The Federal Heights City Council will vote on whether to renew the contract of Municipal Judge Roger Buchholz at the Tuesday, June 3 meeting. I hope anyone who is knowledgeable about Buchholz' performance for our city will come forward to comment.

While the City Council does not hire or handle personnel matters for most city employees, we are responsible for the hiring and firing of the judge, city attorney and city manager. We see the attorney and manager usually on a weekly basis, so it is a bit easier to evaluate their performance. However, most council members rarely come in contact with the judge who is only in the city a few days a month.

Buchholz is the municipal judge in Federal Heights and Lafayette, spending approximately 40 percent of his time in these duties, according to his law firm's web site. The Boulder-based firm, the Law Office of Buchholz, McDowell & Norman, LLP, goes on to explain that the other 60 percent of Buchholz' time is spent handling individual clients in criminal law, medical malpractice and personal injury cases.The judge has practiced law with the firm since graduating from the CU School of Law and passing the Colorado Bar exam in 1979.

The Federal Heights City Council discussed the renewal of the judge's contract at our last study session on May 27. While I was interested in creating an evaluation process for the judge to use at each contract renewal time (every two years), other members either thought it was too complicated and cumbersome, it was unnecessary to create a formal process, or had no comment.

I am still interested in gathering comments and/or data about Judge Buchholz' work in Federal Heights, so I have asked a few city employees for their feedback about working with him. I also asked the judge if he has any information to share in reference to his performance in Federal Heights.

Finally, I want to invite you and your friends in Federal Heights to contribute any comments about the judge's contract renewal. This is a public decision made by a government body representing the citizens of our city. Therefore, your voice is welcome and needed in the process.

If you have any comments (positive, negative or neutral) or questions about Judge Buchholz or his contract renewal, you may attend the Tuesday, June 3 City Council meeting to speak. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall. If you can not make the meeting or have questions before then, you may e-mail me at tishikawa@ci.federal-heights.co.us.

Thanks for your cooperation. Our city is best served by an active, vocal citizenry.
Tanya Ishikawa
Federal Heights City Council

Note: This column is strictly my personal opinion and thoughts and in no way reflect any official position or decision of the entire city council or the city staff.