Department of Administrative Services
Reference: Re-Appointment of Presiding Municipal Judge and Deputy Municipal Judge
To: Mayor Kenneth J. Kreutzer and Members of City Council
Through: Philip A. Rodriguez, City Manager
Prepared By: Karen Borkowski Surine, Administrative Services Director
Date Prepared: 2/27/2019
PURPOSE
To evaluate and consider re-appointing Honorable Kristin Brown, Presiding Municipal Judge, and Honorable Will Hardesty, Deputy Municipal Judge.
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREA
Safe, Active and Engaged Community
Financially Responsible
Supportive, Sustainable Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
Per Sections 8.2(B) and (D) of the City of Brighton City Charter, the City Council is charged with the responsibility of appointing, by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members in office, a Presiding Municipal Judge and Deputy Municipal Judge and setting compensation. All Municipal Court employees, except the Municipal Judge, Deputy Municipal Judges, and Prosecuting Attorney, are under the supervision, oversight, and direction of the City Manager.
Per Section 8.2 of the City of Brighton Charter, the City Council may employ such special counsel as may be recommended by the City Attorney or the City Manager. The City Council has determined that the City Attorney’s Office shall be in-house and that the Prosecuting Attorney will be under the purview of the City Attorney, who is the City’s Chief Legal Counsel.
Five City Council members observed Presiding Municipal Judge Kristin Brown and Deputy Municipal Judge Willard B. Hardesty and found their performance to be acceptable in the areas of Integrity, Communication Skills, Preparation, Attentiveness, and Control over Judicial Proceedings, Punctuality, Sentencing, Document Management, and Overall Judicial Performance.
Presiding Municipal Judge Kristin Brown has been serving on the Brighton Municipal Court since 2009. Her current compensation is $46,947.88 annually. She is required to do 84 Municipal Court sessions per year plus bond advisals as needed. Council requested a 5% increase in her salary, bringing it to $50,774.14 annually.
Deputy Municipal Judge William Hardesty has been serving on the Brighton Municipal Court since 2010. His current compensation is $90.05/hour. Council requested a 3% increase to his hourly rate. This will bring his compensation to $92.75/hour.
City Council met with each of the Judges in Executive Session at the City Council Study Session meeting on March 12, 2019.
At the March 12, 2019 City Council Study Session, City Council requested that resolutions re-appointing Presiding Municipal Judge Kristin Brown and Deputy Municipal Judge Willard B. Hardesty be placed on the March 19, 2019, Regular City Council meeting agenda.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Compensation is part of the 2019 Adopted Budget. If needed, staff will request a budget amendment at a future date; however, due to potential savings elsewhere in the Budget, such an amendment is not necessary at this time.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
Council can approve re-appointment of each of the judges or give staff further direction.