Brookhaven residents will soon be able to handle municipal court matters — such as paying traffic violation fines or contesting misdemeanor charges — within city limits. Mayor J. Max Davis swore in Laura Stevenson and Jonathan Granade as the city’s municipal court judges last week. Stevenson will serve as the chief judge, and Granade will serve as the judge pro tem.

Municipal court will be at 2 Corporate Blvd., Suite 125, in Brookhaven. City council members approved spending $202,164 in start-up expenses for equipment and services, which is under budget, said interim City Manager Marie Garrett. The council also approved the schedule of fines and fees for more than 250 offenses, ranging from driving without a license plate to animal neglect.

Garrett said she expected a portion of the court would be opened Tuesday so the court clerk could begin to collect fines or fees. The judges should be able to hear cases by the first week of March, she added. Also last week, Davis announced seven appointees to the zoning board of appeals, seven appointees to the planning commission and one appointee to the alcohol board. He said he took suggestions from councilmembers on who to select.

The new board and commission members will meet about once a month and will first undergo training to serve in their positions.