REVIEW TIMES

REVIEW TIMES
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
B1
C1
—
—
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
First Downs
Rushes-yards
Passing Yards
Comp-Att-Int
Punts-Avg.
Fumbles-Lost
Penalties-Yards
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — .
PASSING — .
RECEIVING — .
RUSHING — .
Police cut costs,
fight crime | B4
Red Cross in time
of transition | B5
Hospital treats the
community | B8
Courthouse
comes
down | B7
B2
COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
City cautiously optimistic about 2012
Negative balance in the
general fund cause many
departments to cut corners
By HANNAH NUSSER
STAFF WRITER
With a tough 2011 behind
them, Fostoria officials have a
“cautiously optimistic” attitude
for 2012.
They’re also doing what they
can to prepare for what’s going to
be a rather challenging 2013, said
Mayor Eric Keckler.
After finishing 2011 with a negative $132,498 in the general fund,
and many other funds teetering
the fine line of a balanced budget,
Fostoria’s department heads are
working to tweak budgets and cut
corners wherever possible, without cutting services.
“It’s not unique to Fostoria –
everybody’s going through this
casualty of the economy,” said Fire
Chief Keith Loreno.
In fact, the city used funds
from the Leverage for Efficiency,
Accountability and Performance
(LEAP) fund to hire the State
Auditor’s office to conduct a
state performance audit, hoping
to improve efficiency and reduce
operating costs. When the audit is
completed this year, officials will
have “a road map” of money-saving
suggestions, said Finance Director
Steve Garner.
The city is also juggling a
number of projects in 2012, and
Garner said the city is financially
committed to a number of them,
and the funds are available.
“We’re fortunate because we
had the contingency fund,” he said
of the $1.2 million fund which city
council divided and earmarked in
2008. Garner said $625,000 of the
contingency fund was put into Fostoria’s general fund, and the rest
was set aside for the city’s various
projects. “So we’re pretty well situated for the projects to continue.”
Garner also pointed out at a
Feb. 6 finance committee meeting
the city’s income tax revenue was
the lowest in 2011 it’s been since
Fostoria switched to a 2 percent
tax in 1998.
AHEAD IN 2012
Fostoria officials are looking
at another difficult year in 2012.
Keckler said budget conditions
are being considered “with an eye
toward 2013.”
Keckler said between the
Staffing For Adequate Fire &
Emergency Response (SAFER)
grant expiring in March and job
losses from InterMetro’s closure
announced last year, 2013 will
pose a real challenge. Department
heads are racking their brains for
innovative ways to trim costs this
year, and Keckler said no “crazy
money-saving” idea is off the
table — especially when it comes
to how the city’s going to make
up for losing the SAFER grant
monies next March.
“We’re doing everything we
can; when that (grant) runs out
I don’t see where there would
be enough money to keep (the
fire division) fully staffed … that
would be a big piece out of the
general fund.”
Garner said he’s working on
the finalized budget for 2012 and
is adjusting revenue and expenses
down from $6.5 to $6.2 million, to
be on the safe side.
“(I’m) still looking at all the
numbers to see what we can do,”
Garner said. “We’re trying to
spread expenses around and try
to match overall expenses with
everything we’re trying to do. The
last thing we want is any layoffs
or cutting of services. It’s kind of
a tricky balancing act.”
Keckler said he’s considering a
potential $50,000 savings by utilizing Law Director Tim Hoover
for legal advice and discrepancies
on “HR-type decisions” typically
farmed out to an outside agency
in the past.
Officials are also eagerly awaiting a postponed Medicare payment of at least $120,000, which
was caught up in a billing system
switchover and contributed to the
cause of the city ending 2011 with
a negative balance of $132,498 in
the general fund.
“I do have that ray of hope that
when that (payment) comes we’ll
have a better chance of making it
to the end of this year with a balanced budget,” Keckler said.
The 2012 budget will be finalized at the end of March.
A NEW ADMINISTRATION
Voters headed to the polls Nov.
8 and supported Eric Keckler as
Fostoria’s next mayor, ending
then-mayor John Davoli’s dream
of living out a fourth term for the
city.
Also in the election, Barbara
Marley beat Carol Reffner and
Barbara Dibble for the seat of
Fostoria Municipal Court Judge.
Marley, voted into a 6-year term,
replaced Judge John Hadacek,
who retired Dec. 31 after 18 years
on the bench.
Another longtime figure to
leave Fostoria Municipal court
chambers was City Council President Joe Droll, who has presided
over council meetings for the past
18 years. Fostorian Doug Pahl
took that position over Jan. 1 after
running unopposed in the general
election.
For city council, Georgie
Widmer and David Bettenhausen
were re-elected for council-at-large
seats, and former councilman
Jerry Nelson was voted into the
third open seat.
Keckler spent the first few
weeks of his term pouring over
reports and discussing the state of
the city with Engineer Dan Thornton and Finance Director Steve
Garner, and finding out exactly
where Fostoria stands monetarily
and with its projects.
Discussing last year’s reports
well into February of 2012 was
important, “so that we can see
where we are from projects that
are carried over from last year,
and see where the money takes
us for this year,” Keckler said.
Keckler also brought in Interim
Executive Secretary Charlotte
Reese and Interim Safety Service
Director Jimmie Deiter. With
every experience being a first,
Keckler’s first two months in the
mayor’s office have been about getting up to speed – and assessing
the situation Fostoria finds itself
in with a continuingly downcast
economy.
PROJECTS
As outlined in Dan Thornton’s
annual engineering project report
File photo
CITY OFFICIALS break ground for the Iron Triangle Rail Park and Visitors Center in the fall. The new park will include an entrance off
South Poplar Street, a viewing platform, heated restroom facilities, Wi-Fi capabilities and parking. The Visitor’s Center and Viewing Area
is being designed this year, and officials hope the project will go to bid for construction in August.
for the city, about a dozen projects
were either completed or worked
on last year.
One of the most notable was
the Iron Triangle Rail Park and
Visitors Center groundbreaking.
The new park will include an
entrance off South Poplar Street, a
viewing platform, heated restroom
facilities, Wi-Fi capabilities and
parking. The Visitor’s Center and
Viewing Area is being designed
this year, and Thornton pinned
August as an expected month to
go to bid for construction.
“It’d be nice if we can get started
earlier,” Thornton said, adding the
city’s currently working on completing all the title paperwork.
Thornton said he hopes they will
be able to bid construction sooner
than August, to give crews ample
time to work before winter begins,
when construction will be halted
until Spring 2013.
“We find people from all over
the world down there looking at
trains. This will put us on the map
and get us some attention, which is
what we’re after right now,” Keckler said in anticipation of the park.
Another highly-anticipated
project, the overpass on Jones
Road, officially opened Nov. 16 to
the delight of city officials, businesses and drivers.
Former Fostoria Mayor Jim
Bailey began pursuing funding
while he was in office from 19961999.
“In some ways we’re talking
about the past and the future at
the same time on some of these
projects,” Keckler said, adding he
was familiar with many of them
because they were being planned
when he worked for the city’s
street department a few years ago.
Then-mayor John Davoli made
the overpass project a top priority during his tenure from 2000
to 2011, and was responsible for
securing funding for the $6.14 million project, which broke ground
in March 2010. The city awaits the
project’s final cost from the Ohio
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see much of the work as it is quite
literally being done underground.
Fostoria Metropolitan Airport
got a rehabilitation of its West
Apron and a new snow removal
equipment storage facility last
year. Both projects were completed in August. The first phase
of terminal area fencing improvements is expected to be completed
this spring.
THE BUSINESS SCENE
In late January 2011, Honeywell International announced
plans to sell its automotive Consumer Products Group to Rank
Group Limited, which included
Fostoria’s Autolite spark plugs
plant. The $950 million sale was
completed in July.
Also, Inland Tarp and Liner
LLC announced plans late February of expanding its Fostoria
facility, which created 20 jobs. The
business occupies the former Uniboard facility at 1600 N. Main St.
KemoSabes Roadhouse Grill
was opened on Sandusky Street
in March by father-son duo Dave
and Nate Heiser. The former Black
Cat restaurant was renovated into
what has proved to be a popular
restaurant with residents.
Also in March, Posey Excavating Company demolished a 122
E. North St. building, the former
Gold Bond Furniture Company,
after it partially collapsed.
Fostorian Patrick Roddy purchased the former convenience
store Dean and Donna’s on Buckley Street in May, and reopened
it as TJ’S Northside Party Mart.
Also in May, B&D Truck Parts
opened on Perrysburg Road. The
Class 8 truck and trailer parts and
accessories dealer replaced the
former Graff Automall location.
In July it was announced Fostoria was expected to lose about
100 jobs when InterMetro moves
its Fostoria manufacturing operations to Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico.
Operations are expected to be
phased out in 18 to 24 months.
