Fostoria council hears update on financial status

FOSTORIA — The end is in sight for the city of Fostoria's stay of nearly 10 years in "fiscal emergency" under the auspices of the state auditor's office.During an extended meeting of city council's finance committee meeting Tuesday night, Cindy McCafferty, chief project manager for local government services in the state auditor's office, went through several points of the city's financial recovery plan. She noted that the wheels of the government turn slowly but said the city looks to be in good shape to shed the fiscal-emergency tag that was applied in May 2016."We have to wait and see how the year-end balances fall," said McCafferty, who has worked with Fostoria officials throughout the process. "My goal is I would like to see us do the best we can to get that report issued sometime in 2026."In accordance with that process, council heard first readings Tuesday night of an amendment to the financial recovery plan and the fiscal year 2026 permanent appropriations. City Finance Director Steve Dandurand asked council to waive the three-reading rule and pass those matters at its Dec. 2 meeting.Council did on Tuesday night pass an ordinance allowing for $7,500 from unappropriated funds to go toward contractual services for the development of a cyber security policy.During the public portion of the meeting, city resident Ranae Vogelsong inquired about an on-street parking space that has been established for an individual. Eric Keckler, the current safety service director and former mayor of Fostoria, replied that the city does have a process in place to apply for such a parking space.Vogelsong, a former city council candidate, also said that she had received a phone from a person who was in council chambers at the time saying someone who hoped to be elected to council shouldn't be in opposition to the passage of the 1% income tax that voters renewed in November balloting. Without naming the person who she said called, Vogelsong defended her right to her own belief.