BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Bucyrus City Council is embroiled in controversy following Councilwoman Carolyn Shireman’s formal request for an exemption from council meeting attendance due to alleged harassment from Bucyrus citizen Clarissa Slater. In an email addressed to the council, Shireman detailed her claims against Slater, which include personal attacks, online harassment, and police involvement resulting in a civil protection order (CPO) she filed against Slater.
In her email, Shireman accused Slater of creating a hostile environment during council meetings, stating that Slater has targeted her for reactions and has publicly posted videos on hate sites dedicated to her and Council President Kurt Fankhauser. Shireman’s allegations also included claims of being named in a police report related to a break-in at Slater’s home, along with accusations that Slater has formed multiple online groups aimed at discrediting her.
Shireman emphasized her desire to return to her council position but stated that she would not tolerate further victimization. She characterized the situation as a “mob” mentality aimed at undermining her role on the council and expressed concerns about a lack of trust and division within the council following disputes related to community events, specifically the council’s inquiry into the financial statements of the Bratwurst Festival.
In a decisive response, the Bucyrus City Council voted against accepting Shireman’s email into the record and deemed her absence from the previous meeting as unexcused. Councilwoman Vicki Dishon, chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee for Council Rules, Orders, and Procedures, then called for Shireman’s removal from the committee, and she was subsequently replaced by C. Aaron Sharrock.
Crawford County Now reached out to Clarissa Slater for her comment on the allegations. Slater responded with the following comment:
“Mrs. Shireman continues to perpetuate preposterous allegations without standing. Ranking members of the Bucyrus Police Department informed Mrs. Shireman that these allegations have no grounds. Any activity online that I have participated in is an expression of our First Amendment right to free speech. I have no issue with Mrs. Shireman exercising her First Amendment constitutional right; however, I have a problem when she contacts organizations that have agency over citizens in retaliation for others expressing their rights. Mrs. Shireman, through her official capacity as councilwoman, contacted my university and employer, representing herself on behalf of the city council as a whole, and accused me of ludicrous acts against the council, which are verifiably false. I also have been cleared by the investigator of any wrongdoing. She has done this to other community members. Mrs. Shireman has been trespassed from entering FC Bank and a Bucyrus City Official’s Northeast side residence. I believe these actions are misconduct in office and are terrible representations of the City of Bucyrus.”—Clarissa Slater
The ongoing conflict raises questions about the dynamics within the Bucyrus City Council and the impact of personal disputes on local governance.