Agenda Packet 7-8-19 Work Session

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July 8, 2019, Work Session – Item 3 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Work Session: Municipal Court Presiding Judge Meeting Date: July 8, 2019 Agenda Item Number: 3 Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Becky DeWitt www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5616 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is an opportunity to for City Council to interview interim Presiding Judge Greg Gill for consideration for the position of the Municipal Court Presiding Judge. This is a follow up to the January 9, January 28, and April 17, 2019, work sessions on this topic. BACKGROUND The presiding Municipal Court judge performs and oversees all judicial functions of the Eugene Municipal Court. At the January 9 work session, council expressed an interest in exploring hiring the municipal judge as a regular employee that reports directly to council as the City Manager and Police Auditor do. Council also expressed an interest in involving the entire council in discussions about the parameters, qualifications and process for hiring a judge. At the January 28, 2019, work session, City staff presented information related to options for filling the municipal judge position which included draft code amendments as well as a draft job description for the municipal judge. Based on this information, City Council directed the City Manager to present the proposed code amendments for public hearing which was held April 15, 2019. In addition, they directed the City Manager to schedule time for council discussion regarding the job description and salary for the municipal judge position and to schedule a future date for council to have the opportunity to interview the current associate judge in consideration for a direct appointment into the municipal judge position. Following the April 15, 2019 public hearing, council adopted the proposed ordinance that amended the code to allow Council to hire the presiding judge as either a City employee or an independent contractor. During their April 17, 2019, work session, Council approved a job description and salary framework for this position. This work session is an opportunity for council to interview Interim Presiding Judge Greg Gill. Staff will work with council to establish a series of questions related to this role prior to the work session. To maximize the time, and to provide an opportunity for follow up questions, Judge Gill will be provided these questions in advance.