After over four hours of discussion, the Lewiston City Council appointed a youth worker to serve as representative of Ward 5 which has been vacant for most of January.
Chrissy Noble has been a counselor at New Beginnings for 17 years — a nonprofit that assists runaway and homeless youth and operates the 24-hour shelter Marian's Place. The council appointed her to the position in a 5-2 vote.
The Ward 5 seat was briefly held by former public school committee member Iman Osman, who won last year's election but stepped down this month after being indicted on theft charges and after the council voted to investigate his residency qualifications the day he was sworn in.
When interviewed by the city council, Nobel highlighted her experience in conflict resolution and marketed herself as a unifying voice in a controversial period of the city government.
She also committed to protecting the area's African immigrant community amid increased pressure by federal immigration agents that began this week.
"I feel that my experience in conflict resolution does help me to see all the sides of the situation and find some sort of middle ground to be able to work on solution," she said.
Nobel was one of five candidates who were considered for the seat, which also included Eryn Soule-Leclair, who lost last year's election to Osman and Osman's lawyer Kiernan Majerus-Collins.
Soule-Leclair previously served a two-year term representing Ward 5 and saw support from Ward 2 Councilor Susan Longchamps and Ward 7 Councilor Bret Martel. She also received endorsements from local police and firefighter groups.
Majerus-Collins, an immigration and civil rights lawyer, is also running for the Maine House of Representatives in District 95.
Noble will serve until Jan. 3, 2028.
