(a) By January 1 of each even-numbered year beginning with the year 1992, and whenever a vacancy occurs, the judicial nominating commission shall recommend persons to be appointed by the city council to serve as administrative law judges, as provided for in Section 12.1, Chapter XVI of the city charter. Each appointment will be made through the award of a city contract, and not less than three nor more than five persons may have contracts with the city to serve as administrative law judges at the same time. Administrative law judges shall hear appeals in accordance with Section 34-40 of this code.
(b) The judicial nominating commission shall recommend as administrative law judges persons selected from applicants responding to an open, public request for proposals for professional services. The judicial nominating commission shall review the applications and resumes, research applicant qualifications, and interview the applicants. If a vacancy occurs within 120 days after the appointment of any administrative law judge, for which the commission conducted interviews, the commission is not required to conduct additional interviews but may, in its discretion, recommend nominees to fill the new vacancy from applicants who were interviewed for any administrative law judge position that was filled within the preceding 120 days. The judicial nominating commission shall, as nearly as may be practicable, recruit and recommend as administrative law judges persons who are representative of the racial, ethnic, and gender makeup of the city’s population.
(c) An administrative law judge must:
(1) be a licensed attorney who has practiced law in the State of Texas for at least three years or a person who has at least five years experience adjudicating hearings of personnel decisions; and
(2) not have been an employee or an elected or appointed officer of the city, other than a full-time or associate municipal judge, within the five years immediately preceding application.
(d) An administrative law judge will be compensated for services based on a rate established by contract with the city. At least every two years, the judicial nominating commission shall review the pay structure of the administrative law judges and recommend to the city council appropriate rate adjustments or other compensation.
(e) A person is ineligible to serve as an administrative law judge if, on two occasions within any 12-month period after appointment as an administrative law judge, the person:
(1) refuses or is unable to accept an assignment from the civil service board to conduct an appeal hearing, except when based on a challenge by a party as to the selection of the administrative law judge; or
(2) is unable to conduct an appeal hearing within the time limits required by Section 34-40 of this code after considering all allowable postponements and extensions.
(f) The judicial nominating commission shall periodically review and evaluate the performance of each administrative law judge and recommend to the city council whenever the contract of an administrative law judge should be terminated or not renewed. The city council may, by a majority vote and upon the recommendation of the judicial nominating commission, terminate the contract of an administrative law judge for unsatisfactory performance. Unsatisfactory performance includes, but is not limited to:
(1) failure to acquire, retain, or correctly apply knowledge of the city’s personnel rules, civil service rules and procedures, or other laws and regulations governing personnel matters heard by an administrative law judge;
(2) failure to remain impartial and objective in hearing appeals and performing other duties as an administrative law judge; or
(3) failure to competently and efficiently hear appeals and perform other duties as an administrative law judge. (Ord. Nos. 20526; 21091; 22612; 22718)