Pima County Supervisors Approve Outside Recruiter for Administrator Search Amid Union Pushback on Flat Pay Raise

TUCSON — The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to hire a professional recruitment firm to lead the search for a new county administrator, acknowledging that an initial open application period produced too few candidates to proceed through a standard winnowing process. The board also heard sustained criticism from county employees and union representatives over a proposed 3% across-the-board salary increase, and approved budget remediation plans for several county offices, including $80,000 for the Treasurer's Office.

County Administrator Search to Use Outside Recruiter

Board Chair Jennifer Allen told supervisors the application period, which closed at the end of May, yielded a small pool of candidates. She said the county's human resources director recommended bringing in a professional recruiter "to shake the tree and start out with a robust pool" before advancing to a search committee.

County Administrator Jan Lesher said staff planned to pursue a "modified direct select" process through the county's procurement department, estimating 15 to 30 days to identify a firm. A separate recruitment period of 30 to 90 days would follow to build a candidate pool. The contract with the selected firm will return to the board for formal approval.

Supervisor Andrés Cano voted in favor but expressed reluctance, saying he was "not interested in a national search" and preferred an Arizona-based candidate. Supervisor Steve Christy, the lone no vote, said he was uncomfortable committing without knowing the cost. Supervisor Dr. Matt Heinz noted that Google estimates such recruitment fees at $30,000 to $60,000 and that the December 31 transition deadline was not a hard deadline given the current administrator's flexibility. Lesher said the board's original goal of identifying a candidate in September and having that person on board October 1 for a 90-day overlap remained achievable.

Union Members Press Board for Tiered Pay Increase

Four speakers during call to the public — including two union representatives and two county employees — urged the board to replace a proposed 3% flat cost-of-living adjustment with a progressive, tiered raise that would give lower-paid workers a larger percentage increase.

Scott Crooksmer, chief steward of AFSCME Local 449, said a worker earning $35,000 would receive only $1,050 — roughly 50 cents per hour — under the flat model, while a worker earning $150,000 would receive $4,500. He cited regional energy costs up 22.9% and gasoline prices up over 38%, arguing the flat raise "acts as a real wage cut for our lowest paid tiers." Cassandra King, vice chair of the Pima County Union, said she had assisted county employees through her own eviction prevention program and was aware of informal food pantries that had been established in county departments to support struggling coworkers.

Cano said he provided board leadership a written summary of his concerns Tuesday afternoon and noted that employees earning $45,000 take home approximately $1,000 biweekly — about $2,000 per month. He asked Lesher for a cost breakdown of the progressive pay model the union proposed and requested that union members be given a meeting with the county administrator to address lingering issues, including a dispute over union flyers posted on employee bulletin boards.

Board Approves Two Budget Remediation Plans

The board approved a $80,000 budget remediation plan for the Pima County Treasurer's Office on a 4-1 vote. Chief Deputy Treasurer Jake Martin told the board that an earlier February authorization of $210,000 had been exhausted, and that a planned position elimination — intended to generate $89,000 in annual savings — was delayed due to administrative and bureaucratic complications involving a required promotion before a demotion could take effect.

Finance and Risk Management Director Art Cuaron said the $80,000 would be drawn from approximately $9.9 million in excess fund balance as of period 10, and would be replenished through a FY2027 budget amendment once the position is formally eliminated. Lesher emphasized the one-time nature of the funding and said the position elimination must proceed at the start of the new fiscal year.

In a separate 5-0 vote, the board also approved a bundled remediation plan covering the Constable's Office, Office of the Medical Examiner, and Public Defense Services. Supervisor Heinz noted that the constable's budget overrun stemmed in part from an unbudgeted vehicle repair following a staff automobile accident, not a discretionary purchase.

Board Adds Second Study Session for Executive Session Use

The board voted 4-1 to add a second study session to its second monthly meeting, intended solely to accommodate executive sessions before the regular 5 p.m. public meeting begins. The change was prompted by a recent instance in which an executive session caused the meeting start time to be moved to 4 p.m. on short notice, creating public confusion.

After extended discussion, board members agreed the session should be limited to executive session only — not general study session items — and should begin at 3 p.m., giving staff time to reset for the 5 p.m. public meeting. Cano voted no, citing scheduling conflicts already in place for second-meeting days and concerns about the overall pace of schedule changes. He said he had been booking constituent meetings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on those days for the coming month.

Board Authorizes Lawsuit on ARS 13-4296

On a 5-0 vote, the board authorized the Pima County Attorney's Office to join or file a lawsuit related to Arizona Revised Statute 13-4296. The board conditioned the authorization on the County Attorney's Office returning with additional details at the June 23, 2026 board meeting.

Also discussed:

The board proclaimed June 7–13 Monsoon Safety Awareness Week, noting forecasters see a "lean toward above-normal precipitation" this season, partly influenced by El Niño. The National Weather Service warned that monsoon storms are highly localized.
The board proclaimed June 15–21 Men's Health Week, citing statistics that more than 2,000 men in Pima County died from drug overdoses in the past six years — nearly 75% of all local overdose deaths.
Supervisor Cano presented a proclamation to Mia Hanson, executive director of Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports, recognizing her leadership in expanding adaptive cycling, wheelchair basketball, and trail access at Saguaro National Park.
The board approved a five-year time extension for a rezoning at a Campbell Avenue property, 5-0, subject to original conditions limiting development to 16 houses with a 24-foot height limit. An initial motion to deny the rezoning closure passed 4-1 before Supervisor Christy asked to change his vote; the board reconsidered and re-voted 5-0.
The board approved vote center locations for the 2026 primary election, 5-0. Christy asked the county administrator to convey to Elections Director Constance Hargrove a request to investigate why Green Valley Recreation has withdrawn from hosting polling places.
The board authorized the Pima County Attorney's Office to proceed as discussed in executive session on a privileged memorandum, with the item continued to June 23.
Supervisor Steve Christy recognized the passing of Linda Barber, a longtime Pima County Republican Party leader; the board observed a moment of silence.
The board approved the reopening ribbon-cutting for the Richard Elias Mission Library at 3770 South Mission Road on Saturday at 9 a.m.
Pima Animal Care Center announced the soft launch of an East Side facility and reminded the public that free microchipping and pet ID tags are available ahead of the Fourth of July.