HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 22145-03-2016 ORDINANCE NO. 22145-03-2016
AN ORDINANCE APPOINTING CHARLES T. ATKINSON, ANDREW T.
BRADSHAW, RAQUEL D. BROWN, ANN Y. COLLINS, SIMON C.
GONZALEZ, BENITA FALLS HARPER, NINFA L. MARES, CLAUDIA
A. MARTINEZ, R. NEEL MCDONALD, SHARON NEWMAN-
STANFIELD, JO ANN REYES, JAMES D. RODGERS, AND PATRICIA L.
SUMMERS AS MUNICIPAL JUDGES FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM
COMMENCING APRIL 1, 2016 AND ENDING MARCH 31, 2018 OR
UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS QUALIFIED AND APPOINTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW; PROVIDING THAT ALL
PERSONS PRESENTLY HOLDING AN APPOINTED POSITION AS
JUDGE BUT WHO ARE NOT LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE ARE NOT
REAPPOINTED; APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE AND DEPUTY
CHIEF JUDGE; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE
CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
That, the following individuals are now appointed as Municipal Judges for a two-year
term commencing April 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2018, or until a successor is qualified and
appointed in accordance with state law:
Municipal Court Judge Place 1: Ninfa L. Mares;
Municipal Court Judge Place 2: James D. Rodgers;
Municipal Court Judge Place 3: Patricia L. Summers;
Municipal Court Judge Place 4: Andrew T. Bradshaw;
Municipal Court Judge Place 5: Raquel D. Brown;
Municipal Court Judge Place 6: Simon C. Gonzalez;
Municipal Court Judge Place 7: Benita Falls Harper;
Municipal Court Judge Place 8: R. Neel McDonald;
Municipal Court Judge Place 9: Sharon Newman-Stanfield;
Municipal Court Judge Place 10: Jo Ann Reyes;
Ordinance No.22145-03-2016
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Municipal Court Judge Place 11: Ann Y. Collins;
Municipal Court Judge Place 12: Claudia A. Martinez; and
Municipal Court Judge Place 13: Charles T. Atkinson.
Any individual presently holding an appointed position as a judge, but who is not listed in
this ordinance as being appointed to a place, is not reappointed to their office. Appointment to a
place does not mean appointment to a specific court or division. Assignment to a court remains
within the authority of the Chief Judge as authorized by Section 10-3 of Chapter 10, Courts of
the Fort Worth City Code.
SECTION 2.
That Ninfa L. Mares be appointed as Chief Judge and that James D. Rodgers be
appointed as Deputy Chief Judge.
SECTION 3.
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the
City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where provisions of this ordinance are in
direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and Code, in which event such conflicting
provisions of such ordinances and Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4.
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared void, ineffective or
unconstitutional by the valid judgment or final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, such
Ordinance No. 22145-03-2016
Page 2 of 3
ineffectiveness or unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses,
sentences,paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by
the City Council without the incorporation herein of any such void, ineffective or
unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence,paragraph or section.
SECTION 5.
This ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
La itia Coleman Brown, Assistant Cit Attorney Vary J. r„ ity 46cretary
ADOPTED &EFFECTIVE: March 29, 2016
Ordinance No. 22145-03-2016
Page 3 of 3
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COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 3/29/2016 - Ordinance No. 22145-03-2016
DATE: Tuesday, March 28' 2O10 REFERENCE NO.: G-18707
LOG NAME: 383OREAPPD|NT MUNICIPAL JUDGES
SUBJECT:
Adopt Ordinance Appointing the Municipal Judges, Chief Judge and Deputy Chief Judge for o Two-Year
Term Commencing April 1, 2016 and Ending March 31, 2018 and Setting the Salary for the Municipal
Judges, Chief Judge and Deputy Chief Judge (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS)
RECOMMENDATION:
Kia recommended that the City Council:
1. Appoint Charles T. Atkinson, /\ndroxv T. Bnadohovv, Raquel O. Brown, Ann Y. Collins, Simon C.
Gonzalez, Benita Falls Harper, Ninfa L K8anee, Claudia A. Martinez, R. Nee/ K8oOona|d, Sharon Nevvnnen-
Stanfie|d, Jo Ann Reyeo, James D. Rodgers and Patricia L Summers as Municipal Judges for otwo-year
term commencing April 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2018, or until a successor is qualified and
appointed in accordance with state law;
2. Designate Ninfa L. Mares ae Chief Judge and James O. Rodgers as Deputy Chief Judge; and
8. Set the salary for the Municipal Judges, Chief Judge and the Deputy Chief Judge.
DISCUSSION:Appointment of Municipal Court Judges, Chief Judge and the Depuly Chief Jud-ge
Chapter 30 of the Texas Government Code (the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act) sets out the
requirements for appointment of judges and the presiding judge for Municipal Courts of Record. Section
30.00006(b) of the Texas Government Code requires the governing body of a municipality to appoint its
Municipal Judges byordinance. Section 3O.00OO7of the Texas Government Code requires the governing
body of the municipality to designate a presiding judge if there is more than one municipal judge in the
municipality. Section 18-3 of the City Code requires the City Council to designate e Chief Judge with the
duties ofapresiding judge. The City Council io also authorized to designate o Deputy Chief Judge.
On February 25, 2016 the Ad Hoc Municipal Court Advisory Committee (Courts Committee) voted to
recommend to the City Council that Charles T. Atkinson, Andrew T. Bnadohovv. Raquel D. Brown, Ann Y.
