John A. Billis

1944 - 2024

News Story
By Mark Zaborney
Blade Staff Writer

John A. Billis, a longtime Toledo police officer and a three-term Sylvania councilman, who became the first Democrat in more than two decades to serve on that body, died Friday in ProMedica Flower Hospital. He was 80.

Mr. Billis, most recently of Sylvana Township, dealt with multiple health problems for much of 2023 and had been in the hospital since Dec. 30, his wife, Jan Billis, said.

In a Toledo police career of more than 30 years, he patrolled the streets, pursued drug offenders, and kept scofflaw truckers honest.

He became a Toledo police officer in the mid-1960s and early in his career worked an 8 p.m.- 4 a.m. shift, on patrol with the selective enforcement unit.

"He was one of my first partners. It was an exciting job," said Bob Pigott, a retired Toledo police detective, who remained a close friend. "When you're working together from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. for that many years, you understand where the other's coming from. He was a good guy."

In 1972, he was assigned to the metro drug unit and for a time served as a pilot in its drug enforcement efforts. He received training from what became the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"He could be a tough guy, and he also cared," Mrs. Billis said. "He really loved to be involved in things that helped people."

A late-career duty brought notoriety - and a nickname.

He led the police department's commercial enforcement unit and in a van equipped with high-tech scales followed trucks suspected of overweight loads. In six months of 1994 and 1995, he stopped more than 225 drivers hauling everything from oversized loads of dirt and grain to fuel and beer. Some were over the legal limit by 500 pounds. Others were overweight by tens of thousands of pounds.

"Most people have no idea of how much damage overweight vehicles cause to streets, but it's very real," Mr. Billis told The Blade in February, 1995.

His efforts yielded more than $250,000 in fines and court costs. Truckers took to calling Officer Billis "Black Bart the Pirate" over their citizens band radios - and some challenged their citations. But courts upheld the majority of the cases.

He blamed truck owners.

"Truck drivers are hard-working people who are just told to get in their trucks and drive," Mr. Billis said in 1995. "Time is money, and money is time. But nothing is happening to the owners, and that's not fair."

Mr. Billis in 1991 was the first Democrat elected to Sylvania City Council in 22 years. But in the first meeting of 1992, council's Republicans refused to seat him, citing a section of the city charter that prohibited any member of council from holding another elective office or another municipal office or employment.

"This is illegal, immoral, and a slap in the face to every citizen of the city of Sylvania," Mr. Billis said then. "I will be seated."

Council seated someone else in his place, and Mr. Billis filed a lawsuit. Nearly 300 supporters showed up weeks later to a spaghetti dinner and legal expense fund-raiser. He was described on event tickets as "councilman in exile."

In March, the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals ordered council to seat Mr. Billis, and he began serving later that month.

"That's his whole life - persistence. He didn't back down to anything," Mrs. Billis said. He found his work on the streets committee satisfying over his 12 years on council.

He was an outspoken proponent of keeping the Lathrop House, which had served as an Underground Railroad way station, in its historic location. St. Joseph Parish bought property to expand classroom space, prompting preservationists and others to rally when it seemed the parish's plans would lead to the structure's demolition.

He received a plaque in November, 2003, from the Committee to Preserve History and the Friends of Lathrop House for his "extraordinary service to preserve and protect the historic 1835 Lathrop House on its original site."

He and another council member who supported leaving the house in place lost their 2003 re-election bids.

"He thought he did the right thing, and he never regretted it," Mrs. Billis said.

In a compromise, the house later was moved to Harroun Community Park, adjoining the original site. A state grant and funds raised by friends of the structure helped pay for renovations. The restored building opened to the public in 2014.

He'd weathered earlier electoral controversy. He ran for Lucas County sheriff in 1984, and in the run up to the Democratic primary was told by the Toledo police chief to suspend his candidacy. He stayed in and lost the race, but the next month, was fired by the city manager. The city civil service commission ordered that he be reinstated.

He was born Jan. 17, 1944, to Catherine and Andrew Billis and grew up in South Toledo. He was a graduate of Macomber Vocational High School. A University of Toledo graduate, he had degrees in public service technology and public administration.

He was a member of Highland Meadows Golf Club and took part in trapshooting tournaments.

Surviving are his wife, the former Jan Robison, whom he married in October, 1986; daughter, Melissa Billis; sons Todd Billis and Dan Hammill; brother, Bob Billis, and seven grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday at Walker Funeral Home, Sylvania Township. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Church, Sylvania.

The family suggests tributes to Sylvania Community Services Center.