BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Bucyrus City Council has recently faced challenges with attendance and leadership following the absence of Law Director Brian Gernert, who is currently undergoing treatment after being arrested on suspicion of DUI in early August.
The council was left without a Law Director for nearly a month until the appointment of Interim Law Director Brandon Gobrecht.
To compound matters, several city council members have also been missing from meetings. According to Council Clerk Miranda Wise, the following members were absent between January 1 and August 22, 2024:
Regular/Special Full Council meetings/Public Hearings:
K. Myers – 4
V. Dishon – 0
C. Shireman – 3
C. Mauritz – 1
C. A. Sharrock – 1
Z. Hickman – 1
J. Mee – 0
Council President K. Fankhauser – 0
Committee meetings, which are crucial to council operations, have seen even more significant absences:
Joint Regular Committee/Special Committee meetings:
K. Myers – 4
V. Dishon – 0
C. Shireman – 5
C. Mauritz – 0
C. A. Sharrock – 2
Z. Hickman – 5
J. Mee – 2
The figures do not include meetings that did not have a quorum. The absence of council members has resulted in the Public Lands and Buildings committee, chaired by C. Aaron Sharrock, and the Economic Development Committee, chaired by Zyan Hickman, being unable to meet due to a lack of quorum.
Additionally, research that was supposed to be carried out by Law Director Gernert on how to address unexcused absences by council members has not been completed.
Despite their absences, council members continue to receive payment as per Ordinance No. 02-2023, Section 5, which stipulates their salary for 2023 and 2024 at $6,813.54 annually, payable monthly ($567.795).
Crawford County Now will continue to monitor this developing situation within the Bucyrus City Council.