MILLIMAN NAMED BROOKINGS JUDGE
NOW SERVES AS JURIST IN FOUR CITIES
Gary Milliman has been appointed to serve as Brookings Municipal Court Judge.
The appointment was made by the Brookings City Council on September 14, 2020, after the City Council accepted the retirement resignation of long-time Judge Richard Harper, and becomes effective October 2. He was sworn-in at the September 28 City Council meeting by outgoing Judge Harper.
“This is an excellent fit,” said Mayor Jake Pieper. “Gary knows our city and is a respected member of our community. He has been active and interested in serving as Judge, and has kept the City well informed of legislative matters affecting our court.”
“I am very happy to serve in this continuing public service role in my home community,” Milliman said of his appointment as Judge.
Milliman currently serves as Municipal Court Judge in the cities of Port Orford, Powers and Lakeside handling cases including nuisance properties, abandoned vehicles, animal control, traffic and other matters, such as Minors-in-Possession. He also currently serves as Judge Pro Tem and Truancy Court Judge in Brookings.
When the City Council voted to add traffic cases to the jurisdiction of the Municipal Court in 2013, then City Manager Milliman organized and implemented the Court expansion.
“This piqued my interest, and I also saw the great value to our local citizens in offering a community-based justice resource,” Milliman said. “I watched as Judge Harper often made great efforts to be a problem-solver and to exercise fairness. As I sat-in on more court sessions, I decided that this is what I wanted to do in my post-City Manager career.”
As a part of the Brookings Court expansion he enrolled in several courses at the National Judicial College (NJC) and attended conferences conducted by the Oregon Municipal Judges Association. The City Council appointed him as Judge Pro Tem in 2013. For five years he attended every session of the Court.
In 2019, the City and the Brookings Harbor School District entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish Truancy Court as a part of the Municipal Court. Milliman participated in the development of the MOU and prepared written policies and procedures. The City Council appointed him as Municipal Court Judge/Truancy and he adjudicated citations for violation of the mandatory school attendance provisions in State Law and as adopted by the City. He served in this role without compensation.
A member of the Oregon Municipal Judges Association…where he also serves on the Board of Directors…Milliman’s judicial role with the City has included keeping the City leadership updated on changes in State Law and procedures affecting the Municipal Court.
Milliman has completed several courses of study at the National Judicial College, including the “Special Courts Jurisdiction” program as required by the State of Oregon to serve as a non-attorney Municipal or Justice Court Judge. He has also completed the Oregon Criminal Justice Information System Security and Awareness Training and training in Commercial Driver’s License enforcement.
“While I am not an attorney, I have extensive experience in working with the law through my 47-year career as a City Manager and as a legislative analyst/advocate. I have managed code enforcement programs, written legislation, and have interpreted federal/state/local law. I have participated in depositions, served as an “expert witness” in federal court, and assisted prosecutors in a variety of cases,” Milliman said of his experience.
Milliman retired as City Manager in Brookings in 2018 after 11 years and has a continuing non-compensated relationship with the City as City Manager Emeritus. He currently represents the City on the South West Area Commission on Transportation, and the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority.
A Credentialed City Manager with the International City/County Management Association, Milliman served as City Manager in five cities ranging in population from 2,800 to 105,000. He also served as a City Council Member, as Southern California Director for the League of California Cities, as a newspaper editor and as a small business owner.
Milliman holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California and completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University.