By Jennifer Growthwool
A muted gasp echoed through the city commission chamber Monday as City Commissioner Craig Stale admitted to being afflicted with batophobia - a fear of tall, unstable buildings.
"There are few other buildings that really scare me," said Stale when asked about the dozens of crumbling, vacant buildings throughout Sandusky. "I'm shaking with fear when I'm downtown. Stale added before his fellow commissioners offered up their fears to the commission's audience. Ex-officio mayor Dan Kommon admitted to fearing broken ice cream freezers. "But I don't think that's irrational," Kommon said. Stale added that his batophobia could be cured if he was surrounded by docking and boats instead of buildings.
Commissioner Dennis Murran offered moral support to Stale and thanked him for offering his fears. "I think it would behoove us to support Mr. Stale and realize that this is one more reason we should convert Sandusky into a large marina. This man has dedicated his service to you and given the events in the last few weeks we need to remain sensitive to the needs of those who serve us," Murran said.