Collins, Simon C. Gonzo|az, Banite Falls Harper, Ninfa L. K8anea. Claudia A. Martinez, R. Neel K8cDona|d,
Jo Ann Rayoa, James D. Rodgers and Patricia L. Summers be reappointed as Municipal Judges for two-
year term commencing April 1. 2O16 and ending March 31. 2O18.
On the same date, the Courts Committee voted to recommend to the City Council the reappointment of
Ninfa L. K8oreo as Chief Judge and James O. Rodgers as Deputy Chief Judge for a two-year term
commencing April 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2018.
Thereafter, on March 9, 2016 the Courts Committee voted to recommend to the City Council the
[oguuuze: 3838REAP}/(}DNTMl}NlClPAL JUDGES Page I of
reappointment of Sharon Newman-Stanfield as a Municipal Judge for a two-year term commencing April
1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2018.
The following individuals are now appointed as Municipal Judges in the following places for a two-year
term commencing April 1, 2016 and ending March 31, 2018, or until a successor is qualified and
appointed in accordance with state and local law:
Municipal Court Judge Place 1: Ninfa L. Mares
Municipal Court Judge Place 2: James D. Rodgers
Municipal Court Judge Place 3: Patricia L. Summers
Municipal Court Judge Place 4: Andrew T. Bradshaw
Municipal Court Judge Place 5: Raquel D. Brown
Municipal Court Judge Place 6: Simon C. Gonzalez
Municipal Court Judge Place 7: Benita Falls Harper
Municipal Court Judge Place 8: R. Neel McDonald
Municipal Court Judge Place 9: Sharon Newman-Stanfield
Municipal Court Judge Place 10: Jo Ann Reyes
Municipal Court Judge Place 11: Ann Y. Collins
Municipal Court Judge Place 12: Claudia A. Martinez
Municipal Court Judge Place 13: Charles T. Atkinson.
Ninfa L. Mares will be appointed as Chief Judge and James D. Rodgers will be appointed as Deputy Chief
Judge. Any individual presently holding an appointed position as a judge, but who is not listed in the
attached ordinance as being appointed to a place, is not reappointed to their office. Appointment to a
place does not mean appointment to a specific court or division. Assignment to a court remains within the
authority of the Chief Judge as authorized by Section 10-3 of the City Code.
Pay Adjustments for Municipal Judges and Deputy Chief Judge
Section 30.00006(h) of the Government Code requires the City Council to set the salary for the municipal
judges upon appointment. The City Council adopted a pay plan for general employees as part of the
Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Budget. The Municipal Judges and the Deputy Chief Judge were included in the
pay plan adopted by the City Council. As a result, the Municipal Judges and the Deputy Chief Judge were
entitled to 2.5 percent raises effective December 26, 2015 (Pay Period 1). Any amount not already paid to
the judges since December 26, 2015 will be paid to them in compliance with the Fiscal Year 2015-2016
Budget Ordinance adopted by City Council.
The Courts Committee also recommended that two judges, Judge Benita Falls Harper and Judge Claudia
Martinez, receive additional pay adjustments to provide parity among the Municipal Court Judges of
comparable seniority. These raises will be effective the first pay period after April 1, 2016.
Therefore, the salaries for the Municipal Court Judges and the Deputy Chief Judge are as follows:
1. An hourly rate of$48.28 for Municipal Court Judges Charles Tyler Atkinson, Raquel D. Brown,
Ann Y. Collins and Patricia L. Summers;
2. An hourly rate of$50.35 for Municipal Court Judges Andrew T. Bradshaw, Simon C. Gonzalez,
Benita Falls Harper, Claudia A. Martinez, R. Neel McDonald, Judge Sharon Newman-Stanfield
and Jo Ann Reyes; and
3. An hourly rate of$52.17 for Deputy Chief Judge James D. Rodgers.
The salaries of the Municipal Judges and the Deputy Chief Judge may be increased in the future if the
increase is adopted by the City Council as part of the Budget Ordinance.
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Pay Adjustment for the Municipal Court Chief Judge
Pursuant to the City's Pay Plan, the Chief Judge is considered an appointed position with a salary that is
set by Agreement. However, the Chief Judge's salary must still be adopted by City Council. The Courts
Committee recommended that Chief Judge Ninfa L. Mares receive a 10 percent raise. Therefore, the
hourly rate for Chief Judge Ninfa L. Mares is $62.49, effective the first pay period after April 1, 2016.
The salary of the Chief Judge may be increased in the future if the increase is adopted by the City Council
as part of the Budget Ordinance.
Total estimate for 11 associate Municipal Court Judges for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 is
$28,049.40, total estimate for Deputy Chief Judge position for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 2015-2016
is $2,646.59 and total estimate for the Chief Judge position for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015-2016 is
$5,911.63, for a total estimated amount of$36,607.63.
FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION:
The Director of Finance certifies that funds are available in the current operating budget, as appropriated,
of the General Fund.
FUND IDENTIFIERS (FIDs):
TO
Fund Department Accouni Project ProgramActivity Budget Reference # Amount
ID ID Year (Chartfield 2)
Fl)10100 0382000 5110101 $36,607.63
FROM
Fund Department ccoun Project Program ctivity Budget Reference # moun
ID ID Year Chartfield 2)
CERTIFICATIONS:
Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Valerie Washington (6199)
Originating Department Head: Dakisha R. Wesley (6711)
Additional Information Contact: Ninfa Mares (6711)
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