Edi Birsan

Edi Ersalesi Birsan (also known as Ed Birsan) is a Concord City councilmember currently serving as mayor[1] (vice mayor in 2017[2] & 2023[3] and mayor in 2018[4] & 2024[5]), a game designer, an independent business owner in the maritime container inspection industry, and one of the best-known American players of the game Diplomacy.[6] He was born in Brooklyn in 1949, but has resided in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1981. Birsan is married and has two children.[7]

Political career

In 2012, Birsan was elected to his first term for one of two open seats on the city council of Concord, California,[8] and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020.[9] In 2021, Birsan ran for Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors for the District 4 seat[9] unsuccessfully.

Birsan voted in favor of Concord First Partners leading the Concord Naval Weapons Project, a housing and commercial development on a formal naval base. There was opposition from the public due in part to the selection of the Seeno/Discovery Builders company, described by Claycord News' Tony Hicks as having a "history of running afoul of environmental laws, having been fined millions of dollars over the years for destroying wildlife habitat while developing projects in East Contra Costa County."[10]

References

  1. ^ https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/city-council-picks-vice-mayor-edi-birsan-as-new-18539089.php
  2. ^ "Edi Birsan Appointed Mayor of Concord, Carlyn Obringer Named Vice-Mayor". Archived from the original on 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  3. ^ "Birsan Selected As Concord's Mayor". Contra Costa News. 7 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Edi Birsan Appointed Mayor of Concord, Carlyn Obringer Named Vice-Mayor". Archived from the original on 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  5. ^ "Birsan Selected As Concord's Mayor". Contra Costa News. 7 December 2023.
  6. ^ Richard Sharp (1978), "11 Introduction to Postal Diplomacy", The Game of Diplomacy, Arthur Barker, ISBN 978-0-213-16676-2, archived from the original on 2012-07-29, retrieved 2009-02-01
  7. ^ Buz Eddy, Edi Ersalesi Birsan, The Diplomatic Pouch, archived from the original on 2002-03-01, retrieved 2009-02-01
  8. ^ "Dan Helix & Ed Birsan Win the Two Open Seats on Concord's Council". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Concord's Birsan aims for county board, pushing issues around the homeless and housing". 11 July 2021.
  10. ^ Hicks, Tony (27 October 2021). "Concord City Council Moves Forward With Seeno Group To Develop Former Naval Weapons Station".