Eileen Goggin Replaces Fagen on City Council

The Long Beach City Council on Sunday appointed Eileen Goggin to fill a vacancy of the unexpired term of Councilman Michael Fagen, who a jury convicted of multiple felonies last week.  

An attorney and Democrat, Goggin will vacate her seat on the Long Beach Zoning Board of Appeals, to which she was appointed to a three-year term on Jan. 8, to join the council. The council voted unanimously for her appointment, and she will fill out the remainder of Fagen's term that ends in November. 

"I am honored to be joining the Long Beach City Council," Goggin said in a statement released by the city. "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."

Goggin is a law secretary in the New York State Unified Court System, where she conducts trials, attends court conferences, researches legal issues and negotiates settlements. She received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Adelphi University and a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School, and previously served as a deputy county attorney in Nassau County.

"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 J. Mandel said in a statement. "Eileen is a great representative of the City and a terrific choice."

With Goggin's appointment, the Democrats will maintain their 4-1 majority on the council. 

Goggin has a daughter who attends Long Beach schools and she was involved the Long Beach Lawyers association and the Long Beach Theater Guild, as well as other organizations and activities in the city, according to the city.  

Said City Manager Jack Schnirman about Goggin’s appointment: "I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with Eileen as this administration moves forward and continues to focus like a laser on the City's recovery.”

On Feb. 5, Fagen was found guilty on charges that he illegally collected unemployment benefits in 2010 while he was employed by the City of Long Beach as a council member, and he faces a maximum of four years in prison when he is sentenced on April 8. Corey Klein, the city’s attorney, said that Fagen’s conviction means that he is removed from the council. Fagen's attorney, Marc Gann of Mineola, said he will appeal the conviction.