Annalisa Perea will be sworn in early for last Fresno City Council meeting of the year
Fresno City Council District 1 residents won’t go without representation at the last council meeting of the year.
Former District 1 Councilmember Esmeralda Soria was sworn in to the California State Assembly on Dec. 5, automatically vacating her council seat.
The council voted 6-0 during a special meeting Friday to appoint Annalisa Perea to fill the vacancy, effective Dec. 14, in time for the last council meeting of the year on Dec. 15.
Perea in June won the election to succeed Soria. Perea currently serves as a trustee for State Center Community College. She originally was scheduled to be sworn in after the New Year, but Soria’s move to the Assembly left the District 1 seat vacant for the last meeting.
Perea’s election carries on a family legacy in Fresno, although she’s adamant that she will vote independently from her family’s influence. She is the daughter of Henry R. Perea, formerly a Fresno County supervisor and the District 7 Councilmember before that. Perea’s older brother, Henry T. Perea, also was elected to the District 7 City Council seat. From there, he went on to serve in the State Assembly.
Perea won her election in June with 58.76% of the votes. Since then, she worked closely with Soria’s office to create a smooth transition.
Soria’s last meeting was Dec. 1, capping off two terms and about eight years on the City Council. Perea’s term on the State Center board ends Dec. 13.
This story was originally published December 9, 2022 at 10:06 AM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the district number represented by Henry R. Perea and Henry T. Perea. They represented District No. 7.