Jennifer Cheesman has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the St. Paul Park City Council.
She will replace Steve Hunstad on the five-member board when she is sworn in at the council's July 5 meeting.
Hunstad, who had served on the council for 7 1/2 years, stepped down in May because he is moving to Hugo. Cheesman will complete his term, which ends Dec. 31.
Cheesman, 43, has lived in St. Paul Park for more than four years and has served as chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Commission for the past three years.
While in that position, she helped develop several programs, including Movies in the Park and Unplugged Week, a variety of activities designed to get kids away from video games and into the parks. She also helped form the Adopt a Parks program and recently started planning for a community garden.
As a council member, Cheesman will have the role of overseeing the parks commission.
"It seemed like a natural progression to move into something new," she said. "I have an interest in learning what goes on the civic side of running a city."
Cheesman, who was the city's 2010 Volunteer of the Year award winner, was selected over three other candidates.
