A familiar face is returning to Kennesaw government.
City Council voted Monday to unanimously appoint former councilman Nimesh Patel, who will fill the Post 5 seat vacated by David Blinkhorn.
Patel is expected to finish out Blinkhorn’s term, which ends Dec. 31.
Blinkhorn, who was elected in November 2017, announced his candidacy May 5 for the special election in the State House Representative District 34 race.
“Excited to be back. Humbled and honored to be considered for this role,” Patel said Monday. “Look forward to working with the mayor and council as well as the wonderful staff we have here at the city.”
It’s the second time Patel has stepped in to fill a vacated council seat. In 2016, Patel ran unopposed in a special election to fill the seat of former mayor and councilman Leonard Church. Church’s Post 3 seat was left open for several months after he pleaded guilty to child molestation and sexual exploitation of children in December 2015. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Patel did not run for re-election when that term expired in 2017.
“Mr. Patel, welcome back. We know you’re experienced in this and you can hit the ground running,” Mayor Derek Easterling said. “We don’t lose any ground with you coming in.”
Patel is a Florida native who moved to Kennesaw in 2000 with his family. He’s practiced law in the city for about two decades. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of South Florida then earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas. He later obtained a master’s degree in tax reform from the University of Denver.
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