Over the objection of Supervisor Ally Miller, the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved a contract to spend more than $1 million for a midtown property.
The property at 3233 N. Dodge Blvd., near Fort Lowell Road, was most recently the home of G & W Masonry Supplies.
Miller objected to the purchase, saying the $1.006 million price appeared inflated.
“I believe this is unnecessary,” Miller said.
County staff said an appraisal of the property reflected the purchase price. The property is owned by Eagle River Land Holdings, LLC.
The property will be purchased for the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department, which wants to use it for heavy equipment storage, office space and a repair yard.
“Logistically, it was an ideal opportunity when the property came on to the market,” Wastewater Director Jackson Jenkins said.
Miller said she was concerned the purchase would add to the wastewater department’s operations and maintenance costs, which could increase the need for a proposed sewer-rate increase department leaders have sought.
Miller also suggested wastewater could utilize a recently completed fleet services department facility on South Mission Road for storage and repair needs.
Deputy County Administrator John Bernal said the fleet services building was built to replace the department’s former site, which had been built in the 1960s.
He said wastewater would be better served with its own facility.
“We really do feel this is a justified acquisition,” Bernal said.
Supervisor Richard Elías agreed, saying he thought the need for the new storage area and workspace was needed.
Miller, however, said she thinks the county spends too freely, especially in times when budget constraints weigh heavy on the region.
“When is enough enough?” Miller said. “We need to stop spending money on unnecessary buildings.”
New position created
The board voted to create a new position for a director of a restructured indigent legal services department.
The new position will be titled: Public Defense Services Director. The salary range will be $101,441 to $198,724 per year.
The director will head a planned Department of Public Defense Services, which will combine the five existing indigent defense services under one organization.
The five departments include the offices of legal defender, public defender, court appointed counsel, children’s counsel and mental health defender.
County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry mentioned in a May 1 memo plans to appoint Public Defender Lori Lefferts to the new position.
Indigent defense services cost the county a combined estimated $30 million annually.
The new department will oversee budgets, planning, human resources and other administrative functions that the five departments previously primarily did separately.
Elías voted against the new position, saying he was concerned there could be a loss of autonomy among the various legal services at the expense of indigent defendants.
Miller voted against the new positions, saying she was concerned with the potential for additional costs.
