Part-time Apache Junction associate magistrate to be paid $71K annually
Special to Independent Newsmedia, Arianna Grainey
Michael McVey’s employment agreement was first approved by the council on Dec. 7, 2021, and included an annual base salary of $55,000 a year. The court is at 300 E. Superstition Blvd.
A part-time, 19 hours-a-week employee of the Apache Junction Municipal Court will be paid $71,000 a year under a change approved recently for an employment agreement.
The city council on Dec. 19 voted unanimously as part of a consent agenda with other items to approve the first amendment to an employment agreement with Michael McVey for Apache Junction Municipal Court associate magistrate services.
McVey’s employment agreement was first approved by the council on Dec. 7, 2021, and included an annual base salary of $55,000 a year, it states at the city’s agendas and minutes website.
He more recently was paid $63,000 a year, Presiding Magistrate A. Douglas LaSota told the council during a work session Dec. 18.
“This is to ask Judge McVey to be reappointed. He’s been with us for the past two years; he’s done an awesome job,” he told the council. “We’re asking him to be upped a little bit on his salary to $71,000 a year and that he be given a four-year term as you gave me... I think that’s in the best interest of the city and the court to do that. With him being part-time we’re not having to pay him any benefits or any vacation time or like that.”
McVey has 20 years of experience in Maricopa County Superior Court, LaSota told the council.
“We definitely need Judge McVey. His part-time work helps save us from having a full-time magistrate with as much work and as hard as he works and the skill set that he has with the court,” he said.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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