Council accepts city attorney Kirk Christiansen’s resignation, names Monique Cody interim

The Sedona City Council on June 9 accepted the resignation of city attorney Kirk Christiansen, effective Aug. 13, and appointed Monique Cody as interim city attorney effective Aug. 14 while launching a recruitment for the permanent position.

A council member moved that council “accept reluctantly the resignation of city attorney Kirk Christiansen effective August 13 and further that we express our deep gratitude to him, and we wish him and his family all the best with their relocation, and further, that Monique Cody be appointed as interim city attorney effective August 14, and that a recruitment process to fill the city attorney position permanently start immediately as per direction given in executive session.” The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The presiding officer said of the departing attorney, “I just want to say that I’m excited for Kirk and sad for us,” adding that Christiansen is relocating to Atlanta to pursue private-sector opportunities and that he had served the city for five years. The council did not record the substance of the executive session; the meeting cited Arizona’s open-meeting statute, ARS 38-431.03(A)(1) and (3), as authority to meet in closed session for personnel discussion and legal advice.

The council’s action establishes Monique Cody as interim city attorney effective the day after Christiansen’s resignation takes effect and directs staff to begin recruiting for a permanent replacement. The meeting record does not show a roll-call vote tally; the motion passed by voice vote.

The meeting was adjourned to reconvene at 3:30 p.m.