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Councilor Robert Taylor announces resignation, cites threats to family and harassment
Summary
Robert Taylor told the council he will resign his at-large seat, saying threats, online harassment and concern for his family’s safety made continuing untenable; he thanked staff and urged civility.
Robert Taylor announced his resignation from the Bucyrus City Council’s at-large seat during public comment on June 2, saying sustained harassment and threats toward his family made continuing in office irresponsible.
In a statement to the council, Taylor said he appreciated the auditor’s help and described having a new respect for the difficulty of local elected work, but said he had seen "political character assassinations" against colleagues and had been the subject of an online video he perceived as threatening. "I hold an obligation as an elected official to do no punitive damages to the city... my obligation to protect the safety, physically and emotionally, of my daughter and my grandchildren far exceeds any obligation that I hold to the citizens," Taylor said as he announced his resignation.
Council later took a procedural vote to excuse Taylor from further attendance and accepted his request. The council’s remarks on the floor included motions to allow Taylor to speak past three minutes and to excuse him after his departure.
What happens next: Council will carry on with business; members moved to formally excuse Taylor at this meeting. The council did not state a date for filling the at-large vacancy during the June 2 session.
