The Unified Government named a new municipal court administrative judge, Meaghan Shultz, on Thursday.
The Unified Government Commission held interviews with three candidates for the position, Judge Shultz, Judge Brandelyn Nichols-Brajkovic and attorney Joni Cole at Thursday night’s meeting. Then commissioners voted for their selection on paper ballots.
Because it was a 5-4 vote, and six votes were needed to pass it, Mayor Tyrone Garner was then asked to vote, and Shultz received six votes.
Judge Nichols-Brajkovic currently holds the administrative position, and that term is set to expire on Friday, Sept. 30.
The interviews started around 10:30 p.m. Thursday during the UG meeting.
Misty Brown, UG chief legal counsel, said the four-year administrative judge term runs Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2026. She said the contract could have been renewed, and Mayor Garner chose to reopen the process.
A judicial nominating committee with Commissioners Tom Burroughs, Mike Kane and Angela Markley was convened, Brown said. The UG received eight applications after the position was posted, she added.
Shultz was named a municipal court judge in March 2019. Prior to that, she was a municipal prosecutor for the UG.
Judge Nichols-Brajkovic has been the administrative judge since March 2019. She has been a municipal court judge since 2013.
Now there is another opening on the municipal court, according to Brown. It is Shultz’s unexpired term.
The UG could redo the process to fill the remaining two years in Shultz’s contract, she said. They can either use the same applicant pool or form a new nominating commission, she said.
Brown said municipal court has a list of pro tem judges that they can rotate until they fill the open position on municipal court.
Shultz has a law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in justice systems and psychology from Truman State University.
Foster care, church zoning item
The UG Commission spent hours listening to the proponents and opponents of a proposal to put a church and seven foster care homes on property that was formerly Manion’s auction house at 4411 N. 67th St.
The project had been recommended for denial by the City Planning Commission earlier because of the narrowness of the street, the lack of infrastructure and the character of the neighborhood. The UG Commission’s decision Thursday was to uphold that denial. The UG planning staff had recommended approval of the project.
According to UG officials, the applicant did not really need a zoning change to build the homes or the church, but could go ahead with the project as long as they get the plats approved. There were also zoning changes involved with splitting the property.
Those who were for the project were residents of Johnson and Leavenworth counties, while those who were against it were residents of Kansas City, Kansas. A protest petition from the neighbors was ruled invalid, according to UG planning staff, because it covered 18 percent of the adjacent land area, not 20 percent.
In other action, the UG Commission passed a master plan amendment for the 505 Central Ave. apartment building, along with a resolution of intent to issue $25 million in industrial revenue bonds for the apartment project. There was one resident who was opposed. The project has received a number of approvals previously.
The UG Commission also approved reassigning a resolution of intent to issue industrial revenue bonds for the Village West Apartments III, which has had a change in the ownership structure. It is the same as had previously been approved, according to UG officials.
Thursday was the last meeting for UG Economic Development Director Katharine Carttar, who has served in the position about four and a half years. She was one of three department heads who announced resignations recently. The others were Kathleen von Achen, chief financial officer; and Rob Richardson, former planning director and current development coordination and customer service success director.
Mayor Garner and UG commissioners thanked Carttar, who is married to Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, for her service. Garner said everyone benefited from her being there.
Bridgette Cobbins, assistant county administrator, said Carttar had been nothing but professional during her tenure.
Commissioner Christian Ramirez thanked her for helping to explain economic development concepts when he was new on the commission. Commissioner Melissa Bynum complimented Carttar’s professionalism and said she was always “super responsive.” Commissioner Brian McKiernan said, “You’re leaving us better than you found us and for that we really appreciate you.”