Fostoria Council prohibits feeding waterfowl in city

FOSTORIA — The Fostoria City Council held its first meeting of the month of October Tuesday. The meeting saw the passage of ordinances and resolutions get passed, along with a proposal from the city's Safety Service Director to begin a new project. Some of the ordinances passed on Tuesday pertained to emergency services. Ordinance No. 2026-63 authorized the Director of Public Service and Safety to negotiate and enter an agreement with the Seneca County Joint Ambulance District (Jackson Township), for the provision of emergency medical services. The other, Ordinance No. 2026-64 authorizes the Director of Public Service and Safety to enter into an agreement for mutual assistance between cities, villages, townships, emergency medical services districts, and fire districts in or adjacent to Wood County, Ohio and the City of Fostoria. Another ordinance was passed Tuesday night that amended section 505.17 of Chapter 505 of the Codified Ordinances, entitled "Feeding Wild Animals and/or Fowl". The language of that ordinance reads: "No person shall feed any wild animals and/or fowl on Reservoirs 2 and 3 in the City of Fostoria" The amendment adds a provision to the ordinance prohibiting the feeding of waterfowl within the city. Fostoria Mayor Don Mennel told the Advertiser-Tribune that the specific problems being addressed by this ordinance is intended to prevent the feeding of geese and ducks at reservoirs 2 and 3. "We received numerous complaints from individuals who like to take advantage of the walking paths around reservoirs 2 and 3," said Mennel. "The defecation on these paths makes walking dangerous and slippery." Mennel says the city will be posting signs informing the public that feeding water fowl is prohibited. The ordinance will take effect 90 days after its passage, and Mennel says city officials are developing an enforcement and penalty structure in the near future. A resolution was also passed that authorizes the Safety Service Director to prepare and submit an application to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement Program. Fostoria Safety Service Director, Eric Keckler, told the council at the meeting that, with the resolution's passage, his department would be able to apply for a waterline project on McDougal Street. "We already presented to the local group and we actually scored really high on that," Keckler said at the meeting. "[The plan] is to take the 4-inch line on McDougle Street and turning it into an 8-inch line. It will get us better water pressure, as well as replacing a couple of hydrants and getting rid of some lead lines." In conversation with The Advertiser-Tribune, Keckler said, "The city of Fostoria, through the Seneca County Transportation Improvement District and the State of Ohio, was awarded a grant well over $400,000 to widen and repair McDougal Street, most likely next Spring or Summer, after the construction work is done. The waterline construction is underway right now. Through the bidding process Buckeye Construction and Excavation was awarded the project and is currently in the process of replacing the waterline. There is also a project at the Fostoria Municipal Building that will begin soon shoring up the southwest corner of the building which has caused some issues with flooding in the basement." At the end of the meeting, the council voted to move the first meeting of November to Wednesday, Nov. 4, in order to work around election day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.