PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PUBLIC HEARING … A public hearing is set for early February reading the removal of Harold Stickley from city council.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
A Notice of Probable Cause for Removal has been issued against a sitting Wauseon City Council member, formally initiating a process that could result in removal from office following a public hearing scheduled for February 2, 2026.
The information contained in this report is based on a copy of the notice letter that was provided to the newspaper. The authenticity of this letter was then verified before publication.
The letter was addressed to council member Harold Stickley and outlines the allegations and procedural steps being taken under the City of Wauseon Charter.
The notice, dated January 6, 2026, was issued pursuant to Section 11.01(C) of the City of Wauseon Charter and alleges a pattern of conduct constituting sexual harassment, interference with the performance of city employees and officials, and the creation of a hostile and abusive work environment.
According to the document, the alleged conduct spans several years and involves interactions with city employees and fellow council members. The allegations outlined in the notice are listed in chronological order from 2023 through 2025.
The earliest allegation cited occurred during the winter of 2023, when the letter states that Mr. Stickley made a comment to a female council member while she was adjusting the thermostat in council chambers, stating that the room became hot once she entered.
The notice next references incidents from February 2024. According to the letter, Mr. Stickley asked a female city employee about her baby, and after being told the baby was beautiful, responded by stating that the reason was because she was breastfeeding.
The letter also alleges that prior to a council meeting that same month, Mr. Stickley advised a male council member that if he wanted to improve his sex life with his wife, he should say the name of a female council member who was seated nearby while being intimate.
The notice further alleges that in the fall of 2024, on at least two occasions, Mr. Stickley told a female city employee that she appeared to be losing weight and that her clothes were fitting loosely.
Multiple allegations from January 2025 are also outlined in the document. According to the letter, Mr. Stickley approached a female employee from behind while she was standing in a doorway speaking with another employee and placed his hands on her waist.
The letter states that the other employee witnessed the contact and told Mr. Stickley that the conduct was not appropriate.
Additional allegations from that month include an incident in which Mr. Stickley allegedly placed his hands on the employee’s face, and a separate incident in which he questioned an employee in detail about whether, and if so why, she was changing clothes in her office at the end of the day.
The letter states this questioning was witnessed by another employee and several outside vendors, with an employee stating that the questioning was not appropriate.
Additionally, another January 2025 incident stated that, on a number of occasions and while speaking to a female employee, Stickley repeatedly moved closer to her during conversations in an inappropriate manner.
The notice states that these incidents were memorialized in a letter from the city’s contracted human resources officer dated February 3, 2025, following a complaint filed by the employee.
The document also references a statement allegedly made by Mr. Stickley during a recorded Council of the Whole meeting on February 2, 2025, in which he stated that he would not hire a woman in his private business.
The most recent incidents cited in the notice occurred on February 19, 2025. According to the letter, Mr. Stickley came to the second floor of the city building looking for the same employee referenced in prior allegations.
The notice states that other city employees contacted the employee, who had not yet arrived, and advised her not to come into the building until later in the day.
As a result, the document states that doors on the second floor were locked to prevent Mr. Stickley from entering and contacting the employee.
The letter further alleges that after learning the fire department had locked the doors, Mr. Stickley left a voicemail stating he would vote no on any matter involving the fire department that might come before council.
The notice states that a similar statement was later made during a Council of the Whole meeting. These events were documented in an Unusual Occurrence Incident Report prepared by Fire Chief Phil Kessler dated February 19, 2025.
The notice also addresses events surrounding an executive session held in early March 2025.
According to the letter, council entered executive session following a scheduled meeting to discuss the conduct outlined in the document.
Those present reportedly included the mayor, council president, four other council members, the city’s contracted human resources officer, the law director, finance director, and fire chief.
The notice states that following discussion, Mr. Stickley told those present that he would resign from council and would not run for reelection in the November 2025 general election, and that he would withdraw his petition.
The letter states that council and the mayor agreed that if asked about the reason for the resignation and withdrawal, they would state it was for personal reasons, contingent upon Mr. Stickley resigning and not seeking reelection. According to the notice, Mr. Stickley submitted a written resignation dated March 11, 2025.
Following his resignation, Mr. Stickley previously told The Village Reporter that his decision to step down at that time was related to health issues.
He stated that he had been prescribed the medication Ozempic for diabetes and was experiencing side effects, which he said contributed to his decision to resign.
Mr. Stickley also stated that he chose to leave council at that time because he did not want to continue dealing with what he described as difficult interactions within city leadership while managing those health issues.
The letter continues and states Mr. Stickley moved forward with and actively campaigned for the council seat and was elected during the November 4, 2025, general election.
Following the election, the notice states that a letter dated November 18, 2025, was sent to Mr. Stickley requesting that he resign prior to being sworn into the new term.
That letter stated that if he did not resign, a Notice of Probable Cause for Removal would be issued after he took the oath of office. Mr. Stickley did not resign and was sworn in on January 5, 2026.
As a result, Mayor Kathy Huner, acting as the charging official, issued the Notice of Probable Cause for Removal, stating “Based on your demonstrated pattern of engaging in sexual harassment and creation of a hostile and abusive work environment, you cannot be permitted to serve as a council member.
Barring you from serving on Council is necessary to protect the City’s employees from sexual harassment and a hostile and abusive work environment and the city from possible lawsuits.”
Under the City Charter, the notice may not be provided to council earlier than ten days from the date of delivery to Mr. Stickley.
Based on the January 6, 2026, date listed on the letter, that ten-day period expired on January 17.A public hearing on the matter is scheduled to be held at the outset of the February 2, 2026, council meeting.
The allegations outlined in the notice have not been adjudicated and no determination has been made at this time.
For transparency, The Village Reporter has made the notice letter referenced in this report available on its website for readers to view.
