Orange District 4 Councilor Annette Pernell Tuesday criticized the city manager for not following council instruction to get applications for the municipal judge position in 2018.
However, City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said the council approved a two-year contract last year with longtime City Judge Jerry Pennington. The contract could not be broken without a year’s termination notice, which was not made.
“The barn door was closed when you signed the contract for two years,” he said.
Oubre, who has resigned for a similar job in another Woodway, Texas, said if the council wants to terminate the contract with Pennington, the city attorney should send notice.
It was Pernell who questioned Pennington’s tenure last year, saying the city should seek other candidates. City Attorney Jack Smith responded that he doubts any other local attorney will apply because of their respect for Pennington.
The discussion came up when the council had a meeting agenda item to approve a 2 percent pay raise for Pennington, along with the city prosecutor and the alternate city judge. The raise is the same as all other city employees.
Pennington’s salary is $4,879 a month. Municipal Court Prosecutor Cimron Campbell has a salary of $2,860 a month. Alternate Municipal Judge George Baron has a salary of $406 a month. The council did not mention getting proposals for the prosecutor and alternate judge positions.
The city requires the municipal judge to be a lawyer. Pennington has been the city judge for some 30 years.
Mayor Larry Spears Jr. said the city should “start the clock” for notifying Pennington about conducting a search for municipal judge next year.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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