Prairie View council debates municipal judge’s term after mayor recommends new leadership

Prairie View’s City Council spent a contentious June 17 special meeting debating the status of Municipal Judge Shala Alexander Simmons’s appointment after Mayor Alexander said he had recommended new leadership following employee complaints and a difficult meeting with the judge.

Mayor Alexander told the council he was not acting on a single incident but on “the totality of the circumstances,” saying staff had raised concerns about workplace culture and the judge had been, in his words, uncooperative during attempts to work together. “Most importantly, Judge Alexander Simmons’ term expired,” the mayor said as he explained that he had recommended new leadership for the municipal court.

The dispute centered on whether the mayor had the authority to effect a change without council approval. Council Member James cited the charter’s appointment and removal language and moved to rescind the mayor’s recommendation; the motion was not adopted after members and counsel flagged legal constraints. Special counsel (identified in the meeting record as Agetto) told the council there had been “no firing, there has been no termination, there’s been no removal,” explaining that the municipal judge’s two‑year appointment runs concurrent with the mayor’s term under the city’s ordinance and charter language and that the sequence of events meant no termination procedure was required.

Residents and former officials addressed the council during public comment. Former Mayor David Allen said the judge’s most recent appointment was recorded on an October 24, 2024 agenda and that, by his calculation, that appointment would run through October 23, 2026. Christine Bong Wyatt, identifying herself as a former teacher of Judge Simmons, urged the council to explain why the judge had been removed and to follow existing laws; she said she was upset that the judge had been escorted from city offices.

Several council members expressed frustration that they had not been fully briefed before actions were taken and questioned the mayor’s handling of personnel decisions. Council Member Williams said the way the judge was removed felt “disrespectful” and said city employees deserved a more professional process. Other council members urged adherence to the charter’s notice and meeting‑notice requirements; special counsel repeated that the agenda as noticed allowed only discussion, not formal action, unless the item had been properly noticed for a vote.

The council did not take formal personnel action at the meeting. After further discussion about process and next steps, members moved to adjourn; mayor pro tempore Tim Jquavius Ducet presided as the meeting closed and the council scheduled a public town hall the following evening for additional audience engagement.

What happens next: no new judge was confirmed at the special meeting, and special counsel’s legal explanation left open procedural paths the city can take for reappointment or a noticed action if the council chooses to pursue one.