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REAPPOINTMENT OF CITY JUDGE JOHN BURKHOLDER
Staff Contact: Jim Brown, Director, Human Resources and Risk Management
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Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
This is a request for the City Council to reappoint City Judge John Burkholder to a four-year term. His current term expires October 31, 2016.
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Background
Judge John Burkholder has served as City Judge in Glendale since 1995 and is eligible for reappointment to a four-year term. The Judicial Selection Advisory Board unanimously recommends Judge Burkholder’s reappointment based on the results of his reappointment interview, letters of recommendation received on his behalf, confidential survey results conducted by a private research firm, and other reappointment materials.
Analysis
The appointment and reappointment of City Judges is outlined in both the City Charter and the Glendale City Code as follows:
City Charter - Article XI - Sec. 4
The presiding officer of the city court shall be a city judge, who shall be appointed by the council and shall hold office during the pleasure of the council.
Glendale City Code - Chapter 13 - Article 1 - Sec. 13-2
The presiding officer of the city court shall be the presiding city judge who shall be appointed by the city council, after recommendation of the judicial selection advisory board.
Glendale City Code - Chapter 13 - Article 1 - Sec. 13-7
(a) Any city judge or court hearing officer shall be appointed for an initial term of two (2) years. The initial reappointment term shall be for a period of two (2) years and all subsequent re-appointments shall be for a period of four (4) years.
(b) The presiding city judge shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years.
Previous Related Council Action
The City Council voted to reappoint City Judge John Burkholder October 9, 2012 effective October 31, 2012.
Community Benefit/Public Involvement
The confidential survey and questionnaire on reappointment was distributed to 521 recipients. Public input on reappointment was sought through advertisement in the Glendale Star and Maricopa Lawyer (published by the Maricopa County Bar Association), and postings on the City’s website and agenda bulletin board at City Hall. The survey results and all letters of input have been provided to the Mayor and Council, along with letters of recommendation.