Tim Runion, president of
American Loan Mortgage Corporation, bought the former Jac &
Do’s Pizza shop, 117 N. Main St.,
at auction for $8,500. The pizza
shop opened later in the year
under the same name.
After two months of negotiating, Fostoria Autolite Plant and
UAW Local 533 ratified a threeyear labor agreement at the end
of the year. Also in December,
Linde announced long-term plans
to close their Fostoria plant, following a $40 million investment in
their Delta facility. Approximately
25 employees at the plant will be
affected.
Finishing out the year was
Little Caesar’s Pizza, which
opened its facility just a few weeks
later than expected –and complete
with a drive-thru– at Perry and
Elm streets.
OTHER HAPPENINGS
Between October and December, many Fostorians stomached
foul smelling and tasting water.
The water was deemed safe to
drink, although unpleasant to
smell and taste. The Fostoria
Water Department stated the
problem was caused by an abnormally high amount of decaying
algae in the reservoirs after a
particularly hot, sunny summer
led to more algae growth.
In November, AFSCME 811
union signed a two-year contract
with City of Fostoria after months
of negotiations. Then-mayor John
Davoli said the two-year pact featured cost savings for the city and
safety measures for its employees.
The contract features a zero percent pay increase for two years,
holiday and overtime pay reduced
to time-and-a-half instead of
double time, and cross-training of
employees to allow departments
and plants to “borrow” employees,
meant to increase scheduling flexibility and cut down on overtime.
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The city also completed the
construction of a new bulk water
station at the city service garage
on Perrysburg Road in July 2011,
allowing bulk water customers to
get water 24/7. Also finished last
summer was the “Lime Sludge
Press Project,” which Keckler said
would save the city money in the
long run by no longer having to
pay to have sludge hauled out of
the existing lime sludge lagoon on
the south side of Reservoir 3. With
the press station, funded through a
Supply Revolving Loan Fund and
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 principal
forgiveness, the city would save
about $50,000 a year, as stated in
the reports.
In the works for the future is
the widening and improvement of
a portion of Stearns Road, between
Ohio 199 and U.S. 23, to match
the existing pavement section to
the east with three lanes, a curb,
gutter, and new storm sewers.
This project is estimated to begin
January 2014 at the earliest.
As part of the city’s Long Term
Control Plan to gain compliance
with the Environmental Protection Agency, a portion of Fostoria’s
large diameter sewers got a good
cleaning last year. About a third of
the city’s three-foot wide sewers,
which photos show were about half
full of sediment, were cleaned out.
This project “should help to alleviate basement flooding,” Keckler
said, and the work will continue
this summer. The third and final
portion of sewer cleaning should
be completed next year, Thornton
said. The sewer cleaning project
is one of about 13 the city has
been tasked with in the proposed
30-year plan.
The Long Term Control Plan,
which was submitted for review in
February, will be the biggest project “for about the next 20 years,”
Thornton said, but citizens won’t
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FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
COMMUNITY UPDATE
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HANNAH NUSSER / the Review Times
FIREFIGHTER/MEDIC KYLE Blausey performs routine maintenance on a vehicle at the Fostoria Fire Division Feb. 9. Chief Keith Loreno
touted a large cost savings last year by firefighters performing in-house maintenance to the division’s vehicles and equipment. Like many of
the city’s departments, the FFD is facing deeper budget cuts yet this year.
7:00am - 4:00pm
SAFER grant a savior
for fire division in ’11
Chief able to recall all eight
positions that were vacant
By HANNAH NUSSER
STAFF WRITER
The Fostoria Fire Division is
re-stabilized in 2012 after starting
out 2011 in a state of limbo.
The 20-man department rang
in the 2011 New Year with eight
firefighter positions vacant. Some
of the layoffs dated back to March
2009, and were as recent as June
2010. The biggest accomplishment for Fire Chief Keith Loreno
last year, he said, was being able
to recall eight positions back to
work.
“That was something very
heartfelt in my opinion, as the
pretty new chief, to be able to
drive to each one of their homes
and tell them, ‘It’s time to get back
to work,’” he recalled.
This was made possible — at
no cost to the city — thanks to
a FEMA-issued Staffing For Adequate Fire & Emergency Response
(SAFER) grant, awarded in January in the amount of $1.2 million.
Between Feb. 15 and March 15,
the men returned to work.
Two employees did not return
due to obtaining full-time employment elsewhere. Those positions
were filled later in the year by fire
medics Robert Payne, Columbus,
and Josh Althaus, Wayne, hired on
Oct. 10 and 17 respectively. The
city actually saved money in hiring
Althaus and Payne, Loreno said, as
they both had already completed
their full compliment of training
including fire, EMS, hazardous
materials, and incident command
training.
“The great thing about these
two new guys … they came very
well qualified,” Loreno said. “They
were able to pretty much hit the
ground running for the city and
that’s obviously a big plus.”
Before hearing the news of the
SAFER grant, at times the department was operating three, eighthour shifts with 11 people.
“The call volume doesn’t go
down because your manpower
status has gone down,” Loreno
said. “And I’ll be perfectly honest
… one of our guys kept coming in
and running and it took its toll,
and he ended up injured.”
The division was running such
a small staff it was paying over-
time just to keep the department
manned adequately for each shift.
The FFD would’ve been close to
reaching its overtime budget in
February 2011, Loreno said.
“One guy at 24 hours of timeand-a-half each and every day –
that added up.”
In other personnel matters,
former interim fire chief Brian
Anderson resigned from his position as fire captain on Feb. 4 after
he was charged with two counts of
driving under DUI suspension in
Fostoria Municipal Court.
INCREASED CALLS IN 2011
With financial limitations
pressing down on the department,
Loreno said a major struggle
last year was an increase in call
volume. In 2011 FFD received
1,508 EMS calls, 100 more than
2010, and 388 fire calls, 27 more
than 2010.
“The big struggle we continue
to have — and I think we’ve done
a very good job of it — is basically
we can handle one call at a time
with the manpower we have on
duty.”
He explained if multiple calls
come in at once, the department
has to recall firefighters to work
when they’re off duty, creating
overtime expenses. Increased
calls last year led the department
to exceed its overtime budget,
Loreno said.
He pointed out, though, he was
able to garner reimbursement for
overtime acquired while providing rescue crews to local schools
and business, a routine service
that was no problem to fulfill
when the fire station was more
adequately staffed. With a shorter
on-duty staff, off-duty firefighters
are called in on overtime hours
to serve as rescue crews at local
sporting events and potentially
hazardous business operations.
Last year the division was able
to acquire overtime cost reimbursement for these activities by
drawing up a simple contract for
the schools and businesses, and
Loreno said St. Wendelin Catholic and Fostoria City Schools were
understanding of the change.
“It was just one of those things
that we couldn’t function and
provide those services anymore
without at least recovering costs,”
Loreno explained. “It’s just the
way it is unfortunately; it’s a sign
of the times.”
Loreno also touted cost savings accrued by the firefighters
performing in-house maintenance
to safety vehicles and equipment.
“A lot of times people have a
misconception of what all we do
over here, stereotypes of (firefighters) playing checkers, watching TV until the call comes in.
… If you come here any day the
guys are out doing something,”
he explained of the reality for the
firemen, who are responsible for
checking every piece of equipment
for functionality, in addition to
any necessary repairs and maintenance to emergency vehicles.
“We can’t afford to go out there
and the truck doesn’t start and say,
‘Oh well.’ … And I say that in jest,
but that’s real.”
The firefighters also used
minimal sick days in 2011, which
Loreno said comes from an understanding and cooperation he’s
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COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
Steel Iron Copper Brass Aluminum Stainless Lead Zinc Police cut
costs to
fight crime
Drop in
serious
offenses
reported
By HANNAH NUSSER
STAFF WRITER
After losing five police officers
last year to budget cuts — and
returning them to the force a few
months later — Fostoria Police
Chief John McGuire looks back on
2011 with pride in his department.
On June 1, 2011 budget constraints forced the FPD to lay off
five officers from its staff. The
department was also down two
full-time dispatchers and one
clerk.
Employees put their heads
together and started thinking outside of the box to come up with
ways to save money and bring
their laid-off officers back to work.
All five officers were subsequently brought back to work
within two months, thanks to
funding through the schools for
the resource officers, a Community Oriented Policing Services
(COPS) grant for one employee,
and internal department restructuring. Three officers returned to
work in July, and two in August.
“We had to find a way – because
these guys had been laid off – of
saving money and still keeping
these people employed,” McGuire
said.
Thanks to the restructuring of
the department and a little thrifty
thinking, the FPD cut 9.8 percent from its budget and brought
expenses down 8.9 percent from
2010. Cruiser maintenance costs
were cut in half, and equipment
maintenance was cut $5,800 from
2010. For example, ammunition
costs were trimmed by $2,000
by cleaning out old evidence and
trading disposed court-seized
property for ammo.
