HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2C: Appointments to Judicial Evaluation Committee
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UGENE ITY OUNCIL
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Appointments to Judicial Evaluation Committee
Meeting Date: April 26, 2010 Agenda Item Number: 2C
Department: Municipal Court Staff Contact: Jeff Perry
www.ci.eugene.or.us Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5019
ISSUE STATEMENT
This is a consent calendar item to review the Mayor’s nomination to the citizen Judicial Evaluation
Committee and to appoint committee members.
BACKGROUND
By Eugene Code, the City Council may initiate a formal judicial evaluation process every four years.
The most recent formal evaluation occurred in 2006, and a subsequent evaluation is due in 2010. The
current presiding judge, Judge Wayne Allen, has served the Municipal Court for approximately 17
years. In that timeframe, three formal evaluations have been completed. The last judicial evaluation
report was presented to the City Council at a work session on May 22, 2006. On June 14, 2006, the City
Council discussed the report findings with Presiding Judge Wayne Allen in a work session, formally
accepted the evaluation report, and reappointed Judge Allen.
As defined by Eugene Code, Section 2.011, the judicial evaluation committee shall be nominated by the
Mayor and include one member of the City’s Human Rights Commission, two attorneys familiar with
the Eugene Municipal Court, and at least two other persons generally familiar with the judicial system.
The nomination for the position from the Human Rights Commission is Raydeen Cuffe. The
nominations for attorney representatives are Greg Hazarabedian and Dan Neal. The nominations for
other persons familiar with the judicial system are Judge Kip Leonard, Linda Mora and Kathy
Cunningham.
The committee will submit its report to the council at a work session in June 2010, at which time
councilors may discuss the report’s findings with the committee members. A public hearing will be
scheduled after this work session. At a second session in June, councilors will meet with Presiding
Municipal Court Judge Wayne Allen to discuss the report’s findings, feedback from the public hearing
and court issues in general. City Council action to formally accept the report will be scheduled prior to
June 30, 2010.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
Eugene Code, Section 2.011 allows for a formal evaluation of the City’s Presiding Judge once every
four years by a citizen evaluation committee. The last formal evaluation was conducted in 2006.
Citizen evaluation of a judge’s performance is an excellent opportunity for citizen involvement in local
government, and is a practice which is unique to the City of Eugene.
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COUNCIL OPTIONS
The council has the following options:
1)Approve the Mayor’s recommendations and, by consent, appoint the nominated individuals
to the Judicial Evaluations Committee.
2)Reappoint Judge Allen without convening a citizen evaluation effort.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends approving the Mayor’s recommendation and, by consent, appointing the
nominated individuals to the Judicial Evaluation Committee.
SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to appoint the nominated individuals to the Judicial Evaluation Committee for 2010.
ATTACHMENTS
Note: Nominee applications will be provided at the April 26, 2010, City Council Meeting.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Jeff Perry
Telephone: (541) 682-5019
Staff E-Mail: jeff.j.perry@ci.eugene.or.us
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