Chuck Huckelberry agreed in principle yesterday to terms for his interim assignment as Pima County administrator.
Meanwhile, Huckelberry's ex-boss, former Pima County Manager Enrique Serna, was considered for the job as Nogales assistant city manager last night at the Nogales City Council meeting. But Mayor Jose Canchola requested, after a lengthy executive session, that the item to consider Serna's appointment be tabled.
However, sources say Serna's nomination is likely to be withdrawn because of council resistance.
Both Serna and Huckelberry were victims of Pima County's January purge.
Serna was Pima County manager from late 1989 until Jan. 4, when the Ed Moore-led Republican majority on the Board of Supervisors fired him.
Huckelberry, a 19-year veteran of Pima County, was an assistant county manager for six years - three of them under Serna.
Four months after being demoted by Serna's replacement, Manoj Vyas, Huckelberry quit the county to become director of Metro Water.
Republican board Chairman Mike Boyd said he wants Huckelberry to begin by Tuesday and that his acceptance of the interim position does not eliminate his opportunity to seek the permanent appointment. Boyd voted with Democratic Supervisors Dan Eckstrom and Raul Grijalva on Tuesday to name Huckelberry as interim manager.
The board voted unanimously last week to fire Vyas, but Boyd, Moore and Republican Paul Marsh insisted that Vyas be reassigned. Marsh said in interviews this week that the county should retain Vyas because Vyas has a total of 10 years' county experience even though three of the six executives Vyas fired on his second day in office had a combined total of more than 36 years of service to the county.
Huckelberry declined to talk about provisions in the contract, which the board must approve Tuesday.
Sources said Huckelberry will be paid $110,000 annually - or $55,000 if he stays the six months Boyd stipulated - while the county conducts a national search for a permanent administrator. Vyas was paid $105,000 a year.
Huckelberry also will bring his longtime executive assistant Julie Johnson, who followed him to Metro Water. The year-old water district also is likely to get an interim manager when its board meets Monday.
Huckelberry, 44, said he wants to "take stock in the county situation and stabilize the system."
"The key is to communicate openly with all members of the board and to disclose everything to each member," Huckelberry said.Among the complaints against Vyas was that he answered only to the GOP majority and refused to provide Democrats with public information.
Serna, who was paid $113,000 at Pima County, has been interim manager to the Maricopa County town of Guadalupe.
Serna, 46, won praise for pushing through measures to strengthen the powers of the county manager and to shield the administration from interference and meddling from supervisors.
The former South Tucson city manager was a finalist for Tucson city manager earlier this year. But even the members of the all-Democratic City Council who asked Serna to apply, abandoned him and selected Michael Brown of Berkeley, Calif.
Canchola said after Serna was fired that he wanted the Texas native to serve Nogales at least as a consultant.
Serna would have replaced Fernando Castro, who announced in November that he would resign.
Castro, formerly economic development coordinator for Pima County, did not mask his frustration at not being able to get things accomplished. He has not announced his job plans.
Serna would have received $71,000 a year in Nogales for a position that is roughly similar to that of city manager positions in other communities.
Castro was the second Nogales city official to resign recently. Deputy Administrator Lou Jeong said on Nov. 2 that she was leaving. Finance Director Chris Byroad said Nov. 10 that he was moving to another job, but later decided to stay.