After six or seven failed
attempts at reorganizing employee
scheduling, the department
switched to two 12-hour shifts
per day instead of three eighthour shifts, saving $55,000 last
year on overtime costs. McGuire
reported at a Jan. 17, 2012 city
council meeting that thanks to
the shift change, overtime costs
for the department were $97,000
last year – the lowest in ten years.
While the schedule change
worked like a charm for saving
money, it also has its drawbacks,
McGuire said. Working longer
days takes a physical and mental
toll on employees, which can lead
to lowered morale toward the end
of the 12-hour day.
“That first six, eight hours is
tough as it is. Then you get into
that ninth, 10th, and especially
11th or 12th hour, you’re dragging if you’ve been running from
call to call,” McGuire said of his
past experience working longer
days. “It’s a credit to these guys
that they’ve done the job that they
have continually.”
There are three sergeants to
oversee four different shifts. Consequently, the operations captain
also acts as a shift supervisor,
meaning more responsibilities
in addition to his administrative
duties.
In an attempt to alleviate
extra work from staff members,
McGuire requested early this year
for city administration to add two
officers back onto his staff, for a
total of 22.
One officer would allow the
operations captain to focus full
attention back to his duties, and
the other would assist the detective with investigations and fill in
out on the road.
“Would I love to go back to full
staff? Certainly. But I understand
that the economy and the shrinking tax base of this city probably
won’t allow that, but I’d like to see
us get at least two (more) officers.”
With a few more officers, the
department could also return to
offering more “proactive” crimefighting services rather than
“reactive,” through the use of educational outreach programming
and demonstrations, McGuire
said.
Due to budget cuts, FPD educational outreach programming
has been on the decline in recent
years. Police hosted 89 educational programs in 2006. It was
down to 59 in 2008; 37 in 2009; 29
in 2010, and slashed to 17 in 2011.
“By being a proactive police
department you can head off some
of those problems and crimes even
before they happen,” the police
chief said, citing the Neighborhood Block Watch program, public
demonstrations and school mentorships for establishing a connection with local youth and resulting
in a lower crime rate in Fostoria.
“I’d like to see us get back to that.”
Also in 2012, the department
will be seeing the results of an
improved dispatch center, which
got a bit of a facelift last year.
A new 9-1-1 Public Safety
Answering Point (PSAP) went
live in late 2011 with the intent to
streamline emergency calls from
the area.
“We’re just starting to realize
the enhancements,” McGuire said
in January of the PSAP center,
which features a mapping system
and is expected to help reduce
response times.
With the new call center, any
9-1-1 call made in Fostoria – with
the exception of cell phones – is
routed directly to the FPD. With
the old system, a call made in Fostoria’s Wood County portion may
go to the Wood County Sheriff’s
Office first, only to be transferred
to the FPD, sometimes losing the
caller in the process.
“People are getting a better
service, and that’s what they’re
paying their tax dollars for.”
With the PSAP center installa-
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FULL-TIME DISPATCHER Kristen Hohman, the newest addition
to the Fostoria Police Department, works in the department’s
improved dispatch center. The new 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering
Point was installed last year and includes a mapping feature and
allows for a more streamlined process of receiving 9-1-1 calls from
Fostoria, said Chief John McGuire.
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the dispatch center, which was in
dire need of upgrading, he said.
“I won’t say it’s state of the
art, but we were kind of still in
the dark ages here,” he said.
McGuire plans to create a citywide communication hub, incorporating the fire, sewer, streets and
water departments for a “true
communication system.”
Most of last year the department functioned with only one
full-time dispatcher, due to attrition and funding. FPD hired a
second full-time dispatcher in
January, and plans to hire a third
full-time position to bring the dispatch center back to full steam.
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REVIEW TIMES
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FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Red Cross office goes
through many changes
B5
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Phone: 419-396-6201
10455 CH 16
Fax: 419-396-6370
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Downsizing,
resignation
leave agency
in transition
HOSPICE CARE
COMMUNITY
HOSPICE CARE
The Original Hospice
in Seneca County
By HANNAH NUSSER
STAFF WRITER
Last year was a time of operational changes for the American
Red Cross.
It may appear that the local
American Red Cross chapters
saw devastating losses with staff
cuts and reduced hours last year,
but executive director John Sherer
assured residents “it has nothing
to do with Fostoria.”
“We’ve had a lot of changes in
how we operate, but the changes
we’ve had haven’t really affected
what we do,” Sherer said, reflecting on 2011’s developments.
A lot of the budget cuts and
employee elimination was about
streamlining of services, he said,
which in turn “freed up the directors to be more hands-on.”
As part of the effort to reduce
budget, three part-time positions
were eliminated on Sept. 2, 2011.
“The things those people were
doing was scaled way back,”
Sherer said, explaining the workload was consumed by either
himself, the regional Red Cross
location in Toledo, or the national
office. Everyday responsibilities
like handling the phones and walkin clients were absorbed by Sherer.
“I thought they were crazy at
first getting rid of all these people,
but ... even though I’m really busy,
I can see now where a full-time
director’s going to probably be
able to handle this.”
Other tasks previously handled
by personnel were expedited to
the ever-efficient Internet. For
example, anyone wishing to sign
up for health and safety classes
through the Red Cross used to fill
out all the paperwork and it was
filed by part-timers at the office.
Caring for the terminally ill sinc e 1983
• Four levels of care:
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• RN Visits — 24-Hour On Call
• Grief Counseling
• Service All LTCFs, ALFs & TDC
181 E. Perry St., Tiffin, OH 44883
419-447-4040 • 1-800-834-8100
HANNAH NUSSER / the Review Times
JOHN SHERER, American Red Cross of Seneca County executive director, works in the Fostoria office
on Feb. 9. After resigning Dec. 30, 2011, Sherer agreed to stay on for the Red Cross part-time until a
suitable replacement is found.
Now the process is done online at
www.redcross.org.
“When those women left I
would have never believed what
transpired has transpired,” he
said, explaining the office used
to get five calls a day, and is now
down to two or three calls a week.
“We were getting five times the
phone calls a year ago, and that
has to do with the classes being
online and the blood services
being taken over.”
Sherer reminded residents the
downsizing is not area specific.
The move was part of a nationwide effort for the Red Cross to
cut jobs and consolidate programs
in 2011.
“They had to cut back, this
has been a plan in progress for a
long period of time,” he explained
of the onslaught of a new ARC
administration’s strategic plan
to save the Red Cross from bankruptcy. The total cuts included
the elimination of about 2,300
employees — mostly part-timers
— in September, he said.
“Part of what’s going on in Fos-
toria is going on in every chapter
in the United States — every chapter. The bad thing about it here is
we’ve already had such bad luck
with businesses closing.”
Another major change was
made to the Seneca County Red
Cross last year. In December,
Sherer resigned his post after
three years with the American
Red Cross of Seneca County.
He resigned his full-time spot as
director on Dec. 30, 2011.
“I’m just old, I want to cut back
some,” the 67-year-old said of his
the decision, announced late January. He said he has committed to
heading up the community bingo
program, played at 4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Tiffin Mall, after his
official departure.
The director is also sticking around to organize the 2012
Everyday Heroes Luncheon on
March 23, scheduled for 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. at the Tiffin Mall Bingo
Hall, 870 W. Market St. The
annual event recognizes ordinary
citizens for their good deeds, and
Sherer said it would be unfair for
his new replacement to have to
take on the large event immediately.
Sherer agreed to work parttime, splitting his days between
the Fostoria and Tiffin offices,
until a suitable replacement was
found.
“I don’t want people to think
that the Red Cross is going out
of business or some crazy thing
because we’re not. Even though
we’ve lost employees, if anything,
we’re going to still be a very efficient driving force in both these
communities. I don’t see that
changing.”
ARC accepted resumes until
Feb. 10, and a new executive director is expected to start mid-March
at the earliest. The new director
will resume a 40-hour workweek,
and local offices are expected to
increase to at least 20 open hours
a week.
Contrary to some belief, Sherer
assured residents the Red Cross’s
Tiffin office did not close last year.
See RED, Page B6
Email: communityhospice@bright.net
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550 E. Zeller Rd.
Fostoria, Oh.
419-435-3335
American
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Fostoria Chapter
115 South Main Street • 419-435-5360
www.fostoriaredcross.org
Fraternal Order of Eagles #430
1049 N. Countyline St., Fostoria, OH
free entertainment every Fri eve. for members
419-435-2114
Proud to support LOCAL charities
and organizations in Fostoria through
various fundraisers.
Always Accepting Men’s Aerie & Women’s
Auxiliary Members. Call for Details.
FOSTORIA ROTARY CLUB
“CELEBRATING OVER 90 YEARS
OF COMMUNITY SERVICE”
• Continuing Scholarships- $6,000 awarded annually to Fostoria area
students
• Loyal Agency Support- Thousands of dollars donated to support area
groups
• Mesa- Medical Equipment shipped abroad, supporting third world
countries
• Christmas Parade- Organize annual holiday tradition and reward area
participating bands.
