Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Court Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bandera council appoints new municipal prosecutor and associate judge
Summary
The Bandera City Council unanimously appointed attorney Ilsa Bailey as municipal prosecutor, pending contract approval, and Sharon Varner as an associate municipal judge; the council moved into an executive session afterward to consult its attorney on separate real‑estate and personnel matters.
The City Council for the City of Bandera appointed Ilsa Bailey as the municipal prosecutor and named Sharon Varner an associate municipal judge during a special meeting at Bandera City Hall. Both appointments were approved unanimously; the prosecutor appointment is contingent on the city attorney returning a contract for council approval.
The appointments come after the council said the previous municipal court law firm, Messer and Ford, raised its fees to $350 per hour and had been unable to hold pretrial hearings since October 2024, prompting the city to issue a request for qualifications. City staff told the council the RFQ produced one response, from Ilsa Bailey, whose application and resume were included in the meeting packet. "We feel she will represent the municipal court very effectively and efficiently," city staff said during the discussion.
The council voted to appoint Bailey but directed the city attorney to prepare a formal contract for a later council approval vote. Council members voted "aye" with no opposing votes when the chair called for the question.
On the judicial appointment, council members said longtime temporary coverage by visiting judges left gaps when one judge reduced his availability. Judge Zapata and Judge E. Hill previously assisted the municipal court; council members said Zapata has been splitting his time between other locations and is stepping back. Sharon Varner, introduced to the council at the meeting, was approved as associate judge. Council members noted Varner plans to retire from her current position effective June 30 and that she must complete required training before she can be compensated for the municipal judge role. The council approved Varner's appointment by unanimous vote.
After the swearing-in of the appointees, the council moved directly into executive session to consult with the city attorney. The public agenda listed consultation with counsel about the Main Street Shop and Lofts, deliberation regarding purchase/exchange/lease/value of real property related to the wastewater treatment plant, and an item concerning the city administrator; no public deliberations or decisions on those matters were made in the open meeting.
Background and next steps: City staff said Messer and Ford had notified the city it no longer wished to represent the municipal court and that pretrial hearings had not been held since October 2024. The city published an RFQ and received the single proposal from Ilsa Bailey; the council approved her appointment but will review a formal contract drafted by the city attorney at a later meeting. For the judicial appointment, Varner’s start of compensated duties is contingent on completion of required training and her retirement from her current post on June 30, as discussed at the meeting.
