Oberlin Council President Heather Adelman resigns to take college job

OBERLIN — Heather Adelman, who has served on Oberlin City Council since 2018 and as its president since January, is resigning effective April 24. Adelman announced Monday that she must leave her elected position to avoid a conflict of interest after being hired as Oberlin College's new sustainability manager. "I leave my position on Council with great gratitude and great sorrow, but I know this is the right thing to do," she said in a prepared statement. "I am so proud of all the work we've done together over the years." When first elected in 2017, Adelman was the top vote-earner in an eight-way race. She repeated the feat in 2019, besting a field of 12, and in 2021 trailed Eboni Johnson by just six ballots for the top spot. Since joining Council, she has championed the city's Sustainable Reserve Fund and Climate Action Plan, new sidewalks, an LGBTQ anti-discrimination ordinance and the creation of a composting program. After the departure of former President Linda Slocum at the end of December, Adelman was chosen by her fellow Council members to serve in the role. In addition to presiding over meetings, the president is also Oberlin's ceremonial mayor. Although she will no longer sit on Council, Adelman said the college role will allow her to continue making positive impacts on the city she loves. Council Vice President Kelley Singleton will not automatically move into Adelman's role as president. Instead, there will be a new election for leadership. Singleton said he and Adelman started out as adversaries on opposite sides of a touchy debate on how to best use renewable energy credits. Since then, he's grown to love working with her. Councilman Bryan Burgess has known Adelman about a decade and said she will be missed. Most recent Council presidents were lifelong Oberlin residents, he said, but she chose to move to Oberlin and work to make it a better place. "She chose to live in Oberlin. She came in with an outsider's perspective, but she loves the community," Burgess said. Adelman gave her goodbyes to City Council on Monday. Though she will still technically be an official, she will not preside over the body's meeting on April 18 due to a previously scheduled vacation. Her new job at Oberlin College begins April 25. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.