• Golden Apple Programs- Recognition and financial award to top
Fostoria and St. Wendelin teachers.
• Literacy Programs- Age appropriate books supplied to local school
libraries.
• Community Beautification- Upgraded and continued beautification at
Risdon Square Center
• Student Honors- Two students from Fostoria & St. Wendelin honored
monthly throughout the school year.
SERVICE ABOVE SELF
If you are interested in becoming a Rotarian, contact
Jim Irwin @ 419-435-0463, or Arlen Lowery @ 419-435-1211
“Changing The World, One Child
& One Community At A Time”
Fostoria Kiwanis Club
What we do:
Provide Shoes for children in need • Team up with
ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital to perform car
seat safety checks • Mentor elementary students • Visit
patients in nursing homes • Purchase food baskets for
low-income families • Help with Meals on Wheels
• Highway clean-up • Put up U.S. flags on holidays
• Provide funding for various local non-profit agencies
The public is always welcome at Kiwanis!! We
meet at noon every Tuesday @ Good Shepherd
Home (basement meeting room). Call
419-435-6641 ext. 240 for more information.
Fostoria VFW Post #421
112 W. Tiffin St.
419-435-2282
Wesley United Methodist Church
1200 Van Buren St.
419-435-8551
Sunday School....9:15 a.m.
Worship....10:30 a.m.
First Christian Church
Disciples of Christ
255 W. Center St., Fostoria
419-435-2341
fccfostoria.webs.com
Pastor Tress Hodkinson
9:30a.m. Sunday School, 10:30 a.m. Worship
tress@woh.rr.com
“A Fostoria Tradition”
Fostoria Glass
Heritage Gallery
“Dedicated to displaying
glass made by Fostoria glass industry artists”
Closed January & February
March Thurs – Sat. 10-3
April – December: Tues – Sat 10-4
109 N. Main St. Fostoria, OH 44830
www.fostoriaglass.com
DayBreak of Fostoria
Adult Day Center for persons with
Alzheimer’s Disease & Memory Loss
Caring for a Loved One...Need
a Break? Try Our Safe, Loving Environment.
First Day Free... Come check us out
$30 per day
Financial Assistance Available For Those
Who Qualify
M-W-F 8:30 am to 2:30 pm
For more information contact: Terri Faeth
725 Columbus Ave.
419-435-4022
Fostoria
A
Agency
B6
COMMUNITY UPDATE
SAFER
Red
Continued from page B3
Continued from page B5
proud of in the department.
And despite some manpower
issues, Loreno said the FFD conducted 33 fire prevention activities in town, completed 21 full
fire inspections and performed 24
fire hydrant repairs in conjunction
with the city.
“It was never going to close,”
he said, outlining September 2011
plans to downsize from the ARC
location at the Tiffin Mall to a
smaller, cheaper office in downtown Tiffin. Sherer said when the
mall manager found out the ARC’s
plans to move to a cheaper $200
per month location in downtown,
the landlord proposed a counter
offer of $125 per month.
“So we just stayed there,”
Sherer said of the situation. While
the location remained unchanged,
cutbacks and Sherer’s resignation
brought with it a reduction in
operating hours. Each office is
now open about 12 hours a week,
compared to more than 25 before,
Sherer said.
Current Fostoria office hours
are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and
Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon
Friday. Tiffin office hours are 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Friday,
and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday.
While the Fostoria Red Cross
office still contains a food pantry
for the needy, it is no longer operated under the “umbrella” of the
organization. Formerly known as
the Fostoria Food Pantry, what is
now Pantry Plus of Seneca County
Incorporated still shares an office
with ARC at 115 S. Main St.
The pantry was started in 1983
and never formally adopted a nonprofit 501(c)(3) status. Instead,
the Fostoria Food Pantry “operated under the wing of the ARC.”
But as Sherer and his superiors
brainstormed how to streamline
operations at the Red Cross, they
realized the Fostoria ARC office
was one of the only locations in the
country handling food collection
STREAMLINING BILLING
The division also switched last
year from slower, time-consuming
paper transactions to a streamlined electronic EMS billing and
reporting system. A number of factors contributed to the decision,
including that the division lost its
administrative assistant position
in January 2011, dumping many
paperwork duties on the chief. The
new system is meant to speed up
the process of EMS billing and
cut down significantly on time the
staff spends filling out paperwork
and mailing it. The new system,
which provided the FFD with
three laptop computers with the
appropriate software at no cost
to the city, also has the potential
for additional health benefits for
patients of EMS calls.
“It all went smooth except for
Medicare,” Loreno said of the
changeover.
The city failed to receive
Medicare payments in excess of
$120,000 by the end of the year,
which Finance Director Steve
Garner cited as one of the contributing factors to why the city ended
2011 in the red by about $132,000.
Loreno advised the Fostoria
Finance Committee in February
that Medicare approved the city
for at least $120,000 guaranteed
and would receive the payment by
Feb. 10.
SAFER GRANT TO EXPIRE
IN 2013
With the SAFER grant’s March
23, 2013 expiration date looming,
city officials say they’re tossing
ideas around, but have not landed
on any decisions yet.
Loreno stated a potential levy
is an option, adding department
heads are in lengthy discussions to
make a “very good informed decision,” and that no money-saving
idea is off the table at this point.
“Nobody’s sticking their head
in the sand on this issue,” Loreno
said. “We’re really analyzing
where were going to be at (and)
it’s something we need to publicize to the community. The people
need to be made aware what service is available for the fire division.”
Also, as of Feb. 6, the division
was still in contract negotiation
talks with the city. After months
of negotiations between the city
and International Association
of Fire Fighters Local 325, both
parties rejected a fact-finder’s
report by the State Employment
Relations Board, as reported Jan.
13. According to the fact-finder’s
report, the parties had tentatively
agreed on 14 issues, but still had
12 unresolved issues.
Loreno entered a request for
funds at the Feb. 6 finance committee meeting, asking for $168,000
for the purchase of a new ambulance. He said both the city’s
ambulances, a 1998 and a 2001
model, are well beyond their life
expectancy.
Most recently, firefighters
Jason Root and Warren Digby
were promoted Feb. 8. Digby was
promoted to captain, and Root
was promoted to lieutenant.
Loreno said he and his staff
would have to be even more vigilant this year. Officials are tasked
with the question of how the city
will be able to fund eight firefighters currently covered by the
SAFER grant. In the meantime,
the firefighters will literally be
rolling up their sleeves by continuing their own maintenance, and
putting on their thinking caps to
save money.
“It was difficult in 2011 but
we’re very proud we operated
extremely efficient here,” Loreno
said. “There were times we were
cut to the bone; there’s been no
fat here.”
Police
Continued from page B4
Officer training is also on the
list of improvements for 2012.
Last year the officers did the
“bare bones” state-mandated training, and McGuire is optimistic this
year that training will be a priority
for the city’s new administration.
A highly trained officer is a professional officer, said McGuire, who
has a high regard for professionalism in the workplace.
“If they (officers) had a wider
array of training, that’s going to
help them handle situations more
efficiently with lower stress,” he
said.
CRIME
McGuire’s annual report
showed a 13.88 percent increase in
overall crime in the city, but a 3.53
percent decrease in serious crime
such as rape, weapons violations,
robberies and aggravated assaults.
In all, officers handled 13,050
complaints not including officer
self-initiated stops and calls, and
answered 2,524 non-crime related
calls for service.
While there were zero homicides in Fostoria last year, two
and distribution.
“It was a lot of work and my
boss in Toledo saw it as a real
distraction of my time,” Sherer
explained of the move. “He
believes in what the food pantry
does, but he’d rather have me
doing Red Cross things.”
A group of interested Fostoria
and Tiffin residents took over in
July as the Board of Trustees for
the pantry, and changed its name
to Pantry Plus of Seneca County
Inc. It is now an official registered
501(c)(3) non-profit organization
and is open on Fridays.
Blood services was another
change made last year. As the
Blood Division is a separate entity
from the Red Cross’s disaster relief
services, the executive director
was relieved of his responsibilities to the blood division as part
of the reorganization. Now one
American Red Cross employee,
Carol Dell, handles all of Seneca
County, including Fostoria.
Sherer said he now acts as a
“middle man” to make sure operations run smoothly.
“If you have an issue with blood
you’re going to call me, and I’m
going to be involved in it ... but I’m
not involved anymore in having to
keep statistics.”
For 2012, Sherer foresees
the biggest change will be the
hiring of a new director. He said
the organization needs someone
emotionally capable of dealing
with disaster-stricken families.
The new director will also need to
undergo disaster training immediately, and Sherer said an emphasis should be placed on acquiring
more disaster-trained volunteers
in the area.
“I think there’s a lot more
changes that are coming. I think
the changes that are coming are
going to really improve on the
things that they’ve done already.”
area residents were charged with
the Findlay murder of 24-year-old
Vera Jo Reigle in Hancock County.
