The Board of Supervisors approved a four-year, $184,900-per-year contract with County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry yesterday.
The contract, which includes a $4,000 raise, requires Huckelberry to be evaluated semiannually on progress toward meeting five specific goals.
The board approved the contract 4-1 despite Republican Ray Carroll's call to wait for the results of an investigation into charges that Huckelberry and Democrats Dan Eckstrom and Raul Grijalva rigged the award of four road projects for political supporters.
Carroll said the delay, during which Huckelberry would remain in office, would signal to county employees and taxpayers that the charges leveled last month by Transportation Director Brooks Keenan "are being dealt with seriously."
Carroll said the board should also wait until it has time to study the five evaluation points, proposed yesterday by Republican Supervisor Ann Day.
One requires Huckelberry to review and measure compliance with county procurement policies.
Huckelberry, Eckstrom and Grijalva were accused by Keenan of ignoring procurement rules in order to divert $2 million in road engineering projects to their friends, and of modifying the rules to make them easier to get around.
All three have denied improperly influencing any contracts. Huckelberry asked the County Attorney's Office to find an outside law enforcement agency to investigate the charges.
Deputy County Attorney Katharina Richter said two agencies have agreed to do the investigation.
Democratic Supervisor Sharon Bronson said that while there's no question the investigation is needed, there's no need to hold up the contract until it's done.
If the investigation produces evidence of misconduct, there are provisions for Huckelberry's removal, she said.
Grijalva said: "The investigation is important and should be expedited.
"As one of those mentioned in the charges, I welcome it and look forward to it," he said.
Eckstrom said: "People need to know that not only Mr. Huckelberry, but Mr. Grijalva and myself asked that that investigation be expedited. I'm happy to have my life investigated."
Huckelberry will also be evaluated on how well the county complies with local, state and federal bond sales regulations - including Internal Revenue Service regulations - and how promptly it gets bond projects built.
The county recently had to turn nearly $1 million in interest earnings over to the federal government.
The county sold $70 million in tax-exempt, low-interest bonds for sewer and road projects that were delayed. The money sat in a bank for up to two years, earning nearly $1 million more in interest than federal regulations allow tax-exempt bonds to accrue.
Huckelberry's evaluations will also consider:
* Progress implementing the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.
* Improving the quality and efficiency of county health care at Kino Community Hospital.
* Success in identifying where development should take place and planning for it.
On another issue, the board awarded an $11.3 million construction contract to The Ashton Co. to widen East River Road between North First and North Campbell avenues.
The project, expected to start in two months and take about a year and a half to complete, will expand River Road from three lanes to four lanes plus turn bays and a median.
* Contact Joe Burchell at 573-4244 or burchell@azstarnet.com.
