[0:00] All would rise, call the meeting to order.

[0:15] Everybody will pledge allegiance. Pledge allegiance.

[0:21] » to the flag of the United States of America and to

[0:24] the republic for which it stands, one nation under

[0:28] God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[0:35] Let's go and take the roll.

[0:41] » Layman >> Yes.

[0:42] » Odek >> Yes.

[0:43] » Cassidy >> Yes.

[0:45] » Baker >> Yes.

[0:46] » Prime >> Yes.

[0:47] » Mendoza >> Here.

[0:48] » Guerinzi >> Yes.

[0:50] » [clears throat]

[0:53] » Minutes of the previous meeting.

[0:59] » I'll move to approve the previous meeting minutes.

[1:02] » Second.

[1:06] » Motion by Mendoza seconded by Baker.

[1:12] » Layman >> Yes.

[1:13] » Odek >> Yes.

[1:14] » Cassidy >> Yes.

[1:16] » Baker >> Yes.

[1:17] » Prime >> Yes.

[1:18] » Mendoza >> Yes.

[1:19] » Guerinzi >> Yes.

[1:20] » [clears throat]

[1:25] » Passed. Communication

[1:28] » I have none.

[1:32] » Report on committees. Finance Committee >> [snorts]

[1:36] » The Finance Committee met this evening at 5:30 p.m.

[1:40] We reviewed the July financial reports and all funds at the end of the month

[1:44] reflect a 24.3 million dollar balance of which 5.6 million is encumbered leaving

[1:50] an uncommitted balance of 18.7 million. We were notified that the financial

[1:57] audit for 2025 has been completed in draft form. There are no findings or

[2:02] adjustments. The finance director let us know that he

[2:08] has just completed a copier and printer needs review and a new lease agreement

[2:13] will follow. He's anticipating savings through that

[2:17] process. >> [clears throat and cough]

[2:19] » The committee requested an update of capital projects

[2:23] that have been completed and those which are in process and will

[2:28] need to move into the new budget year. The mayor announced that they were

[2:33] looking at subrogation related to related to the street sweeper loss.

[2:38] And the next finance committee meeting will

[2:42] be held on Tuesday, September 15th at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers.

[2:51] » Thank you. Public Affairs Committee.

[2:55] » Latino Fest will take place this Saturday, August 22nd from 2:00 to 11:00

[3:00] p.m. downtown Fostoria featuring food, music, entertainment,

[3:05] and family-friendly activities celebrating Fostoria's Latino heritage

[3:10] and culture. Thank you. That is all.

[3:13] » Thank you. Law and Ordinance Committee.

[3:16] » The committee met this evening. It was reported that the committee's previous

[3:21] recommendation to distinguish extended duration events

[3:25] for the online permit application has been implemented.

[3:29] We reviewed Fostoria's ward boundaries to determine whether redistricting is

[3:34] warranted. The assessment used official 2020 US

[3:39] Census block level population data generated through Dave's

[3:44] redistricting app with the methodology and applicable legal requirements

[3:48] confirmed by the legal the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

[3:52] Fostoria's current ward boundaries were established following the 2000 federal

[3:56] census and adopted by ordinance 2002-50.

[4:03] The 2020 census shows a 19.16%

[4:08] total population deviation significantly exceeding the generally recognized 10%

[4:14] benchmark. The committee finds reapportionment

[4:18] legally appropriate to better equalize representation.

[4:22] The committee recommends that council adopt a revised ward by ordinance before

[4:28] the next municipal ward election cycle and will proceed with the necessary next

[4:33] steps to develop and bring forward a proposed revised map ward map for

[4:38] council consideration. The committee will meet again on

[4:42] Tuesday, September >> 15th.

[4:45] » 15th at 5:15 p.m. Thank you. That is all.

[4:49] » Thank you. Report of officers, Mr. Mayor.

[4:55] » I have nothing to report. Thank you.

[5:03] » Safety Service Director. >> Um nothing too crazy to report. I just

[5:08] wanted to touch base and let everybody know our website has been up live for

[5:12] about two months now and um seems a lot more user-friendly than the old one.

[5:17] We've been able to push out mass notifications that are implemented along

[5:21] with the website um so people don't have to scroll through Facebook or social

[5:25] media to see what's going on in the city um and we also have a newsflash section

[5:29] which we've been working with community members and organizations to keep

[5:33] everybody updated on events going on in town.

[5:36] Um and [snorts] then one other thing I wanted to touch base on was the American

[5:40] Forestry grant. Um I know we have a couple of ordinance coming up um for

[5:44] review for that tonight. Uh we were under a benchmark review uh started on

[5:50] May 5th and we did just pass that. Um when the federal government was kind of

[5:55] on a pause there for a little bit, we stopped spending as much money.

