Gadsden Council considers municipal judges' positions; pay, personnel changes possible

A change in administration may bring change for Gadsden's municipal court judges in terms of compensation and possibly in who serves in those positions.

After Tuesday's meeting, Gadsden City Council members have heard from four people interested in two municipal judge job slots — including those who currently hold the positions: Presiding Judge Patricia Granger and backup Judge Nikki Tinker.

Attorneys Davis Varner and Jonathan Welch also have expressed interest in serving as municipal judges.

The process for naming judges calls for the council to give the mayor's office two names, then for the mayor to decide who will serve as presiding judge and who will serve as backup judge.

Mayor Craig Ford told council members Tuesday who his picks for the job would be, and the positions they would hold: Granger would continue to serve as presiding judge, and Jonathan Welch would become backup judge.

However, Ford said he'd select from other names if the council submitted them. He said his staff had done extensive interviews beyond the discussion in open council meetings.

The council is expected to vote on Dec. 13 on changing the compensation for municipal judges, setting pay at $1,000 per week, to be divided proportionally between presiding and backup judges, based on the hours worked. Payment would be capped at $52,000 per fiscal year. Current pay is at an hourly rate, based on hours worked.

The municipal judge jobs have been a topic of discussion among the council for weeks. During a previous meeting, council member Dixie Minatra said she's asked the city's finance director for information about the judges' pay and was told that last year, the presiding judge received almost all the salary allocated for both positions

Council member Jason Wilson in a prior meeting said the mayor's office indicated Tinker was being considered for another role, that of city prosecutor. However, Tinker addressed the council at its next meeting, telling members the judge's position was the only one she was seeking, and that at that time, no one had discussed a different role for her.

"This is the only job I'm seeking," Tinker told them.

She also told them of some changes she envisions that could benefit the court and the people who come before it — such as night court, for people who may be forced to choose between going to work or going to court and perhaps risking their employment.

As Tinker and some council members pointed out while discussing the court, it is the only place in the Etowah County judicial system where people of color come before a judge who looks like them.

Some council members questioned whether there is a need to change that.

They asked weeks ago for the judicial candidates to come meet with them. Tinker was the first to respond, attending the next meeting. Others were not able to attend; at least one had relayed he couldn't attend because of a trip while kids were on a school break.

Tinker noted that it was school break for her children as well, but she felt it was important enough to come before the council.

On Tuesday, Granger, Varner and Welch spoke to council members during their work session.

Granger talked about things that she's seen working as presiding judge in municipal court, including pre-trial diversion and work with Rapha House for those dealing with drug issues. She said the court maintains a list of employers that are hiring and makes it available to people who don't have jobs, giving them 30 to 45 days to return with one before they have to start paying fines.

She said the court's Amnesty Day, when those owing money can come in to pay and avoid warrants, has grown from collecting about $8,000 in its first year to $56,700 in its most recent.

Granger also thanked the previous administration for putting "someone who looks like me" on the bench.

Varner, who said he's spent 12 years in practice at all levels of criminal defense, reminded council members that prior to Granger's tenure on the bench, the municipal court had been subject to lawsuits. He said she's does a great job, though there is still more to do.

"I want to find solutions," Varner said, and to bring fairness, respect, and courtesy to the court. He said it may be time to involve United Way agencies and the assistance they can provide to help defendants, and to work with Gadsden State Community College to get job training for individuals who come before the court.

"I'm asking you to pay me less, because I want to serve," he said.

Welch said he previously served as Southside's municipal judge for 10 years, continues to serve in Hokes Bluff's municipal court and has filled in at Gadsden, Rainbow City and Attalla.

He said municipal court defendants are sent to the Court Referral Office, and are still required to come back to court each month to check in and ensure they are following requirements. He suggested the court could get a report from CRO, and spare people from coming to court each month.

"If people come in and pay," he said, "there's no reason to bog the court down and bog the defendants down," with court appearances.

Welch said because he has not worked in criminal defense, he will have no conflicts from representing people who come before the court.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Council, mayor, pondering potential changes in municipal judges' roles