Bucyrus, OH – On May 20, 2025, the Bucyrus City Council passed Ordinance 30-2025 related to the IAFF fire union contract. This ordinance was not on the original agenda for the meeting, necessitating a vote to waive council rules. During the first reading, concerns were raised regarding the absence of the full IAFF union contract, which, according to previous council practices, should have been attached to the ordinance.
In light of these concerns, Council President Kurt Fankhauser consulted an attorney specializing in union labor negotiation laws. It was determined that the passage of Ordinance 30-2025 did not adhere to the legal requirements set forth in ORC 4117.10(B), which stipulates that a signed tentative agreement must be reached between the City Administration and the Union before presenting it to the council for a formal vote.
Furthermore, during a committee meeting on May 8, 2025, Bucyrus Law Director Brandon Gobrecht stated that the IAFF contract would only be available after the vote and that it had not yet been agreed upon by the City Administration. This indicates that no tentative agreement existed between the Union and Administration as of that date, thereby rendering the council's vote premature.
Legal counsel also confirmed that a tentative agreement is a public record, implying that council members should have received hard copies for thorough review prior to the vote. Instead, council members were given limited access to a Union offer and noted various errors, including typos and incorrect dates. Discrepancies were also found between the terms discussed by the Union President and those presented to council members.
Council President Fankhauser criticized the actions of Attorney Gobrecht, accusing him of either gross negligence or potentially undermining the legal process related to Ohio’s Collective Bargaining Laws. He emphasized that without a signed tentative agreement from both parties prior to the vote, the council could not make an informed decision on the matter.
In light of the mismanagement of this process, Council President Fankhauser is calling on the Administration to engage an external labor attorney to rectify the situation. As it stands, Ordinance 30-2025 does not constitute a valid contract approval ordinance, and no legal IAFF contract is currently in effect.
Contact: Kurt Fankhauser Council President Bucyrus City Council
