BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Bucyrus City Council made a decisive move to demolish the city’s plan to acquire the former YMCA building adjacent to the Bucyrus Fire Department during their meeting on Tuesday.
The proposal, put forth by Bucyrus City Mayor Bruce Truka, faced scrutiny and ultimately met its demise at the hands of the council.
The agreement to purchase the property at 223 E. Mansfield Street was initially signed solely by Mayor Truka on June 14, 2024. The deal included a payment of $105,000 for the building, approximately $7,000 in closing costs, and a $100,000 charitable contribution receipt from the city to skating rink owners, Andy and Treina Thoroughman.
City Council President Kurt Fankhauser originally presented a case in favor of the purchase on August 20, emphasizing the need for additional space to expand the Fire Department. Fankhauser’s rationale centered around addressing the current overcrowding at the fire station and the potential benefits of demolishing the purchased building for future firehouse expansion.
However, after the contract between the city and the Thoroughman’s was revealed, Fankhauser told the council that he was unaware of the contract signed by Mayor Truka at the time of his presentation. It was only the following day that Fankhauser became aware of the agreement and subsequently made it available to the media.
The deal faced further complications due to the arrest of Law Director Brian Gernet on August 10, 2024, on suspicion of Operating a Vehicle While Impaired (OVI), which interfered with the closing date of the transaction. The perceived lack of transparency surrounding the contract sparked concern among citizens. Bucyrus resident Max Miller inquired about the necessity of council approval prior to the city entering into such agreements, citing the city’s likely breach of contract.
“Doesn’t the mayor need Council approval before entering into a contract or a purchase agreement?” Miller asked.
Interim Law Director Brandon Gobrecht declined to comment on the matter, leaving lingering concerns about the city’s decision-making process. Miller replied, “So the whole 10-minute spiel Kurt gave about how we are being so transparent, seems like there was already an agreement in place so I don’t know how transparent that is.”
Notably, the original contract failed to include the crucial contingency that required council approval, which left the city open to a lawsuit for breach of contract. However, Interim Law Director Brandon Gobrecht renegotiated the contract with the Thoroughman’s and added the contingency that council must fully approve the sale. By negotiating the new agreement, Gobrecht says he avoided exposing the city to a potential lawsuit.
The council went into executive session to discuss matters pertaining to the sale. After the executive session, the council moved to suspend the future readings of the legislation, declare an emergency, and then voted. The council voted against the purchase of the building, killing the sale.
Crawford County Now has reached out to Mayor Bruce Truka and Interim Law Director Brandon Gobrecht for clarification on the original contract and the recently signed agreement that Gobrecht says will protect the city from further action by the Thoroughman’s. Emails to Truka and Gobrecht have not yet been returned. Updates will be provided as they become available.