In preparation for his run for Brookhaven mayor, District 2 City Councilmember John Park has resigned his seat. The move is dictated by the Georgia Constitution and the city’s charter.
Brookhaven’s city attorney explained that when a person qualifies for another elected position, he vacates his position as a city council member. If that causes a vacancy of 12 months or more to a remaining term, a special election must be held in November.
Mayor John Ernst thanked Park for his commitment.
“To my good friend, John Park, we’ve worked really well together,” said Ernst. “We wouldn’t be the city that we are without John Park. He’s been the soul in lots of ways of this council.”
“No one fought harder for District 2, no one has fought harder for trees, no one has fought harder for stormwater solutions,” Councilmember Linley Jones added.
Ernst appointed Jennifer Owens to Park’s seat for the remaining term. Owens was unanimously voted in by city council members Jones, Madeleine Simmons and John Funny.
Owens plans to run for the District 2 seat in November, which she will announce this week during the city’s qualifying period.
A former member of Brookhaven’s Affordable Housing Task Force, Charter Review Commission and the Zoning Rewrite Committee, Owens has lived in Ashford Park for 18 years.
“I am thrilled with the opportunity to continue to serve Brookhaven and to represent District 2’s residents,” said Owens, who is president and CEO of HealthMPowers.
Before being sworn into her new position, Owens was invited to attend the Aug. 22 executive session, which is reserved for members of the city council. She was briefed on pending legal matters.
Mayoral candidate Lauren Kiefer resigned her position as chair of Brookhaven Arts and Culture Commission on Aug. 16 to focus on her run. Kimberly Landers was appointed to the commission, and the group will announce a new board chair in the coming weeks.
Kiefer was the first chair of the Brookhaven Arts and Culture Commission.
“Through the efforts of our commissioners, all of whom are volunteers, and our city staff, we’ve accomplished so much. It’s with mixed feelings that I leave the Arts Commission now, but I know that the commissioners will continue our work of making Brookhaven a place where all people feel included, represented and welcome,” Kiefer said.
Rough Draft will continue to follow along as candidates qualify and announce their races this week. The deadline for qualifying is Friday, Aug, 25.
