Pima County Board Approves $122K Education Contract Over Objections, Reverses Procurement Denial, Delays Economic Plan

Pima County Board Approves $122K Education Contract Over Objections, Reverses Procurement Denial, Delays Economic Plan

TUCSON — The Pima County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Aug. 25, approved a $122,000 contract with the Southern Arizona Education Council over one dissenting vote, reversed its procurement director's rejection of a construction firm's protest in a wastewater repair solicitation, continued the county's 2026-2029 Economic Development Strategic Plan to a September study session, and voted to join a lawsuit challenging proposed federal changes to grant rules.

The SAEC contract drew the most sustained debate of the evening. The board had continued the item from its Aug. 11 meeting amid questions about the organization's performance, executive compensation, and the county's disproportionate share of funding compared to the city of Tucson. Supervisor Rex Scott attempted a substitute motion to fund the contract at $40,000 — pegged to the city's combined cash and in-kind contribution — with a one-to-one match for any new revenue SAEC secured above fiscal year 2025-26 levels. The substitute died for lack of a second. Supervisor Steve Christy said the organization's dysfunction "starts at the top" and that the situation "stinks to high heaven," declining to support the contract. Chair Jennifer Allen, who serves as the board's liaison to SAEC, moved to approve the $122,000 and incorporate three oversight recommendations from County Administrator Jan Lesher's Aug. 5 memo: a matrix of quarterly and annual deliverables, quarterly reports to the board beginning Oct. 1, and a Sept. 8 board item to amend the relevant county resolution. The motion passed 4-1, with Christy opposed.

The board accepted the appeal of Achen-Gardner Construction, LLC, reversing the procurement director's denial of the firm's protest in the wastewater conveyance job-order contract solicitation, RFP-2600000677. Staff told the board that after further research with the county attorney's office, the collective recommendation was to accept the appeal and award the firm a contract, which will return for formal approval at the Sept. 8 meeting. The item passed 4-0, with Supervisor Matt Heinz absent from the dais for the vote.

The board voted 4-1 — Christy again dissenting — to approve a no-cost, two-year memorandum of understanding with the University of Arizona establishing the Arizona-Taiwan Talent and Innovation Hub at the county-owned Roy Place Building in Downtown Tucson. The hub is intended to support semiconductor workforce development in partnership with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Christy argued the building should be generating lease revenue or placed on the tax rolls and suggested a University of Arizona tech park as a better location. County staff said Rio Nuevo had expressed some interest in the building for potential uses but had proposed no specific alternative. Staff also confirmed the building's prior lease returned $100 a year, which they called typical of academic partnerships.

The board voted 5-0 to continue the Pima County Economic Development Strategic Plan 2026-2029 to a Sept. 22 vote, with a study session presentation and targeted-industry discussion scheduled for Sept. 8. Allen cited the plan's lack of attention to rural and unincorporated areas, insufficient focus on small-business support, undefined key performance indicators, and the absence of low-wage worker perspectives as reasons she was not ready to adopt it. Supervisor Andrés Cano said he did not love everything in the plan but would have felt comfortable supporting it that day, and backed the continuance so the plan would carry the full board's support. Staff confirmed there is no external deadline for adoption.

The board voted 4-1 to join a lawsuit challenging the Office of Management and Budget's proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Grants; the dissenting vote was cast by voice and not identified in open session. No details of the specific litigation were discussed publicly — the item had been linked to the morning's executive session.

Also discussed:

• Board approved Resolution No. 2026-51, authorizing up to $75 million in sewer system revenue obligations for additions and improvements to the county sewer system, and Resolution No. 2026-52, authorizing certificates of participation to finance and refinance county capital projects; both passed 5-0.
• Board approved a $35 million amendment (Amendment No. 5) to the countywide Pavement Preservation and Road Repair Program job-order contract, extending the term to Sept. 4, 2027; Cano said taxpayers should know how many jobs the contract creates and asked the administration for an update.
• Board accepted two FAA Airport Infrastructure grants totaling $833,554 and awarded a $683,000 construction contract to Pavex Corp. for electrical vault and lighting upgrades at the Eric Marcus Municipal Airport in Ajo.
• Board added two items to the county's 2027 state legislative agenda: flexibility for counties in structuring justice precincts and constable services, and a phaseout of agricultural flood irrigation in favor of water-efficient systems; the additions passed 5-0.
• Board canceled uncontested November 2026 elections for the Green Valley, Marana, Metropolitan, Mount Lemmon, and Why Domestic Water Improvement Districts, appointing board members for each district except Mount Lemmon, and canceled a slate of other uncontested fire, water, and health district elections.
• Allen provided a county administrator search timeline: semifinalist report to the board Sept. 22; virtual/in-person search committee interviews Sept. 30; finalist report Oct. 13; two-day finalist events Oct. 19-20; final board interviews and expected decision Oct. 20 or Oct. 27.