CENTERVILLE -- In its first meeting of the new year, city council made appointments Tuesday to fill city posts -- most of them connected to its Municipal Court.

Put forward by Mayor John Harley and confirmed by council were: Jeff Grube, Municipal Court judge; Susan McNally, Municipal Court judge pro tem; Fred Graham, Municipal Court judge pro tem; Clarence Williams, Municipal Court public defender; and Herb Wells, administrative law judge

All are part-time positions.

Two Municipal Court posts usually appointed at the first of the year were filled near the close of last year. At that time, council passed an ordinance aimed at saving the city money if a municipal case has to go to a higher court and requires a greater time commitment by the Municipal Court’s prosecutor/solicitor.

Rebecca Tydings, who serves Centerville full-time as city attorney, was named Municipal Court prosecutor/solicitor and Greg Bell, who has served in the prosecutor/solicitor role in years past, was made Municipal Court assistant prosecutor/solicitor.

The ordinance allows Bell to continue month-to-month duties but lets Tydings handle cases that might move beyond Municipal Court on appeal.

Also Tuesday, Councilman Ed Tucker was appointed mayor pro tem for 2013.

In other business, council agreed to cancel a meeting it was planning with area state legislators prior to the upcoming legislative session in Atlanta. Instead, members will join other local municipal and county leaders at an event with the legislators being hosted Thursday by the City of Perry.

Harley said he and other council members hope to meet with legislators in Atlanta at a later date to discuss matters pertinent to the city

Contact Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.