Galion City Council President resigns over hiring of clerk

By Krystal Smalley
 ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

Don Faulds resigned as Galion City Council President amid recent upheaval within the city’s government.

Faulds called a press conference Wednesday afternoon to announce his resignation. In a surprising move, Faulds limited the meeting, which was held at a private business, to local media and a few private citizens.

Faulds’ decision to resign has come after recent events concerning the city’s Council Clerk. He had cut Clerk of Council Julie Bell’s hours Jan. 3 “due to job performance issues.” Prior to Monday’s organizational meeting, Faulds terminated Bell.

He maintained that he has proof of the cause of Bell’s termination but referred the issue to the city’s Law Director Thomas Palmer.

During the public organizational meeting held Monday night Faulds had announced the reason for Bell’s termination in an open council meeting. However, according to state law a public employee’s termination must be discussed in executive session.

In an additional turn of events, the Galion City Council voted unanimously during the meeting to nominate and approve Bell as Clerk of Council.

As Faulds explained the events leading up to the announcement of his resignation, the door of AAA American Bail Bonds burst open. Bell strode into the room and passed out cease and desist letters to local media despite protests from some of the citizens in attendance. Galion Law Director Thomas Palmer, who serves as counsel for the council members, also presented the letter to Faulds.

The cease and desist letter was drawn up by Bell’s attorney Daniel Klos of Columbus. “I have been retained by Ms. Julie Bell to represent her regarding matters with your City and with you individually. You are advised that any statements regarding Ms. Bell made to the public or creating publicity about her, even if true that places her in a false light or unlawfully invades her privacy will be pursued to fullest legal remediation,” the letter stated. It continued, “any statement you make about Ms. Bell will be examined with the greatest of scrutiny as to your liability and that of anyone on whose behalf you are acting. You are advised to cease and desist any impermissible statements regarding Ms. Bell.”

AAA American Bail Bonds owner Gina Powell demanded that Bell and Palmer leave the meeting. They did so immediately.

Faulds continued his statement after the incident, though he amended it to avoid any specific comments about Bell’s job performance.

Justifying his actions, Faulds referred to the Ohio Revised Code section 733.01, which allows the Council President to appoint, remove or suspend employees of the City Council, and City Ordinance 2013-48, which states the Council Clerk is appointed and serves at the pleasure of the Council President.

“At the Monday evening Council meeting, the City Council chose to ignore their oath of office to uphold Galion’s ordinance and state laws when they chose to retain the City Council Clerk over my decision to terminate her earlier in the day,” stated Faulds. “It was very disappointing when not one of the city council members, who took the same oath of office as myself, have the strength or ethics to stand up against . . . rehiring the clerk.”

Faulds referred any Sunshine Law issues to the Law Director Palmer.

“As one of the organizers of the charter amendment efforts to abolish the charter and go back to the statutory mayor form of government, I am totally discouraged with the city government we have put in place,” said Faulds. “The organizers all envisioned a city government being run for the benefit of the citizens but though the organizers all were ready to ensure the city government was made a reality the effort has been derailed by pure politicians and unqualified officials.”

Faulds believed “a profound lack of integrity, ethics and accountability is the chief problem presently facing our city government.”

“I cannot and will not compromise my standards and ethics to remain involved in this quagmire,” Faulds said. “City officials can continue their chaotic free-for-all of corruption but misuse of city funds will not be tolerated on my watch and I hereby resign as City Council President effective immediately.”

Faulds did not provide media with a copy of his statement.

He later said that he naively believed he could do something good for the public. “I have not been able to function in any capacity other than to conduct the meeting. I am not able to swim with the political sharks running this city.”