Taylorsville mayor urged to keep judge

TAYLORSVILLE — Almost three dozen concerned residents held signs outside the city council chambers Wednesday evening, urging Mayor Janice Auger to reconsider her decision not to continue the six-year tenure of popular Justice Court Judge Michael Kwan.

Many residents said they were shocked after hearing Auger did not intend to renew Kwan's contract.

"It worries me," said Taylorsville resident Alan Kirkwood. "I don't know why the city does not want him anymore. For handling DUI offenders, he does it better than anybody else out here. I think the city needs to give an explanation."

Members of Utah's Asian community also rallied to show their support.

"We were shocked to hear that the mayor did not want renew the judge's contract," said Fan Kwan, who is not related to the judge. "He has done such good things for the community."

"There is cause" for his termination, Auger said in a phone interview earlier Wednesday, refusing to elaborate but noting that her reasons will be made known during a public hearing on the matter tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28.

Auger claims she has documented evidence to prove Kwan unfit as a judge. "Judge Kwan knows what the issues are," Auger said. At the hearing Auger said Kwan will have his chance to appeal her decision.

Auger first appointed Kwan when she was elected. Two years later, she re-appointed him to a four-year term.

The mayor said she knows that people respect Kwan, but she insisted she has a documented reason for her decision. Auger anticipated the news would prove a "bombshell" to people. "If you're going to drop a bomb, you just drop it. You don't drop pieces of it," Auger said.

Kwan could not be reached for comment. Kwan's sister, Karen Kwan, said her brother is just as surprised as the community by the news. The judge was just offered a teaching position at the Justice Court Institute because of his DUI work, she said.

Court records show he has managed to keep his rate of repeat DUI offenders below the national average due to his system of drug testing, accountability and counseling. He has won praise and recognition, both local and national, for his work helping to rehabilitate drunken driving offenders. He also received an award from the governor's office in 2003 and the Quality of Justice Award, one of the highest honors for a justice court judge, by the Judicial Council in 2001.

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