City staff are proposing a change to city code to allow for the part-time Municipal Court judge included in the city budget that was approved July 16.

City Commissioners will consider the proposed change on Tuesday on first reading and likely set the second reading for Sept. 3, when they’d also vote.

The new city budget includes a part-time assistant judge for Municipal Court with an appointed term to begin Jan. 1.

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The total approved compensation package for the assistant judge for the fiscal year that runs through June 30, 2020 is $23,188.

State law requires that the number of Municipal Court judges be set by ordinance by the governing body. The elected Municipal Court judge may appoint a properly qualified part-time judge to serve during the elected judge’s term, according to state law.

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Orders by a part-time judge have the same force and effect as those of the elected judge, according to the city staff report.

The ordinance recommended by city staff would establish qualifications of, and regulations pertaining to, the newly approved part-time judge.

Adoption of the ordinance will allow Municipal Court Judge Steve Bolstad, who was elected, to appoint an assistant judge who will be qualified and ready to serve before the Jan. 1 start date, according to the staff report.

The ordinance change would also correct minor grammatical errors in previously adopted language.