[5:59] So, I've been having to have monthly progress meetings with the uh grantee

[6:05] and um the grant tour administrator and we have

[6:09] passed all five benchmarks and just a put into kind of space about how we've

[6:16] how much we've been doing. We have spent about $375,000

[6:19] on hazard tree removals just since May 5th of this year. Um so, that's trees

[6:25] that were dead, needed to be removed, and posed a very high risk for falling,

[6:29] landing on houses, cars, people, anything like that. So, um that's all

[6:33] going very well and we will keep working through that grant till the end of next

[6:36] year. That is all. Thank you.

[6:39] » Thank you. Director of Law.

[6:43] » Thank you. I have no report tonight, but we probably could do a motion to excuse

[6:48] President Shaver perhaps during miscellaneous if you guys are so

[6:51] inclined. Thank you.

[7:02] » Did I hear a second a motion? >> Pardon me?

[7:05] » We should probably do that during miscellaneous.

[7:08] We should probably do that during miscellaneous.

[7:10] » Okay.

[7:19] Director of Finance. >> Thank you. Uh just have the two pieces

[7:23] of legislation um

[7:26] for this evening. Both are to do with the urban community forest grant fund.

[7:31] Uh the first one is uh just really to correct the line item

[7:36] description for appropriations that have already been made. We're not asking for

[7:40] for additional appropriations there. Uh I would ask that we waive three

[7:44] readings on that. And then the second one is asking for appropriations for the

[7:50] for that urban forestry grant fund to continue the tree removal service and

[7:55] maintenance that we have been doing. Um and again, we these expenses will be

[8:00] reimbursable through the American forest grant. Well, we just need to

[8:05] spend the money up front, so we're just asking for those appropriations to be

[8:09] able to do that. And also asking that we waive the three readings for that.

[8:15] That's all I had. Thank you. >> Thank you.

[8:19] Okay, public.

[8:26] You're on the list, Ms. Tyson. >> Yes, Deb Tyson.

[8:31] Um I just want to say that a lot of people

[8:37] do not know that it is easy to contact any one of you.

[8:43] Um some people don't like the phone, okay? But there's email, and as Maddie

[8:51] had said, there's the website. Uh you can all be found there. Um the other

[8:57] thing is, I know we have a console convos coming up in September. I do not

[9:02] know when, but I do know that that can be a helpful

[9:07] place for people to start learning. And I I'm just one about positivity.

[9:15] If you have questions, even if you don't want to agree, we can all agree to

[9:20] disagree. But

[9:23] we get along better if we take it one at a time or in a smaller

[9:32] group, and not just put it all out there.

[9:37] And that's all I have. >> Very much.

[9:49] » Good evening, everyone. Thank you for allowing me this platform.

[9:52] Um >> Did you sign your name?

[9:54] » I did. >> Provide your address. Great.

[9:56] » Okay. >> I did.

[9:58] Um my name is David Ziegler. I'm a lifelong resident of Seneca

[10:02] County. Uh and I'm running as an independent uh

[10:05] for county commissioner this year. Um

[10:09] I live in Eden Township with my wife, Judy, where I've been a a township

[10:13] trustee uh going on my ninth year right now.

[10:17] And uh I guess basically I wanted to come out

[10:21] today to uh one of two things. I'm running as an

[10:26] independent. People ask me this all the time. Dave, why are you running as an

[10:29] independent? Why not a Republican? Why not a Democrat? The answer is real

[10:33] simple. I am an independent. Um I have always supported the best person

[10:38] for the position, no matter what party they were affiliated with. Uh the second

[10:43] uh part to that being an independent is I

[10:47] do not believe that uh or I I I believe that party partisan

[10:53] politics does not belong at our local government level. We need to get things

[10:57] done, and the infighting that that it creates and the divisiveness, it's not

[11:01] good. Um

[11:05] Also, I I wanted to also uh

[11:10] let everybody know that I'm here tonight obviously to

[11:12] introduce myself to the to people of Fostoria. I have I don't have a lot of

[11:16] contacts over here. I appreciate the opportunity

[11:20] to talk to the voters of Fostoria, and I want to ask them for their support. And

[11:25] so that when I am elected, voters of Fostoria will have someone

[11:29] that they they can count on to be there for them, to help them to become a more

[11:34] productive community both socially and financially. Um, I appreciate your time.

[11:40] Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Ziegler.

[11:50] What do you else wants to take the podium?

