Scioto County – The Scioto Township meeting was standing room only during the November 30th meeting, most came to demand that Trustee Barton Fannin step down from position after being caught on tape doing racist things.
During the regular 11/17/23 meeting, everything was going as normal, bills were getting paid, and the Scioto Fire Chief reported that he had some extra time and had to take some vacation before the end of the year. Everything was moving smoothly until a discussion of the Union Fire Labor agreement came up and a specific holiday, “Juneteenth,” was in the language as one of the almost dozen federal holidays recognized. That is when Fannin interjected his opinion on the holiday.
Trustee Barton Fannin wanted to deny that particular holiday, and during a discussion on a recorded mic a racial slur was captured. Trustees can be heard talking about it.
“It’s a Federally recognized Holiday,” said Trustee Maynard.
“I did not realize that was a frickin Federal holiday,” Fannin said to the other Trustees, Fire Chief and several other people in the meeting.
“You know what it means?” said Trustee Ralph Wolfe.
“It’s a N—– Holiday,” said Fannin.
“Whoa,” said Wolfe, “No what it is the southern white folks didn’t tell the slaves that slavery was over. People started talking and in Texas on June 19th, all of the slaves were officially freed over all of the country.”
Shortly after the outburst and talk, Fannin noticed that he was being recorded, and asked to, “rewind that a bit.”
On November 30th, almost everyone who came to the meeting was asking for Fannin to resign. Some brought signs, others brought speeches. Most openly asked Fannin on why he wouldnt resign, but he only took names down and stared back at them. Most had concerns for their town and how this issue had people on both sides of the conversation, that it had trickled down to even the kids at school who are being affected by this. Some brought up other issues in the town, and that this conversation needs to happen. Most felt that the town could not heal while Fannin held office.
Those speeches are below, warning some of those speeches have language.
During the meeting, Trustee Fannin did make a speech himself.
Both Trustee Wolfe and Trustee Maynard condemed the racist remarks, both were emotional and asked that Fannin remove himself from office on the record. They also explained that they had no power to remove him from office, that according to Ohio Law people would have to petition and file in courts to attempt to remove Fannin from office.
