“In this time of recovery, it is critical that we have a full, five-member council in place to tackle the important issues facing the city and our residents,” Council President Scott Mandel said in a statement. “Eileen is a great representative of the city and a terrific choice.”

Goggin, a Democrat, is involved in a number of organizations and activities in the city, including the Long Beach Lawyers Association and the Long Beach Theater Guild. She previously served as a deputy county attorney in Nassau County. Some of her responsibilities as a law secretary have included conducting trials, attending court conferences, researching legal issues, and negotiating settlements.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Adelphi University and a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School. She also worked on school board trustee Darlene Tangney’s campaign for a seat on the Nassau County Legislature in 2011, which she lost to incumbent Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach).

On Sunday, Goggin's daughter, Natalie, a Long Beach Middle School student, joined Goggin when City Court Judge Roy Tepper swore her in.

“I am honored to be joining the Long Beach City Council,” Goggin said. “During this critical period of rebirth, I look forward to working with the current dedicated members of our City Council and our many concerned citizens in the task of rebuilding Long Beach into the city we all know and love.”

Mandel, Adelson and Torres had asked Fagen to step aside shortly after his indictment last year, saying that the allegations against him were a distraction. Fagen’s legal issues came up only occasionally at council meetings, however, when one resident or another would ask if he planned to step down.

Prosecutors said that Fagen failed to report on his unemployment claims his yearly income of $19,828 as an elected city official, and that he received $405 per week in unemployment insurance benefits after he took office.