2020-11-19 City Council - Full S Agenda-2729o Agenda
Edmonds City Council
SPECIAL MEETING - EXEC SESSION VIRTUAL ONLINE
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NOVEMBER 19, 2020, 5:45 PM
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THE CITY COUNCIL MAY CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES SET FORTH IN
REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON (RCW) 42.30.110.
1. CALL TO ORDER/CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION TO EVALUATE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF AN APPLICANT FOR PUBLIC
EMPLOYMENT PER RCW 42.30.110(1)(G) (120 MIN.)
3. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION
4. ACTION ITEM
1. Municipal Court Judge Selection Process (10 min)
ADJOURN
Edmonds City Council Agenda
November 19, 2020
Page 1
4.1
City Council Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 11/19/2020
Municipal Court Judge Selection Process
Staff Lead: Jessica Neill Hoyson
Department: Human Resources
Preparer: Scott Passey
Background/History
Judge Linda Coburn has been elected to the Washington appellate court. Due to this it is necessary to
appoint a new Municipal Judge to serve the remainder of Judge Coburn's term (ending 12.31.21). The
City undertook the process to solicit applications for the appointment to the Municipal Judge position.
City staff have conducted the required solicitation process and, on November 12, 2020, oversaw the
initial interview process of five candidates. The interview panel consisted of judicial, law enforcement,
public defense, Diversity Commission and human resources representatives. Three of the five were
forwarded for interview with the Mayor. Subsequently one of the three withdrew their application due
to concerns about the time required for the position and managing children at home.
The Edmonds City Code provides for City Council interviews of two or three finalists. The City Council
must approve having only two finalists to interview in cases such as the current one - where the third
finalist has withdrawn. The City Council must also interview the candidates and provide input to the
Mayor. The Mayor will take into account the input from the Council, the interview panelists, and the
public forum, and after his own interviews will make his final appointment selection. The Mayor's
appointment is subject to City Council confirmation.
Staff Recommendation
City Council approve moving forward with only two candidates, whom they have already interviewed,
and to provide input to the Mayor on those two candidates.
Narrative
In October of 2020, the City began soliciting applications for the position of Municipal Judge. In the
initial three-week application period, the City received nine applications, five of which met the minimum
qualifications for the position. Three of those applicants were moved forward for continuing in the
recruitment process. The three candidates were notified that they had been selected to move forward
in the process, and interviewed with the Mayor. One candidate withdrew after the Governor's new
restrictions were announced citing concerns about managing home schooling children and the court
workload. There are two highly qualified candidates remaining and with the impending departure of the
current Judge it would benefit the citizens of Edmonds to move forward with establishing her successor.
Therefore, the Mayor is moving forward the applications of the two qualified candidates.
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