After receiving Mayor Lawrence “Mac” Cunningham’s resignation, Windham Village Council convened a special meeting last Wednesday evening to appoint an interim Mayor at the Windham Administration Building.
“I have a resolution to read,” Council Member David Belknap said. “It is a blank resolution because our Solicitor didn’t fill it in yet. We have to speak with our solicitor and Fiscal Officer. It is in regards to the Mayor, it says that the Mayor of Village of Windham, Lawrence Cunningham, has submitted his resignation dated Dec. 3, 2025 stating that his resignation is effective on Dec. 15, 2025.”
The Council received Mayor Cunningham’s formal resignation in an email he sent on Tuesday evening, stating that he would continue to fulfill his duties as Mayor until Dec. 15 and then officially step down.
Upon convening the meeting, the Council went into executive session to consider who to appoint as Interim Mayor following Mayor Cunningham’s final day of service on Dec. 15.
At 5:41 p.m., the Council returned from its executive session to continue with the public meeting.
The Council formally approved the resolution for Mayor Cunningham’s submission of his resignation and then approved a motion to formally accept his resignation.
Council President Sherri Pennington informed the audience that following Mayor Cunningham’s final day on Dec. 15, an interim Mayor would be appointed for a 30-day period and the Council would then appoint a temporary Mayor to step into office after Jan. 15 and would serve in that capacity until the election in May.
Belknap read out a public notice that would be advertised the day after the special meeting which would invite interested parties to apply for the Mayor’s position for a short-term period until the election. He added that qualified applicants must be residents of Windham and also be at least 18-years-old.
An audience member asked if any interested individual was required to be a Windham resident of at least two years.
Pennington replied that the Council was unsure if the minimum residency requirement was two years and would confer with the Portage County Board of Elections.
Pennington then said that she would serve as the interim Mayor for a 30-day window after Mayor Cunningham’s last day. Once she completed her 30-day term, she would reassume her Council seat.
Belknap noted that before the 30-day period was up, Council would vote for a President of council to replace Pennington because if they did not do so before the 30-day term expired, Pennington would remain the Mayor until the election in May.
“If somebody up here does take the Mayor’s spot, there will be a subsequent opening on Council for the next 30 days,” he said.
Another resident inquired if Pennington would be required to stay on as Mayor if no one showed interest in the position after the 30-day window expired even if she wished to return to her seat on the Council.
Pennington replied that she was not sure what would happen if that scenario occurred.
Another question was directed at Pennington about whether there would be a conflict of interest with her serving as the interim Mayor given that her husband, Bill, served as the Village Sewer Superintendent.
Pennington responded that Bill would not be reporting directly to her but to Ryan Wagner, the Village Administrator. She added that Bill would be resigning as the Sewer Superintendent on Dec. 30 and would only work part-time if the Village did not find a full-time replacement. Pennington noted that she believed that there was considerable interest in the position.
Belknap said that the Sewer Superintendent’s vacancy would be on the agenda for the next Council meeting.
The special meeting was concluded at 5:49 p.m.
