Council Recap: Clerk Vacancy Sparks Clash, Committee Seat Filled After Delay

by Logan Andrew | FreeWire Magazine — Your News, Your Voice

The Bucyrus City Council meeting on July 29 opened not with routine proceedings—but with confusion, a procedural dispute, and a brief departure by Council President Kurt Fankhauser.

Tense Start Over Clerk Appointment

With no permanent clerk currently in place, council needed to appoint a Pro Tem Clerk to record the meeting minutes. Councilman Terry Spiegel moved to appoint Fankhauser, noting that department heads traditionally perform the duties of missing employees. The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Clarissa Slater.

Fankhauser objected and declined to perform the role. When pressed on whether he would fulfill the duty or allow the vote, he stated he would not. After a tense back and forth wherein the council president became visibly angry, he excused himself from the meeting.

In his absence, President Pro Tem Kevin Myers presided over the meeting. Councilwoman Slater agreed to serve as clerk, contingent on the record reflecting that her supervisor would be Myers—not Fankhauser—due to ongoing litigation between Fankhauser and the city. Law Director Brandon Gobrecht requested a recess to determine the best course of action. In the hallway during that break, Fankhauser reportedly warned Gobrecht that councilmembers were violating the law by allowing a legislative member to perform an administrative task. According to Gobrecht, Fankhauser warned he might pursue additional legal action if council proceeded.

After the meeting resumed, Gobrecht explained that the only way for Myers to supervise Slater is if Fankhauser recused himself. Fankhauser then asked to be let back into the meeting, and council acquiesced.

Legislation and Executive Session

Council resumed business and addressed several items of legislation:

• Ordinance 31-2025 (converting Galen Street to a one-way) received a second reading. Councilwoman Vicki Dishon flagged formatting issues that will need to be resolved before final passage.
• Ordinance 32-2025 and Resolution 222-2025 were both passed as emergency measures, each receiving their final readings.

Council entered executive session to discuss pending litigation. Fankhauser did not participate in the session, given his ongoing lawsuit against the city.

Economic Development Chair Filled

The Economic Development Committee chair seat, left vacant after Zyan Hickman’s resignation, was revisited. Councilman Terry Spiegel, who filled Hickman’s former seat, had previously declined the role due to being new to council.

Councilwoman Slater expressed willingness to take on the chair role, but Fankhauser declined to appoint her. He initially cited concerns about her qualifications but later implied he might reconsider if she issued a public apology—raising questions among members about whether the issue was procedural or personal.

To resolve the matter, Dishon proposed suspending the rule that gives the council president sole authority to appoint committee chairs. The motion passed, and Dishon nominated Slater. Council approved the appointment, formally seating Slater as Chair of Economic Development.