iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
An Indian American former councilman in Georgia is all set to take back his seat in the Kennesaw City Council.
Nimesh Patel will fill the post 5 seats on Kennesaw City Council, which was vacated by David Blinkhorn to run in the special election for House District 34.
Patel will take his position when Blinkhorn’s term runs out at the end of 2021. As per Kennesaw Code of Ordinances, since the vacancy occurred with less than 12 months to the expiration of the term of office, the mayor and council can appoint a qualified person to complete the term.
According to Mayor Derek Easterling, they reviewed several interested individuals. Patel was approved 4-0 and administered the oath of office Monday.
“Mr. Patel, welcome back. We know you’re experienced in this and you can hit the ground running,” Mayor Derek Easterling said, according to the report. “We don’t lose any ground with you coming in.”
This isn’t Patel’s first time to serve in this capacity. In 2016, he took over the post 3 position that was vacated when Leonard Church, a former mayor and council member, pleaded guilty to child molestation. He did not run for reelection at the end of that term.
Patel, his wife Jennifer, and their two children live in Kennesaw. He is originally from Lakeland, Florida, but Kennesaw has been his home since 2000.
His community involvement includes serving on the HOA for Legacy Park, helping establish the foundations for Big Shanty Elementary and Awtrey Middle Schools, serving as a member of the Kennesaw Mountain Magnet Foundation and on the Kennesaw License Review Board.
He resigned from the Kennesaw Development Authority to take the post 5 positions, but will now serve as the council liaison with the KDA.
Patel is an assistant vice president and managing counsel with Unum Group and leads a team of attorneys and compliance professionals that specialize in insurance and employee benefits law, including the ERISA, tax and commercial laws applicable to employer-sponsored welfare benefit plans and worksite insurance offerings, according to the Kennesaw city website.
“I’m excited to be back. Humbled and honored to be considered for this role. I look forward to working with the mayor and council, as well as the wonderful staff we have here at the city,” Patel said during council comments.
