MOUNT VERNON — Knox County Commissioners Bill Pursel and Barry Lester publicly asked fellow Commissioner Drenda Keesee to resign on Tuesday.
Knox County Republican Party Chairman Fred Daily made the same call on Nov. 6 after Common Pleas Judge Richard Wetzel found Keesee’s son, Gary Thomas “Tom” Keesee Jr., guilty on 27 counts of rape and sexual abuse.
Pursel said the trial has been a long process for the commissioners’ office.
“I know there’s been a concern about the chaos and people doing public records requests and the pressure this has put on this office, so I think I’m along with Fred Daily in asking that resignation be done by you,” he told Commissioner Keesee.
Lester also agreed with the party’s position.
“It’s an unfortunate situation. Hopefully, it will work out for you and your family, but I agree with the Republican party,” he said.
Keesee said, “I will give it prayerful consideration.”
When authorities arrested Keesee Jr. in April 2025, community members called for Commissioner Keesee’s resignation and asked the commissioners and the Republican Party to force her to resign.
“She is an independently elected official, and she alone can determine her ability to serve under these circumstances,” Pursel said in April 2025.
However, Lester said the commissioners still get calls from community members urging them to force Keesee to resign.
The commissioners do not have that authority.
Citizens concerned with lack of attendance
Ohio has no recall procedure for members of the legislature or countywide or statewide elected officials.
Ohio Revised Code section 3.07 allows removal related to misconduct in office. Examples include willful or flagrant use of authority not granted under the law, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, gross immorality or drunkenness.
ORC section 3.16 deals with suspending an official charged with a felony related to official conduct.
The key in both sections is an elected official’s behavior while in office related to their official duties. In Keesee’s case, the conduct community members take issue with occurred before she took office.
Community members have also called for Keesee’s resignation based on lack of attendance.
ORC 305.06 states the board of county commissioners must hold at least 50 regular or special sessions a year. The Knox County Board of Commissioners holds regular meetings at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. They do not meet on the Tuesday after an official holiday, such as Memorial Day or Labor Day.
Commissioners must attend three-fifths (60%) of regular meetings during a two-year period (ORC 3.17). The law sets no attendance requirements for meetings such as regional planning, the fair board or the visitors bureau.
ORC 305.03 also relates to meeting attendance. It states an office becomes vacant whenever an official fails to perform the duties of office for 30 consecutive days, except for sickness or injury. This section does not apply to a commissioner on active duty in the U.S. military.
Performing the duties of office includes appearing at the principal office location at least once in 30 consecutive days.
Below is the number of meetings each commissioner has missed.
•Bill Pursel: 23 (includes those missed due to hospitalization)
•Barry Lester: 2
•Drenda Keesee: 17
