The Pima County Board of Supervisors unanimously selected Carmine DeBonis Jr. as the county’s next administrator Tuesday, choosing a longtime county employee to lead the local government after its first comprehensive search for the position in nearly four decades.
DeBonis, who has worked for Pima County for more than 30 years, will replace retiring County Administrator Jan Lesher on Jan. 8, 2027. The board voted 5-0 to appoint DeBonis during its Oct. 27 meeting and is expected to review his employment contract Nov. 10.
“I am grateful to the Board of Supervisors for the trust they’ve shown in me to provide stability and continuity in County governance and to fulfill the responsibilities of an immense and diverse County,” DeBonis said in a news release.
The decision follows a nationwide recruitment process that drew more than 70 applicants and culminated in interviews with three finalists. The board’s decision followed a selection process that included a recruitment committee, county staff and community members.
District 1 Supervisor Rex Scott emphasized the significance of the search.
“The board engaged in a full-blown search process for a county administrator, our most important employee, for the first time in almost 40 years,” Scott said.
Scott said DeBonis demonstrated extensive knowledge of county operations while presenting a vision for the future of county government.
“He also committed to being a collaborative and inclusive leader who will encourage others to bring forth their own good ideas,” Scott said.
The county administrator is Pima County’s highest-ranking appointed employee, overseeing thousands of county workers, coordinating department operations and carrying out policies adopted by the five-member board.
The position plays a central role in developing the county’s budget and managing services ranging from public health and infrastructure to housing and economic development.
Board Chair Jen Allen, of District 3, described the importance of the position during Tuesday’s meeting.
“The county administrator is the most important appointed official in the county,” Allen said. “The administrator is the fulcrum upon which the entire county balances.”
Allen said supervisors spent nearly a year looking for a candidate who could protect vulnerable residents and natural resources while finding ways to make county government more efficient and accessible.
DeBonis’ county career began in 1991 as an aide to former Supervisor Ed Moore. He later served as director of the Development Services Department before becoming deputy county administrator in 2016.
In that role, he has overseen several county departments, including those involved in economic development, environmental quality and public works.
District 5 Supervisor Andrés Cano said DeBonis’ experience would help him translate the board’s priorities into results for county residents.
“Selecting our next county administrator is one of the most consequential decisions we will make as a board,” Cano said.
Cano pointed to DeBonis’ work on affordable housing, economic opportunity, climate action and the county’s One Pima initiative.
Cano said he wanted a county administrator who would listen to employees, support their professional development and recognize their contributions to public service.
District 4 Supervisor Steve Christy, the sole Republican on the board, has served on the board for nine years. He said he had supported DeBonis for the position from the beginning.
“I have been a strong proponent of him in the role as the next county administrator from day one,” Christy said.
Christy said his years working with DeBonis on county issues had given him confidence in his leadership.
The other two finalists were Leonard Hernandez, county manager of Thurston County, Washington, and Leah Rhineheimer, assistant town manager of Gilbert, Arizona.
DeBonis will succeed Lesher, who became county administrator in April 2022 after longtime administrator Chuck Huckelberry was seriously injured in a bicycle crash in October 2021 and then retired. Lesher took over county operations and supervisors later appointed her permanently to the position. Huckelberry held the position from December 1993 until April 2022, making him one of the longest-serving administrators in Pima County history.
Unlike DeBonis’ appointment, Lesher’s selection did not follow a nationwide recruitment process. She was appointed by a 4-1 vote in April 2022, after Christy’s motion to keep her in an interim position while the county conducted a search failed.
Supervisors spent part of Tuesday’s meeting recognizing Lesher’s years of service. Allen became emotional while describing Lesher’s influence on her own experience in public office.
“She has been a mentor to me for the last two years as I have learned the ropes of public service and county governance and public office,” Allen said.
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