CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday night (Feb. 17) to make Kahlil Seren their seventh vote, subsequently swearing him in to fill the unexpired term of newly-elected state Representative Janine Boyd.
The 36-year-old research and policy analyst for Cuyahoga County Council has a Master's Degree from Cleveland State in Urban Studies and has lived in Cleveland Heights for the past five years.
Under the Cleveland Heights City Charter, Seren will be required to run in the November General Election for the unexpired term, according to a city press release.
Seren thanked council for having faith in him and said after the meeting that "the idea (to seek Boyd's seat) was broached by (Vice Mayor) Cheryl Stephens.
"I really hadn't seen myself as someone who would seek office," Seren continued. "But the idea of serving the city is the component that made me feel more comfortable about it, because I bring a lot to the table."
Seren was actually born in Cleveland Heights and lived here with his family for about a year, before they moved to Shaker Heights and East Cleveland.
His wife, Natalie McDaniel, also hails from Cleveland Heights. They have a young son, Blue McDaniel Oqueli'.
He noted that running for the seat in November could be a little more difficult for him, at least at this point.
"The governing aspect, I feel I can contribute to," Seren said. "The campaigning might be a bit of a stretch. But I'll put my heart into it."
As for his top priorities for the city at this point, Seren said it would be "making sure that city services are maintained at a high level -- and making sure that we are budgetarily able to continue to provide those services and increase the level of efficiency so we can do so sustainably."
Seren was one of three finalists who were interviewed among
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Others who applied included small business owners Alvin Copeland Jr. (Copeland Communications Group) and Laurie Klopper (Blush Boutique); Cory Farmer, vice president of operations, CarTeCor Management LLC; Daryl Jackson, Greater Cleveland Drug Court program coordinator and director, Cleveland Municipal Court; Ron Oswick, senior project management, compliance manager, The Technology House; and Carol Ann Roe, director of regulatory compliance and risk management, Centers for Dialysis Care.
"There were so many good applicants for the position," Mayor Dennis Wilcox said. "Cleveland Heights is fortunate to have residents who want to serve, and Kahlil Seren will be a strong addition to council with his background."
Wilcox announced that Seren will chair council's Administrative Services Committee, and serve as vice chair for the Community Relations and Recreation Committee, and as a member of the Municipal Services Committee.