Eighteen-year-old Nicole R.
Peters, formerly of Fostoria, and
Daniel M. Bixler, 21, Tiffin, were
charged with aggravated murder
in connection with the slaying
of Vera Jo Reigle in Findlay on
March 26. Peters and Bixler were
sentenced in January after both
pleaded guilty in Hancock County
Common Pleas Court.
There were a number of drugrelated arrests last year, as well.
Local police made 116 drug
arrests. Sixty-seven METRICH
Enforcement Unit drug investigations were conducted in the city,
leading to 90 arrests and indictments.
“By being more vigilant out
there, by working harder and
doing long-term investigations, I
think the word has gotten out,”
McGuire said.
FPD executed 18 search warrants in 2011 the without any
officer or citizen injuries, and
numerous drug trafficking investigations resulted in 31 defendants
and 27 firearms confiscated. Officers uncovered three indoor grow
labs, six Racketeer Influenced and
Corrupt Organizations (RICO) or
conspiracy cases, and assisted 71
other agencies.
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FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
United Way fights through
barriers to reach its goal
Campaign
tops $200,000
despite losing
two companies’
pledges
By ALLISON WINGATE
STAFF WRITER
The United Way of Fostoria
board thought it had considered
everything when it came to setting
its annual campaign goal.
The organization had exceeded
its goal in 2010 for the first time
in four years, collecting approximately 113 percent of its targeted
amount of $192,000 with a total
of $218,825 in donations.
Despite the city having fewer
employees, they felt confident
$200,000 was an attainable
amount.
“We thought we set a modest
goal that could easily be reached,”
said Arlen Lowery, executive
director.
Then news of InterMetro
Industries Corporation’s closing
arrived in July, threatening to
derail the campaign.
The company, comprised of
more than 100 employees, had
contributed to the campaign for a
number of years and confirmed it
would no longer participate.
“They thought they were doing
a good job and were blindsided by
the news from corporate, just as
we were,” Lowery said of InterMetro’s employees.
Compounding this blow was
the announcement that another
long-time participant of the campaign had declined to take part in
the effort in 2012, citing a change
of corporate policy. The name of
this company was not disclosed.
Regardless of the loss of
employee contributions, the campaign kicked off with a downtown
rally Sept. 30, its goal intact.
Marching bands and cheerleaders from both Fostoria High
School and St. Wendelin Catholic
High School entertained third and
fourth graders from local schools
on the Fostoria Municipal Lawn.
Lowery said the United Way
of Fostoria plans to again invite
those students to commemorate
the 2012 campaign kick off, when
the time comes.
The campaign ventured on in
File photo
UNITED WAY campaign chair Tracy Margraf announces the
winners of the second annual poster contest at the campaign kickoff in downtown Fostoria Sept. 30, 2011.
October, with campaign in-plant
chairs meeting on a weekly basis
at the Geary Family YMCA to
report their progress. Representatives of agencies that benefit
from campaign dollars would also
attend these meetings, expressing
how important those funds are to
their clients and how they are
used.
During a Nov. 22 press conference, Lowery expressed doubts
about attaining the campaign goal,
stating it was unlikely the organization would achieve $200,000 in
donations without those employee
contributions.
Acknowledgement of the
struggle did not signal defeat —
the organization ramped up efforts
to connect with those employees
and others in the community to
close the gap.
Lowery said he and campaign
in-plant chairs, whom he referred
to has his “foot soldiers,” began
visiting companies in person to
express the need to them.
“It brings the agency directly
to the employees so they can hear
how their dollars affect workers,”
he described. “This brings home
the fact that the United Way meets
a need.”
Another gain for the campaign
was the addition of Inland Tarp to
the campaign’s Division II, which
is comprised of businesses with
26-74 employees.
Against all odds, the organization announced it surpassed its
$200,000 goal during the Dec. 14
awards luncheon, despite earlier
indications that it may fall short.
“The people who are working
in town continue to be very generous,” Lowery said.
He credited last-minute fundraisers and corporate gifts from
outstanding companies for pushing the organization over their
goal.
“We did not factor in the additional job loss in Fostoria. But,
Fostoria saw the need and came
through,” said campaign chair
Tracy Margraf.
Division I co-chair Autumn
Clouse took the reigns as campaign chairperson for 2012.
Clouse, who works at Fostoria
Community Hospital, also serves
as campaign chair for the Fostoria
Relay for Life.
“We like to change them at two
years at the most so we can get
some new ideas,” Lowery said.
Margraff, a representative of
Morgan AM&T, had served as
campaign chair for the 2010 and
2011 campaigns.
All dollars collected during the
campaign will be allocated to the
following area agencies: Bureau of
Concern, Communi-Care, Patchworks House, First Step, Fostoria
Area Habitat for Humanity, Fostoria Alcohol/Drug Center, Community Hospice Care, Camp Fire
USA, Fostoria Senior Citizen’s
Center, Boy Scouts of America,
DayBreak, Girl Scouts of Western
Ohio, the American Red Cross and
Seneca County Agency Transportation.
For more information, call the
United Way of Fostoria at 419-4354484 or visit www.uwfostoria.org.
COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
B7
Courthouse finally comes down
Decade of
discussion ends
in structure being
razed in 2012
By JIM MAURER
FOR THE REVIEW TIMES
TIFFIN — Citizens’ efforts to
save the Seneca County Courthouse last year fell short and
demolition began last month,
with the clearing and grading of
the site.
The Seneca County Courthouse and Downtown Redevelopment Group tried for several
years to have the 1884 courthouse
repaired and restored. Various
individuals came to county commissioner meetings with plans
to preserve the building. Letters
were received from throughout the
state, too, including one from Gov.
John Kasich urging the commissioners to delay demolition.
In the end, the state Supreme
Court voted 6-1 not to hear a lawsuit filed by the group against the
county commissioners. The group
decided to quit the fight and the
lawsuit was dismissed last month.
In November, the commissioners voted 2-1 to contract with B&B
Wrecking and Excavation, Cleveland, for $373,000. The company
removed asbestos, demolished
the building and cleared the site.
Commissioners Ben Nutter and
Jeff Wagner voted for demolition,
while Commissioner Dave Sauber
voted against it.
Nutter and Wagner said the
county does not have the money to
repay a $5 million federal Department of Agriculture low-interest
loan. The project was estimated
at nearly $8 million.
Sauber wanted to have the
preservation group pay to mothball the building, pay utilities
and maintain it, at no cost to the
county. The renovations/repairs
could be done when funds are
available, he said.
The group would then raise
funds to cover about $1.6 million
of the remainder. Applying for
grants to fund the remainder was
being discussed, but nothing had
been secured by November.
Mothballing the building
would save the demolition costs,
Sauber said, since the county may
need those funds for other expenditures this year.
Former Gov. Ted Strickland
had suggested $2 million in state
funds may be available for the construction, but those funds did not
materialize. A similar offer was
not made by Kasich, who completed his first term in office last
year and has slashed the state’s
budget during the recent economic
downturn.
In December, Nutter proposed
a replacement building for county
common pleas courts. It would
have about 16,000 square feet,
nearly half the size of the courthouse, and be constructed on
the foundation of the demolished
building.
He suggested saving half of
the county’s carryover funds of
$1 million to $1.5 million annually in an construction account.
After five years, the county would
have about $3 million, he said, and
would not have to borrow funds
for the court building,
This year, the county will construct a Seneca County Youth
Services Center, for juvenile detention, and an administration and
vehicle storage building for Seneca
County Agency Transportation,
each on county-owned land. Also,
bids for the Bascom wastewater
(sewage) treatment plant were to
be opened Jan. 31.
The juvenile detention center
and the transportation agency’s
building will be constructed on
Ohio 100 adjacent to the former
county home.
The detention center will
include 24 beds, food, laundry,
medical and treatment program
services, administration offices,
a gymnasium and visitation area.
It will replace a building constructed in the 1950s.
It will cost about $2.9 million,
with $1.8 million paid by the state
Department of Youth Services and
the county paying the remainder.
Meanwhile, construction of the
transportation agency building
will provide space for administration offices and vehicle storage.
It will be funded with state and
federal grants, too.
Construction will cost about
$1.7 million. The county was
approved for more than $1.8 million in state and federal grants,
with the additional money used
for contingencies, furnishings and
appliances.
Separately, the Bascom wastewater treatment plant will be constructed at Meadowbrook Park.
The project has been discussed
for years. The estimated cost is
$4.6 million.