[11:58] » Ready for old business? >> Yep.

[12:02] Please. >> An ordinance enacting new section 145.10

[12:08] of chapter 145 of the codified ordinances of the city of Foster, Ohio

[12:12] entitled regulation of special events within city limits and declaring

[12:17] emergency to exist. >> That will be the second reading of that

[12:22] ordinance.

[12:25] New business.

[12:30] » An ordinance adopting and amending ordinance number 2025-83

[12:34] permanent 2026 appropriations by transferring appropriations in the urban

[12:40] community forest grant fund and declaring emergency to exist.

[12:45] » Move to suspend the three reading rule on three separate occasions.

[12:49] » Second.

[12:55] » Layman. >> Yes.

[12:57] » Podek. >> Yes.

[12:57] » Cassidy. >> Yes.

[12:59] » Baker. >> Yes.

[13:00] » Kind. >> Yes.

[13:01] » Mendoza. >> Kearnsy.

[13:03] » Yes. >> [snorts]

[13:05] » If I might ask, who seconded? >> Ryan.

[13:10] » Ryan. >> Okay.

[13:20] » To adopt. >> Second.

[13:30] » Lemon? Yes. Podolak? >> Yes.

[13:32] » Cassidy? >> Yes.

[13:34] » Baker? >> Yes.

[13:35] » Grime? >> Yes.

[13:36] » Mendoza? >> Yes.

[13:37] » Guernsey? >> Yes.

[13:39] » [snorts] >> Motion carried.

[13:42] That will become ordinance number 2026

[13:49] -59. 2026

[13:53] -59.

[13:57] » [snorts] >> An ordinance adopting and amending

[14:00] ordinance number 2025-83 permanent 2026 appropriations by

[14:06] appropriating from unappropriated funds in the urban community forest grant fund

[14:10] and declaring emergency to exist. >> Move to suspend the three reading rule

[14:16] on three separate occasions. >> Second.

[14:23] » Okay, motion by Lemon, second by Grime.

[14:32] Clerk, if you'll take the roll. >> Lemon?

[14:34] » Yes. >> Podolak?

[14:36] » Yes. >> Cassidy?

[14:37] » Yes. >> Baker?

[14:38] » Yes. >> Grime?

[14:39] » Yes. >> Mendoza?

[14:40] » Yes. >> Guernsey?

[14:41] » Yes. >> [snorts]

[14:44] » Move to adopt. >> Second.

[14:49] » Got a motion to adopt by >> Grime.

[14:54] » Grime. >> Grime.

[14:56] » Second by Baker. >> Second by Baker.

[15:02] Clerk, if you'll take the roll call. >> Lemon?

[15:05] » Yes. >> Podolak?

[15:07] » Yes. >> Cassidy?

[15:08] » Yes. >> Baker?

[15:09] » Yes. >> Grime?

[15:10] » Yes. >> Mendoza?

[15:11] » Yes. >> Guernsey?

[15:12] » Yes. >> [snorts]

[15:14] » Motion carried and that will become ordinance number 2026-60.

[15:21] 2026-60.

[15:27] And that concludes

[15:32] our new business as well. Is there any need for executive session?

[15:41] Going to miscellaneous. >> I'd like to move to excuse Council

[15:46] President Shaver. >> Second.

[15:53] » Uh

[15:56] Moved by Mendoza, second by Grimes.

[16:06] Clerk, will take the roll. >> Lemon?

[16:08] » Yes. >> [ __ ]

[16:09] » Yes. >> Cassidy?

[16:11] » Yes. >> Baker?

[16:12] » Yes. >> Grimes?

[16:13] » Yes. >> Mendoza?

[16:14] » Yes. >> Kearnsy?

[16:14] » Yes. >> Motion carried.

[16:24] Any other miscellaneous?

[16:29] » Move to adjourn. >> Second.

[16:33] » We've got motion to adjourn by Grimes >> [ __ ]

[16:37] » or [ __ ] I'm sorry. >> [ __ ] and [ __ ] and Baker.

[16:43] » Seconded by Baker. >> Mhm.

[16:47] » Clerk, will take the roll call. >> Lemon?

[16:50] » Yes. >> [ __ ]

[16:51] » Yes. >> Cassidy?

[16:52] » Yes. >> Baker?

[16:53] » Yes. >> Grimes?

[16:54] » Yes. >> Mendoza?

[16:55] » Yes. >> Kearnsy?

[16:55] » Yes.

[16:58] » Okay, motion carried. Meeting is adjourned at

[17:04] 6:20

Fostoria City Council 8-17-26

Transcript