HayDen William Kane II, the presiding judge and administrator of Colorado Springs Municipal Court, is retiring after serving more than two decades on the bench, city officials announced Friday. His last day will be Aug. 3.

Kane joined the court as an associate judge in 2001 and became the presiding judge in 2007. He has served as the court’s full-time administrator in addition to his role as presiding judge since 2014.

“It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve this city as presiding judge,” Kane said in a statement.

Municipal judges serve on the bench part time. Their caseload includes violations of city ordinances, traffic violations and parking tickets. They also oversee the Teen Court program.

Kane received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and his law degree from Creighton University, according to his biography on the city’s website. He is a former president of the Colorado Municipal Judges Association and the El Paso County Bar Association.

“Judge HayDen Kane has served our community with integrity, wisdom, and distinction for more than two decades. His leadership has left a lasting mark on our Municipal Court and our city, and I am deeply grateful for his service,” Mayor Yemi Mobolade said in a statement.

Mobolade selected Kristen Hoffecker to be the next presiding judge of Municipal Court, a move that must be approved by the City Council. The court administrator role would be filled through a separate hiring process, city spokesperson Max D’Onofrio said.

Hoffecker is one of 10 associate judges serving on the Municipal Court bench and is also the municipal judge in Calhan.

City officials also announced Friday that Jessie Kimber stepped down as economic development director on July 10 after leading the department for 2 1/2 years. Kimber served as a special assistant to former Mayor John Suthers and vice president of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC before taking a job at City Hall in January 2024.

In a statement, Kimber said she wanted to spend more time with her family, especially her two teenage daughters, after decades of work and military service.

Kimber oversaw many aspects of the city’s business outreach, from incentivizing major companies and projects to come to Colorado Springs to connecting local businesses with workforce training and other support.

“We have something like 70,000 small businesses in the Pikes Peak region and it’s important that they know about the variety of resources that are available to them,” Kimber said.

She said she was proud of her role in helping develop Peak Innovation Park and attracting new military and aerospace-related businesses to Colorado Springs.

Shawna Lippert, the city’s economic development manager, will serve as the acting director of economic development while city officials conduct a national search.