JB TOURS
Mar. 16-20: WASHINGTON DC
June 21-Jul 4: ALASKA
Memorials, US Capitol, plus Gettysburg
and Hershey, PA
6-Night land pkg. and 7-Night Cruise aboard
the Island Princess
Apr 14: MICKEY GILLEY at Bearcreek
June 28-29: CASINO & CRUISE
Farms, Reserved seating, Dinner
Ohio River to Rising Star & Hollywood Casinos
May 17-19 PENNSYLVANIA Laurel
July 7: DAYTON AIR SHOW The Navy
Highlands, Frank Lloyd Falling Water, Flight
93 Memorial
Blue Angels Reserved Pavilllion Seating
June 7: AMISH COUNTRY Amish Meal, July 21: THE OSMONDS at
Shopping at various places, Tansportation
Beavercreek Farms, Reserved seating,
Dinner
Jun 11-15: TUNICA Including Memphis
Jul 28-Aug 5: IRELAND Roundtrip
flight, Dublin, Killarney, Blamey Castle
& Nashville, 1 Night at Fabulous Opryland
Hotel
June 13-15: NIAGARA FALLS Erie
Canal Cruise, Orchards & Vineyards, Maid of
Mist, Shaw Festival performance
Aug 2: BUCK TRENT at Bearcreek
Farms, Reserved seating, Dinner
June 17-25: THE WONDERS OF ICELAND
Aug 3: DETROIT TIGERS VS
CLEVELAND INDIANS @ Comerica
Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, Skogar Folk
Museum
June 17: NASCAR-MIS, Reserved
seating, Hospitality tent with food, Pre-Race
pit pass
Park
Sept 13-17: NEW YORK CITY
Broadway Show, Time Square, Dinner
Cruise, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and
9/11 Memorial
File photo
CITIZENS’ EFFORTS to save the Seneca County Courthouse last
year fell short and demolition began last month.
The federal Department of
Agriculture Rural Development
will provide a $2.8 million loan
and a $2.2 million grant for the
construction.
Bascom residents have been
paying for about five years toward
the project.
The village will be part of a
county sewer district, along with
New Riegel, with each community
paying for its own sewer plant.
Also, the commissioners
agreed to place a 0.5 mill, fiveyear renewal levy for the Seneca
County Opportunity Center on
the March 6 ballot; approved a
new contract for medical services
at the county jail; and approved a
health savings account program
for county employees.
The center offers school and
workshop experience for 400 children and adults with development
disabilities.
If approved, the tax would
generate about $280,000 annually
and cost the owner of a $100,000
appraised, or market value, residential property about $6.67 annually, Dick Williams, the center’s
director of business operations,
said previously.
The tax was approved in 1981
and has been renewed since then.
The funds are used for day-to-day
operations.
Meanwhile, the medical services contract at the county jail
will save more than $70,000
annually through contract with
Healthcare Professionals Limited,
545 Lytle St. (St. Rt. 18) • Fostoria • 419-435-8165 • 1-800-686-6807
Peoria, Ill., will provide doctor,
medical and pharmaceuticals for
jail inmates.
The contract will cost about
$121,000 annually. The company
began last fall.
Separately, the health savings
account program for employees
was approved by the commissioners as the “base plan” for county
employees medical insurance.
Employees can pay additional
and retain the existing insurance
plan.
The program is through
Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Under the plan, an account is
set up at a bank or credit union
and employee and the county each
contribute to the account. The
employee will pay 20 percent of
the premiums and the county 80
percent.
The money is then drawn out
using a debit card to pay healthrelated expenses.
Employees can only spend
what is in the account and they are
responsible for keeping receipts
for verification if audited by the
Internal Revenue Service.
As incentive to join the program, the commissioners agreed
to one-time payments to the savings account of $250 for single
coverage employees and $500 for
family coverage employees. The
payment will be paid quarterly.
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B8
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Treating a community
STAFF WRITER
National recognition, fundraising for the future and an ongoing
commitment to the health were
among the highlights of 2011 for
ProMedica Fostoria Community
Hospital.
Tobacco-free Initiative
The hospital kicked off 2011
with a New Year’s commitment
to improving the health of its
employees. The hospital instituted
a system-wide initiative Jan. 1 to
hire only tobacco-free employees.
New job applications inquire
about the applicant’s tobacco use
and new hires must submit to a
post-offer screening.
Nicotine screening is now a
component of the new hire physical examination and is comprised
of a urine test. If the applicant’s
screening result is positive for
tobacco use, they will not be hired,
but may reapply for a position after
90 days.
“We actually had a very positive
response,” said Autumn Clouse,
director of human resources.
Employees of ProMedica who
were hired prior to the initiative
going into effect Jan. 1, 2011 were
grandfathered in, and therefore
were not required to quit smoking.
ProMedica Medical Center
Keeping in line with their commitment to health, Fostoria Community Hospital partnered with
the Geary Family YMCA and
Fostoria City Schools to form the
Fostoria Food Connection (FFC)
in August. Through the program,
food purchased from the West
Ohio Food Bank is put into clear,
plastic backpacks by volunteers on
a weekly basis and sent home with
more than 600 Fostoria Intermediate Elementary School students
on Fridays.
Also in August, the hospital
recruited Northwest Ohio Cardiology Consultants to provide
cardiology coverage following
the retirement of Asish Basu, MD.
Walk for Diabetes
The 2011 Walk for Diabetes
was hosted Sept. 10 at Lake View
Trails, Reservoirs 2 and 3. Approximately $9,600 was raised for the
hospital’s Diabetes Fund, which
awards scholarships for Diabetes
Education Programs offered at
FCH.
Fostoria Community Hospital Foundation director Evelyn
Marker estimated 80 people participated in the walk and took
advantage of on-site blood pressure, blood sugar and BMI screenings.
The spokesperson for the event
was Fostoria resident Freddie
Mauricio.
The former Norton Manufacturing Co. corporate headquarters, 455 W. Fourth St., became
the ProMedica Medical Center in
April.
The building was donated to
the hospital by SMI Crankshaft
LLC, a subsidiary of the Japanesebased Sumitomo Corporation, in
December 2009 and has been converted into a medical office.
“It helped us meet our needs
and mission,” said FCH president
Dan Schwanke.
Drs. Michael and Jill Badik
relocated their medical practice
from the basement of FCH to
the medical center following a
$500,000 renovation there. They
joined ProMedica in August 2010.
Pro-Am Golf Tournament
Fostoria Food Connection
Top 100 Hospital Honor
The fourth annual FCH Pro-Am
Golf Tournament was hosted Sept.
15 at Loudon Meadows Golf Club.
Marker said the tournament
had more teams and sponsors in
2011 than in years past, raising
more than $52,000 for the surgery
department.
Those dollars will be used to
purchase high-definition video
equipment for minimally invasive
surgery.
Director of Surgery Joan
Conine said the current equipment
is more than 10 years old and that
the cost to upgrade the equipment
is approximately $100,000 for
each of the hospital’s three operating rooms.
ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital
2011 Timeline
January
• Held the first meeting of the
Kidney Disease Support Group.
Hospital continues its
standards of excellence
By ALLISON WINGATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
February
• Hosted the 8th Annual Fostoria Red Dress Luncheon.
March
• Achieved the Ohio Partnership for Excellence (OPE)
Silver Level – Commitment to Excellence – Award.
April
• Drs. Michael and Jill Badik opened their
family medicine practice in the
newly renovated ProMedica Medical Center.
May
ALLISON WINGATE / the Review Times
WHITTA CONSTRUCTION site supervisor Carl Williams works
at the future site of the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital
Cancer Center.
ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital ranked in the 90th
percentile in the top 100 critical
access hospitals in the country in
November.
The survey was conducted by
the National Rural Health Association (RHA), which ranked 1,300
critical access hospitals based on
56 indicators of quality including
patient satisfaction, quality, outcome and financial factors.
Critical access hospitals are
designated by the federal government as full-service hospitals with
25 beds or less. CAHs are reimbursed by Medicare on a “reasonable cost basis” for services
provided to Medicare patients,
according to a press release.
“We are one of only five hospitals in Ohio to receive that designation,” said Schwanke.
FCH Cancer Center
The FCH Cancer Center
became a reality in 2011, as
employees and other donors contributed $569,000 toward the
ongoing project.
The project’s overall cost is
$1.5 million, for which the hospital
aims to raise approximately
$710,000.
Whitta Construction offered
the winning bid for the project,
emphasizing the hospital’s desire
to “stay local,” Schwanke said.
Plans for the center were
drafted in 2007 after the hospital examined the utilization of its
present oncology department and
survival rates of cancer patients.
The project was designed by
David Bates of MBA Architects
in Perrysburg.
The Cancer Center will relocate the oncology department to
the hospital’s first floor with a separate entrance to improve patient
access, as the present department
is located on the hospital’s third
floor in rooms farthest removed
from the main entrances, creating
a hardship for ill patients.
“This was really designed to
be convenient for the patients and
their families,” Schwanke said.
Director of Surgery Joan
Conine said she and fellow FCH
foundation members visited the
ProMedica Cancer Institute at
Flower Hospital to gather ideas
for the cancer center.
“We did mirror how they did
some things there,” she said.
