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COMMERCIAL POINT, Ohio (WCMH) – For the first time, a Scioto Township trustee who was caught on tape using a racial slur and now is refusing to resign, publicly addressed the community.
Many packed the Scioto Township board room and the halls on Nov. 30 as the public and other trustees asked for Bart Fannin to step down.
“Deplorable”, “demoralizing” and “racist” were just some of the words many tearfully used to describe Fannin. While he said he wanted to learn and he was sorry, he refused to answer why he will not step down.
Many people got up to speak. One community member said: “Racism is not an accident. Racism is not a mistake. Racism is a culture that has been intentionally bred into the very fabric of our country with great intention to dehumanize entire races of people.”
“There is a gaping wound that needs to heal in this community and Bart Fannin ripped that Band-Aid off. This conversation is long overdue,” another public speaker added.
Many in the room were in tears as every single person who came up to speak asked for Fannin to resign.
“I’m done with him, I cannot wait until you are not a part of this community,” one speaker said.
Ralph Wolfe and John Maynard condemned Fannin’s words but said they don’t have the power to remove him.
“Our policy procedures stipulate you will not discriminate on race, color, familial status, sexual preference, it’s in our book,” Scioto Township trustee John Maynard said.
Fannin did apologize at the beginning of the meeting, and said he’s been taught more in the past few days than he has in his whole life.
“I mean that sincerely if I’ve affected any of you. I should’ve never said what I said. I’m sorry for what I said,” Fannin said.
Some did show their forgiveness, but above all there was a demand for accountability. For more than two hours people asked Fannin to resign and why he wouldn’t – no one got that answer.
“You want to stand here in front of these people and shake your head no, baloney, you’re a liar, you’re a racist,” one public speaker said.
Many said this is not going away. Some said they plan to come back meeting after meeting until Fannin resigns.
“You’ve sat there dismissive the entire night not listening, not engaged, it’s obvious you don’t care how hurt this community is. You don’t care, you don’t care enough to step down,” another person added from the crowd.
Some even said they will be starting a petition to remove him from office. That’s the only way to move forward with a potential removal, but a lawyer at the meeting said it was not likely this process would see Fannin removed.
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