La Crosse committee refers charter ordinance on municipal court judge term length to full council

The La Crosse Judiciary Administration Committee voted unanimously Jan. 8 to refer charter ordinance 26-0019 to the Common Council with no recommendation.

The chair opened the special meeting and identified the single agenda item as charter ordinance 26-0019, "a charter ordinance to create section 19 of the code La Crosse regarding term length of the municipal court judge." Attorney Maddie told the committee she had submitted a staff report explaining why the ordinance was before the committee and why it was short-circuited for consideration that night.

"If you enact it tonight, the charter ordinance would become effective prior to the election," Attorney Maddie said, explaining that enacting the ordinance now would permit the city to begin negotiations with a neighboring municipality about whether the municipalities could share the municipal court function as a cost-saving measure. She said the ordinance would allow flexibility in the future to set the judge's term anywhere between two and four years.

Council member Padaski asked whether changing the term would affect the person currently running for the municipal judge position; Attorney Maddie replied that, if enacted tonight, the change would apply to this election cycle. Council member Bedford asked whether the city could reopen the candidate filing period to account for any change; Attorney Maddie said she was not aware of a way to reopen filings.

After brief remarks and no public comment, Council member Trost moved to refer the ordinance to the Common Council with no recommendation; Council member Bedford seconded. The chair called the vote and said, "That passes unanimously." The committee then adjourned.

Next steps: the ordinance will appear on the agenda of the Common Council meeting immediately following the committee meeting for further consideration.