Brookhaven's District 2 residents have a new council member. Conor Sen, who has served on the city's Planning Commission since 2016, was appointed to the seat Tuesday, July 14, after Council Member Jennifer Owens announced her resignation at the same meeting.

Sen took the oath of office immediately following Owens' announcement at the regularly scheduled city council meeting at City Centre, 4001 Peachtree Road NE, according to a city press release published Wednesday, July 15.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve Brookhaven in a higher capacity and to represent District 2 residents," Sen said.

The appointment is temporary. A special election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, and any candidate who wants the seat will need to qualify in person at City Centre between Monday, Aug. 17, and Wednesday, Aug. 19. Filing hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The qualifying fee is $936, and the winner will serve the remainder of the term through 2029, according to the city.

Who is Conor Sen?

Sen chaired the Planning Commission for the past two years and served on the city's 2022 Charter Review Commission. He has also served on the board of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

Outside city government, Sen is the founder of Peachtree Creek Investments and a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist who spent a decade writing about the economy, housing, and financial markets. His work has appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Sen lives in Ashford Park with his wife Crystal and their two children, who attend Ashford Park Elementary School.

What's next

Candidates interested in the District 2 special election can file their notice of candidacy with the Brookhaven City Clerk at City Centre starting Monday, Aug. 17. The special election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The city press release did not state why Owens resigned or how the council voted on Sen's appointment. The Ledger is working to confirm those details.