Burlington City Council fills one council seat, while another is vacated

BURLINGTON - As the Burlington City Council filled one open council seat Thursday another became open.

The council selected Brian Steen to fill the council's vacant Ward 6 seat. He replaces Jesús Pérez-Linares who resigned in March.

Steen will be sworn in at the May 28 City Council meeting.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Jaime Weiss resigned from his Ward 5 seat earlier in the week for job-related reasons and was not in attendance Thursday. The search for his replacement will begin next week.

Steen was one of four candidates to apply for the open Ward 6 position. The others were Kathryn D. Johnson, Kimberly Moore and Marylynn Baker.

The candidates were given the opportunity to make an opening statement during a City Council workshop held prior to Thursday's regular meeting, then were asked questions by councilmembers.

The candidates were then asked to make a closing statement.

"I would like to thank all the candidates for coming in tonight," Mayor Bill Aslett said. "Very much appreciate the time and effort you took."

Steen works in sales for Anheuser-Busch One.

In his cover letter, Steen said, "As a long-time member of this community and someone who has spent decades working closely with local businesses and residents, I am passionate about contributing to the continued growth and well-being of our city.

"Throughout my 30 year career in distribution, sales, and leadership roles, I have developed strong skills in communication, organization, and problem-solving. I have managed teams, coordinated complex operations, and built lasting relationships with business owners across the region. These experiences have given me a practical understanding of the challenges our local economy faces and the importance of thoughtful, balanced decision-making."

On Thursday, Councilmember Scott Green made a motion to appoint Steen to the Ward 6 seat. It was seconded by Councilmember Joe DeGloria and passed after a yes vote by Councilmember James Stavig.

Councilmembers Elizabeth Turman-Bryant and Kelsey Freemay both voted no, having nominated and seconded Johnson to fill the seat.

"I am looking forward to working with Brian in the future," Aslett said. "And with whoever we find to fill the Ward 5 position."

Weiss was serving his second term, which was set to run through Dec. 31, 2029. He served as chair of the Public Safety Committee, in addition to being an alternate for the Audit & Finance Committee and Historical Preservation Commission.

Councilmembers Turman-Bryant and Stavig both said they were sad to see Weiss resign.

"Jaime was a great councilmember," Aslett said. "His job just became really busy and he was traveling a lot. He was quite a unique person in the way he approached things and I learned a lot from him. We are going to miss him."

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