Lara Tomescu has been appointed to Ithaca's Fourth Ward seat on Common Council, filling a vacancy left by Patrick Kuehl's resignation in August. The appointment took effect immediately, the city said Thursday.
Tomescu is pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Cornell University's Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and is an associate editor of the Cornell Policy Review, according to a city news release. She has a bachelor's degree in sociology and political science from Binghamton University.
Before moving to Ithaca, Tomescu worked at the American Civic Association in Binghamton. Her work there included tracking immigration policy changes, identifying state and federal grants, building donor management systems, and helping refugees access benefits and housing.
She also co-founded and organized Concerned Residents of Greater Binghamton, a coalition of nonprofit and faith-based organizations. The group developed a rapid response network to alert immigrant communities to the presence of federal immigration enforcement officers.
In her application for the Fourth Ward position, Tomescu identified Ithaca's housing shortage and substandard rental conditions as priorities. She also called for bringing residents closer to City Hall, the release said.
Mayor Robert Cantelmo said Tomescu showed an interest in public administration and transportation options, along with a commitment to addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness in partnership with Tompkins County. He said that work would carry forward an interest of Kuehl's.
"I hope to use my coalition-building and community organizing skills to bridge the gap between the City and its constituents," Tomescu said in the release. "I want people who feel left out of city politics to get involved and weigh in on decisions that affect them."
The city had sought applicants for the seat after Kuehl stepped down. Tomescu now serves alongside Robin Trumble as a Fourth Ward representative on Common Council.
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