City Council may fill vacant seat this week

The City Council is close to appointing a replacement to fill a seat vacated by former Councilwoman Eileen Goggin last month, and those with knowledge of the vetting process said a vote could take place as early as this week.

“We are very, very close,” Council President Len Torres told the Herald on Tuesday. “We’re down to two really outstanding candidates, and we’re happy with the people we’ve recruited. It did come down to four finalists, and from the four we’re down to two and we’re going to make a decision this week.”

Goggin was elected a Nassau County District Court judge in November, and the remaining four council members, all Democrats, have received more than 20 resumes in the past month after they announced that they were seeking a replacement.

Council members were expected to meet this week to decide on the final candidate. Torres declined to name the two potential appointees, though political insiders said that the council is expected to appoint Long Beach resident and former Nassau County legislative clerk Chumi Diamond by a majority vote at a special meeting on Friday.

The candidate pool includes a mix of Democrats and Republicans, and an appointee would serve the remainder of Goggin’s term, and presumably seek election to a full term in November.

In addition to Diamond, among those who have expressed interest are former council President Jim Hennessy, former Councilman Denis Kelly, former Long Beach professional firefighter Dave Yolinsky, and Frank McQuade, an attorney and member of the Beach to Bay Civic Association, among others.

Joe Brand, chairman of the Long Beach Democratic Committee, has said that he would like to see Kelly, a local attorney, appointed to the seat, saying that he is the most qualified and experienced.

MLK Center board Chair James Hodge said at last month’s meeting that he is supporting Marvin McMoore, 23, the national president of the College Democrats of America. If appointed, McMoore — who grew up in the North Park community — would become the second African-American to serve on the council, along with Councilwoman Anissa Moore.

“What an inspiration for a 23-year-old to have an opportunity to be appointed to the City Council,” said Hodge, adding that many residents and members of the Civil Service Employees Association are also supporting McMoore. “I’ve never been as excited as I am now for the leadership that he holds. We have a national figure that’s represented not just in Long Beach but that’s represented all over the country.”

McMoore, who is also vice president of the Independent Democratic Club of Long Beach, works for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in the Office of Appointments.

Those with knowledge of the screening process said that council members and a number of residents had questions about the current status of McMoore’s residency — many New York City employees must reside in the five boroughs as a condition of their employment — since candidates are required to have lived in Long Beach for two years in order to serve on the council, according to the city’s charter. McMoore did not immediately return a call for comment.

Some have also questioned whether Diamond, now a vice president of the Five Towns-based Marion and Aaron Gural JCC's executive board, has met the residency requirements, though those with knowledge of the interview process dismissed those claims and insist that she's been a resident of Long Beach for nearly a decade.

Council members declined to comment on their discussions about specific candidates or who they intended to vote for.

“We’re working together to find the most qualified candidate who would make the ideal fit during this transition period,” Moore said on Tuesday.

The Herald will update this story.