DAPHNE, Ala. — The Daphne City Council appointed Kenneth Hitson as the city’s municipal judge Monday night. Hitson will begin his two-year term Sept. 1.

Hitson was chosen in a run-off vote against Bart McNiel, which Hitson won 4-3. Council members Bailey Yielding, Cathy Barnette, John Lake and August Palumbo voted for Hitson. Council members Kelly Reese, Ron Scott and Derek Boulware voted for McNiel.

Hitson does not have judicial experience, but he is a seasoned lawyer who believes a judge should keep a business relationship with everyone and run the courtroom professionally.

“It is important that you keep a professional experience in a business,” Hitson said in his interview with the council.

Lake asked each candidate if he would inflict severe sentences to deter crime from the area; Hitson said the judge’s job is not to fight crime.

“I would like to prove that you can take an attitude to the bench without getting jaded,” Hitson said.

Six candidates interviewed for the position Monday, and the council decided to vote on two. The other four candidates were William Chason, Jim Sweet, Brian Dasinger and Julian “Buddy” Bracken. Bracken was the only candidate with substantial experience as a judge.

Many council members said they were pleased with the final two choices, and that they felt either could perform the municipal judge’s duties well. They also stated the two candidates were very different from previous judge Thomas Doyle in their method of justice and sentencing, and the conservative approach to punishment could be a good thing.

“The two we are voting on are the two least like what the city has been used to,” Boulware said. “These are two candidates this council wants here.”

“Both candidates used terms that I feel a judge should use. I’m torn between the two,” Lake said.

Doyle was not reinstated for another term by the council. He served as the judge for 20 years, and his final term ended in July.

The new judge’s salary will be lower than previous years. The council voted at the Aug. 16 meeting to lower the salary from $49,000 to $35,000. The new salary excludes benefits.