Supervisor criticized for bid to give constituent free parking

A Pima County supervisor’s effort to maintain free parking for a constituent to attend their meetings could be a violation of non-interference rules, the county administrator says.

The issue stems from Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller’s bid to reserve a free parking spot in the employee parking area of an underground parking garage for an Oro Valley resident who attends most of the weekly supervisors meetings.

The resident, Geri Ottoboni, comments at most meetings during the call to the public.

At Miller’s request, Ottoboni had been parking in the A-Level parking garage handicapped spaces in the basement of the County Administration Building, directly under the supervisors’ meeting room.

“These parking spaces sit empty, I rarely see anyone parked in them,” she said.

Miller said the regular or handicapped parking at the public El Presidio Parking Garage to the north of the administration building was too difficult a walk for Ottoboni.

She made a motion to allow residents in need of accommodation to access board meetings or county facilities generally A-Level parking and pay if necessary.

The motion failed for lack of a second.

Supervisor Richard Elías said the county already makes accommodations for people with disabilities and doesn’t need a policy change, noting instructions on how to request the accommodation are listed on the front page of every board agenda.

That notice reads: “The Board Hearing Room is wheelchair and handicapped accessible. Any person who is in need of special services (e.g., assistive listening device, Braille or large print agenda material, signer for hearing impaired, accessible parking, etc.) due to any disability will be accommodated. Please contact the Clerk of the Board at (520) 724-8449 for these services at least three (3) business days prior to the Board Meeting.”

Miller said she was not aware of the published notice.

County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry’s memo on the issue notes the clerk of the board has not received any request for special parking or other accommodations.

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The memo also notes a potential violation of county code connected with the issue.

In arranging for the A-Level parking space for Ottoboni, Miller contacted a facilities management employee through email asking that a space at the garage be available on meeting days.

“I would like to request you continue allowing a resident of district 1 who is disabled and elderly to park in the A level parking garage,” Miller wrote.

A copy of the email was provided at the meeting.

Huckelberry wrote in his memo to the board that he would discuss a possible violation of the noninterference rule with the county attorney.

The noninterference provision is intended to prevent board members or their staffers from giving orders to county employees who don’t work for them.

Huckelberry said the reason for the rule was to keep employees free from board politics.

Miller said she did not violate the rule.

“I never sent a memo or directed anyone to do anything,” she said during the discussion.

After the meeting, Miller questioned why the board was even making an issue out of the parking.

“At the end of the day, an accommodation for a senior citizen who is disabled should never even have been discussed,” she said.