BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In Tuesday’s regular meeting, the Bucyrus City Council convened following a lengthy executive session to deliberate on an ordinance pertaining to a contract with the Bucyrus Firefighters. The ordinance aims to implement the contract retroactively, effective January 1, 2025.
Kevin Myers (President Pro Tem) took over the gavel from Council President Kurt Fankhauser, who expressed concerns about the lack of a contract copy attached to the ordinance. Fankhauser emphasized that historically, such documents have been included. “I feel this is not being done as it should be or how it’s been done in the past. That’s the end of my discussion,” he stated, opposing the ordinance’s first reading.
Following Fankhauser’s comments, Jeremy Gilliam, president of the local firefighters’ union, addressed the council, asserting that the negotiation process had been flawed from the beginning. He highlighted that under Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 4117.10 Section B, public employers are required to engage in collective bargaining with their employees’ designated representatives.
Gilliam informed the council that the agreement, signed by Mayor Truka and Safety Service Director Tommy Starner on April 4th, took effect 30 days later, thus already being in force. He revealed that the contract reduced the firefighting staff from six full-time members to five, contrary to the previously adopted minimum of four. Despite the union’s efforts to maintain the full staff by even forgoing pay raises, the administration told the union the council would not ratify such an agreement, leading to a minimal increase of just thirty-three cents per hour.
Gilliam voiced his concerns regarding the staffing reductions, stating, “You call for businesses and people to move into the community but in the same breath, you want to take city services away.” He warned that the reduction in firefighters could compromise public safety, estimating potential impacts on homeowners’ insurance due to lower ISO ratings. ISO ratings, also known as Public Protection Classification (PPC) ratings, are a score from 1 to 10 that reflects a community’s fire protection capabilities, as assessed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). Gilliam also threatened legal action if the council did not settle the contract at this meeting, saying that failure to ratify the contract could result in the union filing a federal lawsuit for unfair labor practices.
Bucyrus resident and city council candidate Robert Taylor supported the firefighters but noted the sacrifices made by other city departments, like the police, to maintain financial stability. “It seems like every other department has made a sacrifice for the well-being of the city,” he remarked, referring to the police department’s current challenges with staffing. Currently, there are only two officers on duty per shift. Police Chief Neil Assenheimer (who will retire this month) has consistently told the council he will not have any less than two officers per shift.
Councilman Kevin Myers emphasized that council members were not involved in the negotiation process, clarifying that it was the administration that managed discussions with the union.
After a brief discussion, the council moved forward and voted to adopt the ordinance, bringing the contentious negotiations to a close.