Conine said they also sought
input through a patient survey in
2008.
“From a patient’s perspective,
that was very helpful,” she said.
The original plans swelled to
accommodate the addition of the
Hematology Oncology Associates
of Toledo, who joined the hospital’s staff and oncologist Dr. Renu
Soni in 2011. The specialists plan
to visit the hospital on a weekly
basis.
An additional clinic area to
be built in the former emergency
room area will include four rooms.
Demolition has already begun
and the project’s estimated completion date is July 2012.
• Sponsored the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Health Fair
offering free screenings and health-related information.
• Completed CPR/AED training for 284 people at no
cost as part of Health Resourcesand Services
Administration (HRSA) grant.
June
• Volunteered to spread several trucks
full of mulch for the playground at the
Geary Family YMCA’s Fruth Outdoor Center.
• Performed free screening mammograms for 51
local women through a Susan G. Komen grant.
July
• Announced a new name and logo.
August
• Recruited Northwest Ohio Cardiology Consultants
(NWOCC) to provide cardiology coverage following
the retirement of Asish Basu, MD.
• Awarded $75,000 grant to fund the Fostoria Food
Connection back pack program through the ProMedica
Advocacy Fund and the Toledo Community Foundation.
September
• Welcomed Toledo-based Hematology Oncology
Associates (HOA) Cancer Center physicians to Fostoria.
• Raised more than $9,500 to support local individuals
with diabetes through the Foundation’s Diabetes Fund.
October
• Contributed more than $10,000 to the
Fostoria United Way campaign.
November
• Celebrated the Top 100 Critical Access Hospital
and HealthStrong: Best in Strength Award
from iVantage Health Analytics.
December
• Collected nearly 1,000 gifts for approximately
100 local children as part of the Bureau of Concern
Holiday Giving Tree program.
© 2012 ProMedica
Your community. Your health. Your hospital.
At ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital, we pledge to deliver quality care to you,
our neighbors. We are continuously expanding our services to meet all of your family’s
healthcare needs.
•
•
•
•
General medical, surgical, obstetrics, and critical care services
Outpatient dialysis, sleep testing and cancer services
Community and corporate health and wellness programs
A retail pharmacy open six days a week
It’s all part of our Mission to improve your health and well-being.
To learn more, call or click today.
419-435-7734 | promedica.org/fostoria |
*
*Based on the 2011-2012 HealthStrong; Best in
Strength Hospital Award as part of the Hospital
Strength Index™ by iVantage Health Analytics
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
REVIEW TIMES
C1
Diners saddle
up to new
eatery | C2
Giving back
(pack) to the
community | C3
New mayor
no stranger
to city | C8
H-L preps for
new building | C4
C2
COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
Diners saddle up to KemoSabes
Southwest-themed restaurant rounds up
plenty of support from patrons in Fostoria
By LEXIE DIGBY
FOR THE REVIEW TIMES
As Chef Billy Reece put it,
KemoSabes Roadhouse Grill came
to be when “Nate woke up on a
Wednesday, and decided he was
bored.”
Fostoria seems to be glad he
found something to do with his
time.
KemoSabes, owned by father
and son Dave and Nate Heiser, has
quickly become a huge hit with
locals and passersby alike since
its opening last May.
The owners’ initial reactions
to the success of the business
thus far reflects a great amount
of gratitude. “Our patrons have
been very supportive and to that
we’re thankful. We’re starting to
see some regular faces and it’s
absolutely wonderful,” says Nate
Heiser.
Reece recalls that in the first
few weeks of business, they felt
somewhat like deer caught in the
headlights because of how wellreceived they were by the community. “I remember coming out
of the kitchen once to see how
things were, and people started
applauding.”
Nate also said he once asked
a man how is steak was, and the
man responded by standing up and
giving Nate a hug.
“It seems as if there is so much
negativity in Fostoria with other
businesses having to close down,
so it feels as if people are pulling for us to succeed in Fostoria.
That’s what makes all the work
we have put in worthwhile,” said
Dave.
Their work being worthwhile
seems like a bit of an understatement, considering the amount of
effort put into the restaurant and
the success that has come out of it.
Preparation involved a yearlong renovation of the building
that formerly housed the Black
Cat. Rustic barn siding, new wood
floors, and a variation of local and
southwest decor give the restaurant a feel that is completely its
own.
“We wanted the environment
to be unique to us,” said Nate.
“The barn siding is from my
grandpa’s farm, we got everything
local that we could, and a lot of
the trim and wood work is from
Seneca Millwork.”
Included in the local decor is
an old sign from Davis’ bike shop
that used to be open in Fostoria.
“To me that’s iconic of Fos-
toria,” said Dave. “People come in
This priority of serving the
and recognize the local stuff and community and being unique are
we get a lot of good reactions to it.” highly evident on the menu as
Also unique and fitting to well.
the atmosphere of KemoSabes is
Chef Billy Reece, graduate of
the southwest theme. The name Hocking College Culinary Arts
KemoSabes, besides coming from Program, brings his experience
a nickname for Nate, is from the and expertise to KemoSabes. “I’ve
popular show “The Lone Ranger,” worked in 3 or 4 different restauand means “trusted friend.”
rants, in catering, health care
A lot of the inspiration for the dining and in colleges. Through
nature of the restaurant came all this, I’ve really been able to
from local input. “Originally we see how food becomes a part of
intended to open up a sports bar. people’s lives in different ways.”
Then we started listening to what
When speaking of the KemoSlocals wanted,” said Nate.
abe menu, Reece comments, “It
Dave added that Fostorians isn’t stuff you could just get anywere looking for a good place to where.”
eat, with a good steak and a nice
Among the menu’s most
baked potato. “We really took unique, and popular items, is the
advantage of that year-long reno- KemoSabe Flatbread. This appevation to hear the input of what tizer was described as “the best”
Fostoria wanted.”
in a feature of the restaurant in
Add some southwest atmo- a book titled “Eating Your Way
sphere with local and personal Across Ohio; 101 must places to
touches, mix it in with the city’s eat” by Karen A. Patterson. The
need for a nice steak, and KemoSa- feature also mentioned the El
Paso Pickles, the Rustic Chicken
bes was born.
Noodle Mash, as well as praised
The owners and chefs at the restaurants selection of steaks.
KemoSaN a t e ,
bes not only
D ave, a nd
“This place was born
accept, but
Billy listed
appreciate
with family and friends,
t he Sig n a any input
ture House
they can get
it’s operated by family
Sirloin, the
f rom t hei r
KemoSabe
and
friends,
and
it’s
patrons.
Flatbread
“We really
supported by family and
and the Siguse that local
nature Prime
friends.
It’s
all
happening
input, we
Burger as the
h ave c o m in Fostoria, and we
most popular
ment cards
menu items.
wouldn’t have it any
a n d Fa c e They also
book has
re com mend
other
way.”
been effect he Rust ic
tive in helpChicken
- CHEF BILLY REECE
ing us know
N o o d l e
what people
M a s h , t he
like. We will
Buffalo Bleu
always want
Burger, and
to evolve and adapt into what our the salmon.
customers want,” said Dave.”
Since neither Nate or Dave
“Even if we have a customer has had any previous restaurant
who comes in and get something experience, Billy, along with food
that isn’t quite right, they tell us supplier Matt Dyson, has really
about it, we fix it and we’re both helped the owners in giving direcvery appreciative of the coopera- tion for the restaurant.
tion,” added Nate.
“Before coming here, I came
Nate and Dave truly believe from working in a busy restaurant
that having a local foundation to in Washington. When I got here,
their restaurant is their biggest I really saw the type of potential
advantage. The staff of about 40 that this place could have,” said
people is mostly from Fostoria. Reece. “Restaurants in Fostoria
Dave, Nate, and Billy are all grad- are scarce, there were no expectauates of Fostoria High School as tions or standards of what we had
well. Billy adds that “it’s not like to follow. So we really wanted to
most restaurants, where custom- make this place unique and special
ers see someone walking through to us.”
and say ‘Maybe that’s the owner.’
Of the whole experience,
Here, they see Nate walking
around and they go ‘Oh hey, that’s “It’s gone fast, extremely fast,”
said Nate. “We’ve been open for
Nate.’”
Jennifer Glance DO, FACOOG
Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Trust the expert, caring hands of Mercy physicians.
For information about the
Mercy Tiffin Hospital welcomes Jennifer Glance, DO,
Family Birthing Center
FACOOG, to the Mercy Family. She is now accepting new
at Mercy Tiffin Hospital, to
patients at Mercy OB/GYN Associates.
schedule a tour or sign up
for Childbirth Education
Dr. Glance earned a medical degree from Michigan State
Classes, please call
University in East Lansing, MI and completed an Obstetrics
419.455.7200.
and Gynecology residency at Genesis Regional Medical
Center in Grand Blanc, MI.
