District and library operations when the city shed its role as a library operator.

“He’s got an immense amount of patience, which is what you need in that role,” Huckelberry said.

The county doesn’t plan to hire a replacement. Instead, Huckelberry plans to take over library duties, the stadium district and economic development.

Deputy Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher will oversee community development, neighborhood investment, and employment and training services.

New public defender

Pima County supervisors this week approved the appointment of Steven R. Sonenberg as public defender.

Sonenberg takes over for Lori Lefferts, who was appointed in May to the new position of director of Department of Public Defense Services, which will combine the five existing indigent defense services under one organization.

Those departments include the offices of legal defender, public defender, court appointed counsel, children’s counsel and mental health defender.

Indigent defense services cost the county an estimated $30 million annually.

The new department will oversee budgets, planning, human resources and other administrative functions that previously were done separately.

Sonenberg has been with the public defender’s office for 20 years. He earned a law degree from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit.