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Home My WebLink About28345-03-2026 - City Council - OrdinanceORDINANCE NO. 28345-03-2026 AN ORDINANCE APPOINTING ANDREW T. BRADSHAW , RAQUEL D. BROWN, LAURA E. GANOZA, SIMON C. GONZALEZ, MELANIE A. HOUSTON, THADDEUS A. IWUJI, KAREN B. WILLIAMS, CLAUDIA A. MARTINEZ, JOSEPH F. HENDERSON AND PATRICIA L. SUMMERS AS MUNICIPAL JUDGES FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM COMMENCING APRIL 1, 2026 AND ENDING MARCH 31, 2028 OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS QUALIFIED AND APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW; PROVIDING THAT ALL PERSONS PRESENTLY HOLDING AN APPOINTED POSITION AS A MUNICIPAL JUDGE BUT WHO ARE NOT LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE ARE NOT REAPPOINTED; APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW T. BRADSHAW AS DEPUTY CHIEF JUDGE; APPOINTMENT OF SIMON G. GONZALEZ AS 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, 2026 and ending March 31, 2028, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law: Municipal Court Judge Place 1 Municipal Court Judge Place 2 Municipal Court Judge Place 3 Municipal Court Judge Place 4 Municipal Court Judge Place 5 Municipal Court Judge Place 6 Municipal Court Judge Place 7 Municipal Court Judge Place 8 Simon C. Gonzalez; Laura E. Ganoza; Patricia L. Summers; Andrew T. Bradshaw; Raquel D. Brown; Melanie A. Houston; Claudia A. Martinez; Joseph F. Henderson; Municipal Court Judge Place 9: Karen B. Williams; Municipal Court Judge Place 10: Thaddeus A. Iwuji. 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 Simon C. Gonzalez be appointed as Chief Judge and that Andrew T. Bradshaw 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 (2015), 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 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 E 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: Gavin Midgley Assistant City Attorney ADOPTED AND EFFECTIVE: March 10, 2026 CITY SECRETARY Jannette S. Goodall City Secretary City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication DATE: 03/10/26 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 26-0196 LOG NAME: 38JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS 2026 SUBJECT (ALL) Adopt Ordinance Reappointing Nine Municipal Court Judges, Appointing One New Municipal Court Judge, Designating a Chief Judge and Designating a Deputy Chief Judge for a Two -Year Term Commencing April 1, 2026, and Ending March 31, 2028 and Approve Pay Rate Adjustments RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council: Reappoint Andrew T. Bradshaw, Raquel D. Brown, Laura E. Ganoza, Simon C. Gonzalez, Joseph F. Henderson, Melanie A. Houston, Thaddeus A. Iwuji, Claudia A. Martinez, and Patricia L. Summers as Municipal Judges for a two-year term commencing April 1, 2026, and ending March 31, 2028, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law; Appoint Karen B. Williams as a Municipal Judge for a two-year term commencing April 1, 2026, and ending March 31, 2028, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law; Designate Simon C. Gonzalez as Chief Judge; Designate Andrew T. Bradshaw as Deputy Chief Judge; and Approve Pay Rate Adjustments. DISCUSSION: Appointment of Municipal Court Judges, Designation of Chief Judge, and Designation of Deputy Chief Judge: 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 by ordinance. Section 30.00006(h) of the Texas Government Code requires the City Council to set the salary for the Municipal Judges. Section 30.00007 of 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 10-3 of the City Code requires the City Council to designate a Chief Judge with the duties of a presiding judge. The City Council is also authorized to designate a Deputy Chief Judge. Currently there are 10 Judicial Places. On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Legislative Affairs Committee met to discuss the judicial candidates reviewed for recommended appointment and reappointment. The Legislative Affairs Committee is recommending to the City Council that Andrew T. Bradshaw, Raquel D. Brown, Laura E. Ganoza, Simon C. Gonzalez, Joseph F. Henderson, Melanie A. Houston, Thaddeus A. Iwuji, Claudia A. Martinez, and Patricia L. Summers be reappointed as Municipal Judges for a two-year term commencing April 1, 2026 and ending March 31, 2028, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state and local law and; Karen B. Williams be appointed as a Municipal Judge for a two-year term commencing April 1, 2026 and ending March 31, 2028, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state and local law and; the designation of Simon C. Gonzalez as Chief Judge and Andrew T. Bradshaw as Deputy Chief Judge. On the same date, the Legislative Affairs Committee voted to increase salaries for the Municipal Judges, Deputy Chief Municipal Judge, and the Chief Municipal Judge positions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and FY2027. The salaries were recommended by the Human Resources Classification and Compensation division. The pay rate adjustments for the Municipal Judges, Deputy Chief Municipal Judge, and the Chief Municipal Judge are effective the first full pay period in April of each fiscal year, as follows: 1. An hourly rate of $67.20 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $69.22 in FY2027 for Municipal Judges Laura E. Ganoza, Joseph F. Henderson and Karen B. Williams 2. An hourly rate of $70.56 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $71.99 in FY2027 for Municipal Judges Melanie A. Houston and Thaddeus A. Iwuji 3. An hourly rate of $74.09 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $74.87 in FY2027 for Municipal Judges Raquel D. Brown and Patricia L. Summers 4. An hourly rate of $77.79 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $77.87 in FY2027 for Municipal Judge Claudia A. Martinez 5. An hourly rate of $85.00 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $88.40 in FY2027 for Deputy Chief Judge Andrew T. Bradshaw 6. An hourly rate of $95.00 for FY2026 and an hourly rate of $98.80 in FY2027 for Chief Judge Simon C. Gonzalez Funding is budgeted in the Regular Employee Salaries account within the General Fund for the Municipal Court Department. A Form 1295 is not required because: This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. FISCAL INFORMATION / CERTIFICATION: The Director of Finance certifies that upon approval of the recommendations, funds are available in the current operating budget, as previously appropriated, in the General Fund. Prior to an expenditure being incurred, the Municipal Court Department has the responsibility to validate the availability of funds. Submitted for Citv Manaaer's Office bv: William Johnson 5806 Oriainatina Business Unit Head: William Rumuly 6736 Additional Information Contact: William Rumuly 6736