Madison Heights Mayor Brian Hartwell Appointed to Hazel Park Judge Position

 
Madison Heights Mayor Brian Hartwell Appointed to Hazel Park Judge Position
(Crystal A. Proxmire, June 3, 2020)
Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Ferndale, MI – Brian Hartwell will be resigning as Mayor in order to accept an appointment by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to be a Judge in the 43^rd District Court.
The Court serves Hazel Park, Madison Heights, and Ferndale, but Hartwell will be serving on the bench in Hazel Park.  He is replacing Judge Chuck Goedert who resigned in March due to health issues.
Hartwell will serve as Judge until the Aug. 4 primary election when voters can chose to retain him, or elect one of the other candidates.  Others running are Kelly Collins, Michael Mitchell, Jim Osak, Rudy Serra, and Dennis Whittie.
Brian C. Hartwell currently serves as the mayor of the City of Madison Heights and deputy county treasurer for community outreach and communications for Oakland County. He is also a private practice attorney handling a range of issues including housing discrimination, probate estate administration, misdemeanor criminal defense, and civil litigation. Hartwell is the founder of a pro-bono clinic at the Madison Heights Senior Center where he assists low-income seniors with their legal matters. He previously served as a litigator with Muller, Muller, Richmond, Harms & Myers, P.C. and as a city councilman with the City of Madison Heights.
Hartwell is a member of the Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees, the Madison Heights/Hazel Park Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Chinese Americans, and the Michigan Association of Mayors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Western Michigan University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Brian lives in Madison Heights with his wife Lingyu.
“I am humbled by this opportunity to serve my beloved hometown and neighboring communities as a district court judge.” Hartwell said. “Like the employees of the court, I am devoted to serving the public fairly and compassionately. My experience as mayor taught me the necessary humility to lead with kindness and the conviction to make difficult choices. The people and attorneys who use the court have a partner in the administration of justice.”
This appointment was made to fill a partial term, which expires at twelve o’clock noon on January 1. Whomever is elected will serve a six year term.
Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh explained the process for filling Hartwell’s vacancy, stating “Our City Charter details the process for filling the Mayor vacancy. Section 5.7 Filling Vacancies in Elected Officers – Any vacancy which occurs in the office of Mayor shall be filled by appointment from one of the remaining Council Members by a majority vote of the remaining Council Members. Such appointment shall be made on or before sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs, and shall be for the balance of the unexpired term. Any vacancy which occurs in the office of Council Member shall be filled by the Council at the next regular meeting of the Council after the vacancy occurs, from the unsuccessful candidates for Council at the last preceding regular City election who were nominated and obtained the next highest vote therefore.”

 

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