The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About26-28651 - City Council - Ordinance Ordinance No. Page 1 of 2 ORDINANCE 26-28651 AN ORDINANCE APPOINTING LISA J. SOFOS AND BRITTANY A. MCAFEE AS SUBSTITUTE MUNICIPAL JUDGES FOR THE REMAINDER OF A TWO-YEAR TERM COMMENCING AUGUST 11, 2026 AND ENDING MARCH 31, 2027, OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS QUALIFIED AND APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW; 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 THAT: SECTION 1. Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee be appointed as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term commencing August 11, 2026, and ending March 31, 2027, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law. SECTION 2. 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of such ordinances and Code, in which event such conflicting provisions of such ordinances and Code are hereby repealed.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 3. 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 Ordinance No. Page 2 of 2 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 the incorporation herein of any such void, ineffective or unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect following its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: By: _________________________________ ___________________________________ Gavin Midgley,Jannette S. Goodall, Senior Assistant City Attorney City Secretary ADOPTED: August 11, 2026 EFFECTIVE: August 11, 2026 1 of 2 7.1.25 SUBSTITUTE JUDGE APPOINTMENTS MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATION 7.1.25 SUBSTITUTE JUDGE APPOINTMENTS DATE:08/11/26 M&C FILE NUMBER:M&C 26-0594 DEPARTMENT:MUNICIPAL COURT SUBJECT (ALL) Adopt Ordinance Appointing Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee as Substitute Municipal Judges for the Remainder of a Two-Year Term, Commencing August 11, 2026, and Ending March 31, 2027 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council appoint Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term, commencing August 11, 2026, and ending March 31, 2027, or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law. DISCUSSION The purpose of this Mayor & Council Communication (M&C) is to appoint Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term. Appointment of Substitute Municipal Judges Chapter 30 of the Texas Government Code (the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act) sets out the requirements for appointment of judges for municipal courts of record. Section 30.00008 of the Texas Government Code (the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act) states that the governing body of a municipality may appoint one or more qualified persons to be available to serve for a municipal judge who is temporarily absent due to illness, family death, continuing legal or judicial education programs or any other reason. The presiding judge shall select one of the qualified persons appointed by the governing body to serve during the absence of a municipal judge. The substitute judge, while serving as a municipal judge, has all the powers and shall discharge all the duties of a municipal judge. Currently there are 10 substitute judicial positions with 2 vacancies. On August 4th, 2026, Chief Judge Gonzalez received approval from the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to recommend the appointment of Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term, commencing August 11, 2026, and ending March 31, 2027. 2 of 2 Chief Judge Gonzalez is recommending to the City Council that Lisa J. Sofos and Brittany A. McAfee be appointed as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term, commencing August 11, 2026, and ending March 31, 2027. If approved by Mayor and Council, the individuals mentioned above will be appointed as Substitute Municipal Judges for the remainder of a two-year term, commencing August 11, 2026, and ending March 31, 2027. Compensation of Substitute Municipal Judges Compensation for Substitute Municipal Judges is $64.00 per hour worked in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and $66.56 per hour worked effective April of FY2027. Funding is budgeted in the Temporary Employee account within the General Fund for the Municipal Court Department. Funding will be budgeted in the Temporary Employee account within the General Fund for Fiscal Year 2027. 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 above recommendation funds are available in the current operating budget, as previously appropriated, and upon adoption of the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget by the City Council, funds will be available in the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget, as 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 CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE BY:William M. Johnson, # 5806 ORIGINATING BUSINESS UNIT HEAD:William F. Rumuly, # 6736 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:William F. Rumuly, # 6736 ATTACHMENTS 1. Ordinance Appointing Substitute Municpal Judge McAfee Sofos [7.1.25.1 - 2 pages]