Lakewood council interviews three finalists for vacant seat and moves to executive session

The Lakewood City Council’s committee of the whole interviewed three finalists for an at‑large council vacancy and then voted to move into executive session to consider the appointment.

The council opened the meeting by approving the Jan. 6 minutes by voice vote. Council members then heard opening statements and questioning of Allison Lisonbee Urbanek, Angela Klunk and Angelina Hamilton Steiner. Topics raised by candidates included affordable housing and housing choice vouchers, aging‑in‑place and universal design, neighborhood safety and bike/pedestrian improvements, support for small businesses, diversity, equity and inclusion work, and youth engagement.

Why it matters: The council will fill a current vacancy by appointment. The interviews and the executive session that followed are part of the council’s formal process for considering candidates; any final appointment or vote will be taken after the executive session.

Allison Lisonbee Urbanek, a longtime nonprofit professional and volunteer, emphasized her experience with local housing and human services organizations and said, “My dedication to the city has been unwavering.” Urbanek told council members she would focus on layered approaches to affordable housing and on increasing use of housing choice vouchers.

Angela Klunk, a Lakewood resident who has worked as a social worker and small‑business owner and is active with Moms Demand Action, told the council she would make safety a priority and advocated immediate, practical steps such as temporary flex posts and targeted intersection analysis to improve bike and pedestrian safety. Klunk said she is prepared to use an 11‑month appointment term to advance near‑term safety and affordability work.

Angelina Hamilton Steiner described her community organizing background and local coalition work and said she would push for short‑term, public conversations and a time‑bounded task force on housing issues that would produce actionable recommendations. “My commitment to community and public service,” Steiner said, “has directly engaged me the past four years through Madison Court Community Coalition, the community health needs assessment, the anti‑racism task force, the charter review commission, and now the elementary planning task force.”

Council members’ questions probed candidates’ experience with inclusion and diversity practices, how they manage teams and partnerships, what specific projects they could advance in an 11‑month term, and whether they would pursue a campaign if not appointed. Candidates repeatedly cited a roughly 11‑ to 12‑month remaining term if appointed, and council members noted that typical council service involves chairing or serving on several standing committees (members generally serve on three committees plus committee of the whole).

After the interviews, Council President Keppel moved, and another member seconded, to go into executive session “pursuant to [Ohio] Revised Code Section 121.22” to consider the appointment of a public official. The motion passed on a roll call vote; the council said it would likely take action after the executive session.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (Jan. 6): Motion to approve minutes made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote (council announced “Aye” and motion passed). Notes: no roll call recorded in the transcript excerpt. - Motion to move into executive session to consider appointment of a public official (pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22): Motion made and seconded; roll call recorded with the following votes: Evans — Yes; Marks — Yes; Keppel — Yes; Baker — Yes; Bullock — Yes; Stiebick/Steuben (named in roll call as “Steven”) — Yes. Outcome: approved (executive session entered). The council stated it included the law director and counsel staff in the executive session and that it would likely take action when the body reconvened.

Next steps: The council moved into executive session to deliberate on the appointment. The transcript indicates the council planned to reconvene and said members would hear from staff and likely take action when they came out of executive session.