Holts Summit reappoints municipal judge, city prosecutor

The Holts Summit Municipal Center is located on South Summit Drive in Holts Summit.
The Holts Summit Municipal Center is located on South Summit Drive in Holts Summit.

The Holts Summit Board of Aldermen reappointed Municipal Judge Curtis Hanrahan and City Prosecutor Renee Godbee to their positions Thursday, along with three other appointments.

Hanrahan will be paid $115 per hour for basic services, requiring at least two hours in court per month. Godbee's compensation will be $1,600 per month and an additional $80 per hour for the prosecution of municipal cases appealed to the Callaway County Circuit Court or other special services.

Acting City Administrator Hanna Lechner, during her first meeting in the position after the resignation of Matt Harline, said it was discovered during an audit of the city's municipal court that the two were not officially reappointed last year, as a mistake, but were still handling the position. To continue using their services, Holts Summit had to pass an ordinance reappointing them, Lechner added.

The aldermen also held a first reading of an ordinance appointing Michael Colona to serve as the alternate municipal court judge, in case of Hanrahan's absence, and appointed Jordana Ortiz as the traffic violations bureau clerk.

Separate from the municipal court, Holts Summit passed a resolution naming Shannon Jeffries, assistant police chief, as the emergency management director. The position is responsible for managing the city's efforts, such as closing streets or imposing a curfew, during a declared emergency.

During the meeting, the aldermen decided to table nominating a person to fill the Ward 2 alderman seat left by Charles Chamberlin, who resigned last month due to health reasons. Holts Summit's code of ordinances requires the mayor to make a nomination in the case of an empty seat, city attorney David Bandre said, so voting on a nominee or tabling the process was necessary during Thursday's meeting.

Chamberlin's former seat is up for election in April, meaning any appointee will only have the seat for a few months at most. The aldermen said they plan to appoint one of the two people who filed as a candidate for the seat before Tuesday's deadline - Christopher Redel or Lisa Buhr.

Other business conducted by the aldermen Thursday included the acceptance of multiple easements associated with the construction of a force main sewer line in the Steppelman and Antweiler subdivisions. The project is partially grant funded.

A liquor license for a new Mexican restaurant, Taqueria La Tapatia, was approved. The restaurant will be at 167 West Simon Blvd., the previous location of the El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant.