August 27, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
Two local attorneys have submitted resumes to succeed Hilton Conger as Municipal Judge for the City of Smithville.
During Thursday night’s special meeting, Mayor Josh Miller informed the aldermen that Gayla Hendrix and Mingy Bryant-Ball are seeking appointment to the position. The deadline for submitting resumes was Wednesday, August 26.
The aldermen will make their choice at the next special meeting on Friday, September 4 at 5 p.m. at city hall.
Mayor Miller said Hendrix, who is an incumbent alderman, will have to abstain from voting. That leaves the decision to the other aldermen, Shawn Jacobs, Danny Washer, Brandon Cox, and Jessica Higgins.
No one yet knows who will get the appointment but Mayor Miller said if it were to be Hendrix, she would have to resign her position as alderman.
Judge Conger, a veteran of the bench for almost 30 years, announced earlier this week that he would not seek re-appointment to another term. Conger served two terms as an elected judge and seven terms by appointment of the mayor and aldermen.
The Smithville Municipal Court, up until 2002, had the same jurisdiction in city criminal cases as the General Sessions Court, and the City Judge held court several times each month with the City Attorney serving as Prosecutor.
After changes were made in the City Charter, the City Court’s jurisdiction was reduced to mostly minor traffic offenses and city ordinance violations. The court now convenes only once per month.
The charter change also provided that the City Judge no longer be elected by city voters to an eight year term, but that he or she must serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, appointed to a two year term. The salary is $1,000 per month.
In other business, the aldermen voted on first reading to adopt an ordinance to change the zoning classification of the Mark Wallace property on Miller Road from R-1 low density residential to C-1 local commercial. Second and final reading action will be scheduled at the September 4 special meeting of the mayor and aldermen at 5 p.m. at city hall.
The property, formerly known as Mark’s Body Shop, is located adjacent to City owned property where the water tower is located. Although Wallace ran a business for several years on his property, it was not zoned commercial, but residential. The property has now been sold and will be used for other commercial purposes.
Mayor Miller said the Smithville Planning Commission recently voted to recommend that the alderman change the zoning from R-1 to C-1.
The aldermen gave the mayor and city administrator the authority to approve change orders up to $10,000 during construction of the new police department building. Any change order more than $10,000 must be approved by the aldermen. Groundbreaking for the new police department building will follow the September 4 special meeting of the mayor and aldermen starting at 5 p.m. at city hall.