By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The City of Wauseon issued a letter to recently elected council member Harold Stickley requesting that he resign from the term set to begin on January 1st, 2026.
The letter was dated November 18th, 2025, and was delivered by personal service and by mail. It was signed by the Mayor, Kathy Huner, and the President of Council, Shane Chamberlin. The Village Reporter received a copy of the document.
According to the letter, Mr. Stickley previously served on Wauseon City Council for the term beginning January 1st, 2022, and ending December 31st, 2025. The letter states that during that term, the administration and council became aware of assertions involving his conduct, including conduct constituting sexual harassment, conduct that interfered with the work performance of city employees and elected or appointed officials, and conduct that created a hostile and abusive work environment. The letter states that the administration and council concluded that these assertions were well founded.
The document states that Mr. Stickley submitted his resignation from council in writing, effective March 11th, 2025. It also states that at the time of his resignation, the administration and council had the expectation that he would withdraw from the upcoming election.
According to the letter, Mr. Stickley did not do so and was elected during the general election held on November 4th, 2025, for the term running January 1st, 2026, through December 31st, 2029.
The letter states that it is the position of the administration and council that Mr. Stickley is unfit to serve as a council member or in any other elected or appointed position with the City of Wauseon and requests that he submit a letter resigning his seat before the new term begins.
The document advises that if he does not resign, the Mayor will issue a charging order immediately upon Mr. Stickley being sworn in as a council member in January 2026.
It also states that council will begin the removal process under Article Eleven of the City Charter. The letter states that it is the hope of the administration and council that this will not be necessary.
Mr. Stickley was contacted for comment about the letter. He stated that he ran for reelection and won, and that his resignation in March was connected to health issues at the time involving the medication Ozempic, which he said he had been prescribed for diabetes as a seventy-seven-year-old.
Mr. Stickley said he chose to step down earlier in the year because he did not want to continue dealing with what he described as difficult interactions within city leadership while experiencing side effects from the medication. He stated that he does not know why the allegations referenced in the letter were made.
Mr. Stickley said he contacted the city on Wednesday, November 26th to request the vote count for the decision to issue the letter.
Mr. Stickley also stated that in forty-five years of operating his businesses he has never been accused of sexual harassment.
He also stated that he is considering obtaining legal representation and is looking into possible legal action, including what he described as a slander claim, against those involved in the matter.