County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry has kept his job - at least until the Board of Supervisors meets again next Tuesday.
Democratic Supervisor Dan Eckstrom last week scheduled a discussion on the county administrator's contract for yesterday's agenda.
But a decision was postponed because Republican Supervisor John Even left the meeting early for a doctor's appointment.
Eckstrom, who favors replacing Huckelberry, has said he is confused about Huckelberry's job status since his contract expired last month.
Chief Civil County Attorney David Dingeldine told the board yesterday that Huckelberry's contract is immaterial to his employment status.
He said Huckelberry remains county administrator unless a majority on the board - three members - vote to oust him.
In other action, the board approved spending an additional $125,000 to keep the southside's TCE clinic operating through June, while voting to slash funding for the Greater Tucson Economic Council by 27 percent.
Board chairman Raul Grijalva delayed a decision on whether the clinic should be moved from its current location at the El Pueblo Health Clinic, 101 W. Irvington Road, to Kino Community Hospital, 2800 E. Ajo Way.
Huckelberry recommended moving the TCE clinic to save money on staff. But Grijalva said that should be discussed when the clinic's funding is considered in July.
The clinic subsidizes prescription medications for low-income patients who link illnesses to exposure to TCE (trichloroethylene), an industrial solvent shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
"It took everything I have to get here this morning, $125,000 just doesn't cut it. We need more money to continue this program," Susana Ariano, a TCE clinic patient, told the board.
"I believe you should be knocking on Old Pueblo's door asking, 'How can we help you?' We shouldn't have to come here and beg," said Ariano.
TCE contaminates about five square miles of ground water on the southside. The pollution, which is being treated, forced Tucson Water to close 11 wells after it was found in 1981.
Even and GOP colleague Mike Boyd voted against the TCE clinic funding.
The board voted to cut the $500,000 allocation made to GTEC last year by the previous GOP board majority.
Instead of the half-million promised to the business development group by the Republicans last August, yesterday the board's three Democrats slashed GTEC's funding to $364,000.
Boyd provided the sole vote to retain GTEC's full funding, with Even absent for the vote.
Even's absence yesterday delayed a decision on a two-year, $230,000 lobbying contract for Tucson law firm Munger & Munger.
After yesterday's tie vote - with Democrats Sharon Bronson and Grijalva voting no - the contract is scheduled to come back to the board Tuesday.
Grijalva opposes the lobbying contract because John Munger, a partner in the firm and Arizona Board of Regents member, tried unsuccessfully in 1995 to force the state's three universities to abolish their affirmative action policies.
