Jim Farr returned to his Goleta City Council duties Tuesday for the first time in nearly two months since suffering a stroke.
Farr, who was elected to council in 2012 and is currently serving as mayor pro tempore, took a moment at the start of the meeting to thank his colleagues, friends, family and Goleta residents for their patience.
Looking a tad thinner and talking a bit slower than his old self, Farr said he had regained “reasonable” use of his left fingers since his his Aug. 8 stroke, which resulted in paralysis on his left side.
“I hope to get it all back,” he said of full left-side physical functions.
He gave a special shout-out to the Cottage Rehabilitation Institute for aiding in his recovery, noting that — most importantly — the staff helps instill hope after a person experiences something so drastic.
Farr and the city of Goleta didn’t disclose his medical condition until early September, when Farr released a statement reassuring residents his cognitive abilities were unaffected by the stroke.
The five-member city council has been operating as normal in Farr’s absence, though at least one high-profile vote faced a deadlock in his absence.
After lying low the last couple months, Farr said he was ready to retain his post and that he appreciated Mayor Paula Perotte’s regular visits to keep him up to speed on city matters.
“I’m glad to be back,” Farr said. “There’s been a ton of issues.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.