Council sends residency requirement for municipal judges to November ballot

The City Council voted to submit a charter amendment to the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot that would remove the residency requirement for Arvada Municipal Court judges in Section 8.2 of the city charter. The motion to forward the amendment passed 5–1, with Council member Marriott casting the lone dissent.

Deputy Court Administrator Vicky Wire presented the proposal on behalf of Judge Catherine Kurtz, explaining that the residency requirement had narrowed the pool of relief‑judge candidates and led to repeated conflicts of interest because local judges regularly encounter people they know in court. Wire said that Arvada is one of only seven Colorado municipal courts with a residency requirement and that removing the requirement would enlarge the pool of competent relief judges without lowering ethical standards.

Wire said the court currently uses five relief judges but that restriction to city residents has made recruitment difficult; she told council that in one posting only one resident applied and that applicant had a prior ethics complaint. In response to council questions, staff confirmed the residency requirement has been in the charter since the charter adoption in 1993 with minor edits in 2001.

Council member Marriott said he would oppose placing the question on the ballot because the residency rule had been on the charter for decades and he preferred leaving such a structural decision to voters only under compelling necessity. Other council members said the change is intended to strengthen the court’s capacity and reduce delays caused by recusal and scheduling problems.

Council member Davis moved approval; the motion passed 5–1 and the proposition will appear on the Nov. 4 municipal election ballot. The council’s action was procedural only: a voter-approved charter change will be required to remove the residency rule.