Fairfield City Council appoints new member to open seat

Fairfield City Council is again at full strength.

Leslie Besl, a 1985 Fairfield High School graduate, was named by City Council on Monday evening to succeed the late Bob Myron, who died in July.

Besl told this news outlet she’s a “little overwhelmed” by the process for a seat she didn’t seek out.

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“I don’t think I ever would have sought it out,” she said. “I am not a politician. I consider myself to be an informed citizen, but definitely not a politician. I’m more of a public servant.”

Besl admits she has “big shoes to fill” in succeeding Myron on City Council, but said she is “up for the task.”

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Besl becomes the second appointed First Ward City Council member since the resignation of Adam Jones, who resigned his seat in April 2016 — just three months after he was re-elected to a second term — because he moved outside the ward.

Besl, who has also served on the city’s Cultral Arts Advisory Committee, was named as Myron’s parks board replacement.

“I was very happy there,” said Besl of her parks board role. “But I believe in going where I am needed, and there was a need (on city council) and they asked.”

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Besl, who was born in Chicago and moved to the area with her family in the mid-1970s, is the chief of staff for the Butler-Warren Association of Realtors.

Her appointed term ends in November 2019.

“Right now my goal is to get up to speed as quickly as possible so I can make positive contributions,” she said.

Fairfield Mayor Steve Miller said the appointment to succeed Myron was discussed in an August meeting. He wouldn’t comment on the details of that meeting, only saying City Council “found a very excellent replacement for Bob” in Besl.

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