Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry wins 4-year contract extension

The vote on Tuesday morning had the three Democrats — Sharon Bronson, Richard Elías, Ramón Valadez — praising his accomplishments and the two Republicans arguing for a change in direction.

Supervisors Steve Christy and Ally Miller voted against renewing his contract.

The new contract includes an $8,000 raise, increasing his annual base salary to $288,000.

With other financial benefits that are part of his contract, he makes about $326,865, according to county records.

Also included in the new contract is a $550 monthly car allowance. Under his old contract, Huckelberry was issued a county vehicle.

As county administrator, he has been the county’s highest ranking non-elected official for the last 23 years.

At his first meeting since being elected in November, Christy criticized the process to renew Huckelberry’s contract.

“It is totally alien to me,” he said, comparing to his private sector experience.

“What makes you think you deserve a raise? Christy asked, then challenging Huckelberry to explain how the county would find the money to pay for the raise.

Huckelberry did not make any public statements during the board’s discussion about his contract.

Elías told the audience, many who attended to voice opposition to renewing his contract, he respects Huckelberry but doesn’t always agree with him — specifically noting the controversial plan involving a proposal by Monsanto to build a greenhouse on the northwest side.

He said Huckelberry’s contract is a political issue, pointing out that Christy campaigned on a promise to fire him if elected.

Elías said Huckelberry is under constant scrutiny, not just every four years.

“Frankly, he is under review every week,” Elías said

Elías praised him as a high-functioning professional with decades of institutional knowledge.

Valadez reminded the audience that Huckelberry kept the county running during hard economic times without resorting to large property tax rate increases. He conceded there were increases but labeled them as stable, predictable increases.

Comparing Pima County to other counties isn’t fair, he argued. If Pima County was a city — it would be the fifth largest in the state, he said.

Miller raised a number of concerns about Huckelberry’s contract.

“I believe the salary package is way out of line,” Miller said, citing the average salary for county administrator nationwide is significantly lower.

Miller added that under Huckelberry’s leadership, the county has failed to keep its promise to sheriff’s deputies about pay increases, failed to fix roads and oversaw significant cost increases on the new courthouse.

Kevin Kubitskey, chairman of the deputy sheriff’s association, asked the supervisors to reject the contract.

“The continued support of Mr. Huckelberry by the Board of Supervisors is directly damaging to the morale of our members of the department, and our faith in Pima County leadership. Change is hard, but it is what people want right now,” Kubitskey wrote in a two-page statement given to the board.