Left, A small committee of five representatives from the Village of Plover and the City of Stevens Point say they’ve chosen a judge to preside over a new third branch of local government. (City-Times photo)

By Brandi Makuski

After interviewing three candidates on Tuesday, the Municipal Court Oversight Committee has decided to which applicant they’ll offer the job- but they haven’t released that name yet. 

The committee met with each candidate privately, then deliberated in closed- session for about 30 minutes.

Mayor Andrew Halverson, who chairs the committee, said the names would be released after candidates were notified of the decision.

“Tomorrow we’ll call that person to ensure they’ll accept (the job) and then we will release that name, and the other (candidate) names to the press,” Halverson said.

The Stevens Point City Council and Village of Plover Board will need to grant final approval of the chosen applicant during their respective meetings later this month.

The position of municipal court judge is a part-time spot, and frequency of the court will depend largely on the schedule created by the new judge and his or her clerk. The new court could operate a few days each month, along with the potential for nighttime court as well, and is expected to be operational by June.

The new court will preside over ordinance violations including traffic tickets and disorderly conduct. Police Chief Kevin Ruder said the court would be smaller, less formal and more comfortable for defendants.

Halverson said the oversight committee won’t meet again until late summer to consider the court’s 2015 budget requests.

More as we have it.