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Gila Bend council appoints Lori Burkhardt as town magistrate through 2026
Summary
The Gila Bend Town Council unanimously appointed Lori Burkhardt as town magistrate to serve the remainder of the current term, through Dec. 31, 2026, and approved a related magistrate agreement authorizing the mayor to execute it.
The Gila Bend Town Council unanimously appointed Lori Burkhardt to serve as town magistrate for the remainder of the current term, which ends Dec. 31, 2026. Councilmember Fernando Fernandez moved to appoint Burkhardt and Councilmember Mary Vinzant seconded; the motion passed with four ayes and three members absent.
At the same meeting the council approved a Magistrate Agreement setting compensation and related terms and authorized Mayor Tommy Sikes to sign the agreement. That approval followed the appointment vote; the record shows the same motion/second pattern and a unanimous vote by the four members present.
Burkhardt, who addressed the council after the appointment, said she has worked with the Maricopa County Courts for 31 years and plans to increase digital access to court services. "I have been with the Maricopa County Courts for 31 years," Burkhardt told the council, and she described steps to incorporate remote appearances via Microsoft Teams and to use DocuSign to speed documentation turnaround.
The council took no other formal actions on the magistrate beyond the appointment and agreement. The meeting record does not specify an effective start date for Burkhardt's service beyond the statement that the appointment covers the remainder of the current term ending Dec. 31, 2026. The meeting was adjourned at 6:18 p.m.
