As the old saying goes, the third time’s the charm.
Last week the city of Sedona completed its third round of interviews over the last few months to fill a soon-to-be vacated city attorney position currently held by Robert Pickels, who plans to retire. Kurt Christianson has accepted the position following interviews of five potential candidates by the Sedona City Council on Thursday, July 16.
“It’s a real comfort to know that the city’s legal representation will be left in good hands after my retirement,” Pickels said. “I have learned a lot about municipal government and the city of Sedona during my time here and I feel quite fulfilled by what we have accomplished. I’m confident that Kurt will have a similar experience and help guide the organization well into the future.”
Pickels is expected to stay on the job until at least early September, which is when Christianson is set to begin.
Christianson has worked for the city of Glendale for most of his professional career, first as an assistant city prosecutor and currently as an assistant city attorney. In his role as assistant city attorney he represented a variety of departments, gaining critical experience and expertise in the many areas of municipal law.
“I am honored to be selected by the mayor and city council as the next city attorney and I am excited for the opportunity to serve the citizens and city of Sedona,” Christianson said in a press release from the city. “I will do my best to continue to provide the excellent legal services the city needs.”
A native Arizonan, Christianson enjoys spending time with his family exploring the Grand Canyon state. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona.
“I think Kurt is an excellent selection,” City Manager Justin Clifton said. “He had a good connection with all those who participated in our process and was selected despite having a very strong pool of candidates. I look forward to working with him.”
