CITY OF TUCSON, ARIZONA
The City of Tucson, located about 100 miles south of Phoenix and 63 miles from the Mexican border, is the County seat of Pima County. Tucson is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States with a city population of 520,585. Tucson is in the Sonoran Desert, famous for the Saguaro cactus. Tucson is 2,389 feet above sea level with an average 350 days of sunshine. The University of Arizona is the largest single employer with 13,874 employees; the student population is about 37,000. Tourism is also an important source of income, adding more than $1.8 billion to the economy each year. Established by Charter from the State of Arizona, Tucson is a progressive, dynamic, full-service city operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The Mayor and Council appoint a professional City Manager to serve as the organization’s Chief Administrative Officer. Tucson’s fiscal year 2004 annual budget totaled $957.8 million. There are 4,736 full-time employees, most of whom are covered by civil service. There are approximately 462 part-time employees. This is an exciting opportunity to serve as the chief legal advisor to the Mayor and Council for one of the fastest growing cities in the country. This is a senior level management position serving as chief legal advisor for the City of Tucson’s Mayor and Council. The City Attorney serves the City by prosecuting criminal activity, defending the City’s interests in court, writing city ordinances, and interpreting the law for the city government. Advice and council are provided directly to the Mayor and Council at all Mayor and Council meetings, as well as to the City Manager, all City departments, and all other City officials. The City Attorney exercises discretion in recommending when the Mayor and Council should enter into litigation. As part of the City of Tucson’s management team, the City Attorney directs the Office of the City Attorney by planning, managing, and directing the activities of 57 attorneys and 50 support staff members. It is required that the successful candidate for City Attorney be admitted to practice law in the State of Arizona with at least five years of recent experience as a practicing attorney in the State of Arizona, preferably including trial experience. The ideal candidate should possess significant municipal experience and should have direct experience in the management of legal staff, including experience in budget preparation and administration. The Mayor and Council have also indicated a strong desire for a solution-oriented attorney comfortable with providing opinions and legal advice in a public setting: The starting salary for the new City Attorney of the City of Tucson is up to the mid-$100's dependent upon qualifications and experience. The City provides a competitive fringe benefits package. Confidential resumes should be sent by close of business March 31, 2004, to James L. Mercer, President, The Mercer Group, Inc., 551 W. Cordova Road, #726, Santa Fe, NM 87505. VOICE: (505) 466-9500; FAX: (505) 466-1274; E-Mail: mercer@mindspring.com. The City of Tucson, Arizona is an Equal Opportunity Employer.