Pima County supervisors approved several policy changes Tuesday in response to the controversy surrounding former County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry’s furtive retirement.
Unbeknownst to county residents, Huckelberry submitted his retirement in July 2021 and returned to work to receive his regular salary on top of $12,228 in monthly pension benefits, according to the Arizona State Retirement System.
The former county administrator submitted his resignation April 4, and the board officially appointed Jan Lesher to take over as county administrator on April 5.
On top of the pension payments, Huckelberry received his regular salary from the county, which totaled $114,110 from the date his retirement took effect on July 4, 2021, through his last paycheck issued on April 15, according to county payroll records.
Huckelberry is also set to receive more than $1.1 million from the state retirement system for excess amounts he paid into his pension throughout his tenure with the county, according to a letter the county received from the state retirement system in November. He’s received $35,836 worth of those funds as of his last paycheck.
After learning of the retirement, supervisors directed county administration to come up with a new personnel policy for returning to work after retiring within the Arizona State Retirement System, or ASRS. Supervisors unanimously approved the new policy Tuesday.
The policy states any employee who plans to retire within ASRS but continue to work for the county must obtain approval from “the appointing authority, human resources and county administration.” If rehired, such employees must notify the county of their retirement status at least 15 days before returning to work.
The policy goes on to delineate specific requirements for the county administrator and clerk of the board. If either person wishes to return to work for the county after retirement from ASRS, the board must grant approval at “a properly noticed public meeting,” the new policy states.
The county administrator is also required to disclose intention to retire from ASRS at least 90 days before retirement and must have a new contract approved if a return-to-work status is granted.
Supervisor Steve Christy also put up two items for discussion adjacent to the transparency issues surrounding Huckelberry’s retirement: the county’s response to public records requests and whistleblower protection for county employees.
“It seems that there’s quite a bit of time before the requests are made and the items requested are actually conveyed or produced to those asking for the information,” Christy said, citing an email from the county’s Communications Director Mark Evans regarding records requests for information on Huckelberry’s retirement.
“I’m concerned that if we take too long to respond it will give the impression of stonewalling or cover up given the touchy nature of the situation,” Evans wrote in an email to county staff.
Lesher said the county is working on “meeting with communications and the clerk’s office, and some of the other staff, to see what it is we might do to ensure that that process is expedited.”
Christy also asked for public records requests to be transmitted to the board so “there’s no being blindsided.” Lesher said she will provide an update on the records request process and how board members can access such requests at the next board meeting on May 17.
Christy also introduced an item to update the county’s language protecting “whistleblowers” and prohibiting retaliation against county employees who expose unethical practices.
“I think in light of a lot of the issues that have arisen over the termination of Mr. Huckelberry and his pay plan, it seems that there might be issues about our whistleblower policy,” he said.
Lesher provided suggested language to add to the county’s whistleblower policy, but Christy asked the policy include “specific guardrails” that forbid those in leadership positions from retaliation against whistleblowers. The county attorney’s office will review the amended language and return to the board.
