Despicable Bilkie
In the animated movie “Despicable Me” the protagonist minion is ironically named Kevin.
In reference to inappropriate behavior City Councilman Kevin Bilkie once said “Mayor Migliorini did a despicable thing, he was wrong and resigned.” https://nordoniahills.news/letter-to-the-editor-from-kevin-bilkie-regarding-the-resignation-of-mayor-joesph-migliorini/
Kevin Bilkie did a despicable thing. He was wrong and should have resigned before City Council was forced to censure him.
In September Macedonia City Council censured Kevin Bilkie in a 4-0 vote for conduct unbecoming of a council member, but nobody will publicly reveal what Kevin Bilkie actually did to warrant a unanimous censure. This departure from fully explaining the merits of past censures raises transparency concerns and the question: Is this a scandalous cover up for a friend seeking re-election? Ask the council member who knows exactly what he did, censured him, and still has Kevin’s campaign signs in her yard (Jessica Brandt).
During the Nordonia Hills Rotary club candidate forum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIh3l4OkUBc) an audience member asked the candidates why the inappropriate acts are not being explained and what truly took place (at 34:38 minutes in). This is a fair question for a censured candidate seeking re-election, but the man in the audience was chastised by the candidate.
Kevin Bilkie admitted that whatever unbecoming act he committed “…was done away from the city…” as opposed to vehemently denying he did anything wrong. Instead of acknowledging exactly what he did when asked, he attacked the audience member accusing him of asking a “despicable” question. (at 48:50 minutes in).
Why is it that what the former mayor did “away from the city” warranted a condemnation of despicable behavior from Kevin, but when Kevin Bilkie’s conduct is questioned by the public and an explanation is requested the person asking is now the despicable one?
What is truly despicable is what Kevin Bilkie did and the fact that he and those who censured him won’t publicly elaborate. The only person who benefits from this cover up is candidate Kevin Bilkie.
His council colleague Shane Barker, a retired Summit County Sheriff’s Deputy, stated other people were “involved” who “had bad things happen to them” and that they did not want to be “brought forward.”
Although that is a very commendable position to take for those who have been wronged, it implies there are one or more actual victims to the unbecoming conduct of an elected official up for re-election. (at 39:47 minutes in).
It is hard to believe that those involved in censuring Kevin Bilkie couldn’t find a way to explain his inappropriate conduct without re-victimizing or identifying the “other parties” that “had bad things happen to them.” Let that sink in: Had bad things happen to them. Those are not the words a career law enforcement officer uses lightly.
It is reasonable for the voters of Macedonia to know what unbecoming act Kevin Bilkie doesn’t deny committing before they cast their ballots. Anything less is a cover up of embarrassing facts the public is entitled to know.
If Kevin Bilkie loses his seat on council, like many politicians that have come before him, it will be this despicable cover up that inevitably led to his demise.
Dawn Cisek
Longtime Macedonia Resident
(Check the Facts Jack)
