Urbana council approves Ashley Withers as Ward 6 council member

URBANA - The Urbana City Council has approved Mayor DeShawn Williams's appointment of Ashley Withers to the vacant Ward 6 council seat, according to a City Clerk news release dated Oct. 19. Her term starts immediately and runs through April 6, 2027.

The seat has been empty since Aug. 24. State law requires voters to fill it at the April 6, 2027, consolidated election, and the mayor may appoint someone to serve until then with council approval, a mayor's memo in the council packet says.

Withers is a lead employment specialist with Community Choices, where she runs disability inclusion training for more than 200 businesses in Champaign County, the release says. She is an Urbana Park District commissioner and formerly served on the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board.

"She understands the importance of building relationships and making sure people have opportunities to participate and contribute," Williams said in the release.

The release does not give the vote count or say whether Withers will keep her Park District seat. Minutes and video of the Oct. 19 meeting were not yet posted on the city's meetings page early Tuesday.

Source: City of Urbana City Clerk news release, Oct. 19, 2026 (https://www.urbanail.gov/city-clerk/page/ashley-withers-appointed-ward-6-council-member); Oct. 19, 2026 City Council rescheduled meeting packet, mayor's memo p. 60 (https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/urbanail-pubu/MEET-Packet-af146b8be32f4ec085b1826267733547.pdf).