She brings over 8 years of experience and is board certified
by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and
LEXIE DIGBY / for the Review Times
KEMOSABES ROADHOUSE GRILL became a hit among locals and motorists passing through Fostoria
when it opened last May. Located in the same building along Ohio 12 that once housed the Black Cat
restaurant, KemoSabes features items from Fostoria’s past, such an old sign (below) from Davis’ bike
shop.
eight months, but it feels like four
months. But it’s gone really well,
it’s busy, which is what we want.”
Starting with a soft opening
in May and gradually opening to
the public for lunch and dinner, the
restaurant was able to ease into
the groove of things a bit, Nate
said.
“We wanted to get as close to
perfect as we could get before we
blew it up real big. We started
with just dinner reservations for
two weeks so we could control
what was going on and work on
what we needed to before the
grand opening.”
News of KemoSabe spread
quickly by word of mouth. “We
start to see people coming in that
we haven’t seen in a long time,”
said Dave. “We see people we
haven’t seen since we graduated.
Not only do people come in to
see us, but they come to see each
other on holidays and special occasions. It’s become a local hangout,
a family setting.”
Looking to the future, Nate
says they’re planning on keeping
up with the times. “We want to
be here for a long time, so we’ll
have to keep updating so we can
do that.”
Dave adds that Chef Reece
always has new ideas to keep the
menu updated.
“We may also start advertising
some more. Obviously we have
been doing great by just word of
mouth, but we really want people
to know we’re here,” said Dave.
Put simply, Reece said, “This
place was born with family and
friends, it’s operated by family
and friends, and it’s supported by
family and friends. It’s all happening in Fostoria, and we wouldn’t
have it any other way.”
INLAND TARP & LINER
Inland Tarp & Liner, LLC is a recognized leader in the
production of hay tarps, pond liners, containment
liners, building covers and related PE based products
for agriculture, commercial and industrial needs.
Headquartered in Moses Lake, Washington, the
Company distributes products worldwide from
several domestic and international locations.
As our first year in Fostoria has come to a close, I
would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the
people in our region for welcoming and embracing
Inland Tarp and Liner to the area.
While setting up and converting the facility, hiring,
training and beginning production provided many
challenges and triumphs, the support of the Fostoria
community has gone a long way in helping ITL
maintain its growth and leadership in our industry.
With our first year behind us, we are confident in the
continued growth of our operation and staff levels,
and look forward with excitement and optimism
about our long term future in Fostoria for many years
to come.
On behalf of all the ITL Ohio staff Thank You.
Sincerely,
Gynecology. Dr. Glance is a Fellow of the American College
of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Glance, please call
419.455.7880.
Mercy OB/GYN Associates
Ron MacKenzie,
Eastern Operations Manager, Fostoria, OH
2495 West Market Street | Tiffin, Ohio 44883
For more information, visit mercyweb.org.
Member of Mercy Medical Partners
St. Anne St. Charles St. Vincent Children’s Defiance Tiffin Willard
©2011 Mercy
1600 N. Main St. Fostoria, OH 44830 • 888-377-5640 • 419-436-6001
www.inlandtarp.com
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Giving back (pack) to community
YMCA, schools
join forces to
provide meals,
snacks to students
FOSTORIA — The Geary
Family YMCA, in conjunction
with the Fostoria City Schools
district, began a program in September which supplies meals and
snacks to Fostoria Intermediate
Elementary School students for
weekends, holidays, winter and
spring breaks.
The Fostoria Food Connection is funded with a $75,000
grant from the Toledo Community
Foundation, in partnership with
the ProMedica Advocacy Fund,
according to the YMCA.
The program is free to district
third- through sixth-graders.
About 480 students receive a
backpack of food each Friday,
said YMCA Executive Director
Eric Stinehelfer.
The program is available to
all intermediate elementary students, a feature Stinehelfer said
was important for the program’s
success.
The program will continue
through the end of the school year.
The food is purchased from the
West Ohio Food Bank in Lima, he
said. It comes prepackaged and
requires about three to 10 volunteers to fill the backpacks with the
non-perishable foods.
The program complies with
state nutritional value guidelines
for school meals, he said. School
and YMCA personnel confer so
the program follows the guidelines, too.
Each prepackaged bag contains
two drinks, two breakfasts, four
other meals, and two snacks, he
said. For example: juice pouches;
breakfast bars; cereal containers;
macaroni and cheese; a can of
beef stroganoff, a can of Vienna
sausages; and fruit cups.
“We have also received donated
food items that have been distributed as we receive them,” Stinehelfer said.
Food is picked up Thursday
mornings and the backpacks are
filled Thursday night, Stinehelfer
said. YMCA staff deliver the backpacks to the school Friday afternoon.
The empty backpacks are
returned on Monday and collected
by YMCA staff, he said. Volunteers
clean and sanitize the backpacks
weekly before they are refilled and
redistributed to the school.
If a student forgets to return a
backpack, the food is distributed
in a plastic sack, he said.
Approximately 75 percent of
the nearly 2,000 students in the
Fostoria school district are on a
free or reduced-cost lunch program, according to school officials.
The weekend food program is
a response to the economic conditions and the loss of jobs in the
area, they said.
“This is great example of
See GIVING, Page C4
By JIM MAURER
STAFF WRITER
FOSTORIA — Fostoria school
board will be searching for a new
superintendent over the next 18
months as Steve Pritts announced
last month he will retire July 31,
2013.
He was hired June 1, 2010
and given a three-year contract.
He will retire with 35 years in
education. The retirement was
announced as school board officials said they were determining
what if any action would be taken
due to Pritts not moving into the
district during the first 18 months
of his term, despite his contract
stating he was expected to do so.
In May, Fostoria school district voters approved a 7.5 mill,
five-year emergency levy renewal,
with 59 percent of voters in favor.
District voters also re-elected
three board members last year.
The school levy tax provides
more than $1.6 million annually
for district day-to-day operations.
It was approved in 2007.
The owner of a house appraised
at $100,000 pays about $230 annually. Homeowners at least 65 years
old and eligible for homestead
exemption pay about $58 less.
Faced with a projected $1.6 million deficit in operating expenses,
district officials made additional
cuts throughout district operations last school year.
Prior to the May election, the
school board cut 40 positions,
including 28 certified teaching
positions. Some layoffs were
through attrition.
About 78 percent of district
expenses are for employee salaries
and benefits, according to school
district information. That figure
continues to be reduced.
The district paid less than
$85,000 for building preparations,
part of the realignment plan in
2010, beginning with the 20102011 school year. The expense
included employee salaries, equipment, materials and painting.
As part of the plan, Field
Elementary School was closed
and demolition of the structure is
nearly complete. The area will be
prepared for possible residential
development.
The building, constructed in
1908 with additions added over
the years most recently in 1993,
was closed in June 2010.
Now Longfellow Elementary
houses pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes; Riley Elementary has first and second grades;
Fostoria Intermediate Elementary, previously Fostoria Middle
School, houses third through sixth
grades.
Seventh and eighth grades
were moved to Fostoria High
School, which was renamed Fostoria Junior High/High School.
With the changes, students
have fewer building transitions
during their careers and the district saves about $250,000 annually on utility and maintenance
costs with fewer buildings, Pritts
has said.
While administrative salaries
have been frozen, negotiated
agreements between the board
and employees will be honored.
For instance, Fostoria Education Association, which represents
district teachers, and the board
reached contract agreement in
July 2010 which provides 1 percent pay increases for 2010-2011,
2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school
years.
Meanwhile, board members
Tom Guernsey, Joe Sheak and
Sharon Stannard were unopposed for re-election in November. Guernsey started his second,
four-year term last month; while
Sheak and Stannard are completing unexpired terms.
In January 2011, Sheak was
selected to replace Tim Masel on
the board after Masel resigned in
December 2010. Sheak completed
the term on Dec. 31 and will serve
a four-year term.
Stannard was appointed to
fill a board vacancy in December
2009 and took office in January
2010. She served through 2011,
according to state law. With being
elected in November, she will
serve the remainder of the term
through December 2013.
Board members Pat Grine
and Anthony Thompson, were
unopposed for four-year terms in
November 2009, but there were
three board seats available as Jo
Hollingsworth did not seek reelection. So the board selected
Stannard to fill the vacancy.
In December, the school board
approved a resolution to expand
the district’s dress code to pre-kindergarten through second grade
for the 2012-2013 school year.
Three years ago, a dress code
was implemented at the high
school. Since then it has been
expanded to junior high and intermediate elementary students.
The policy mandates colors and
styles of student clothes including shirts, pants, skirts, blouses,
sweaters and belts. Financial assistance is available for families who
meet district guidelines.
In August, the board retained
two police officers as full-time
school resource officers this school
year. It is the second year the officers being in the schools resulted
from an agreement between the
schools, the city and the police
department.
One officer is in the junior
high/high school building and the
other officer splits time between
the other buildings. The district
pays $130,000 for salaries and
benefits for the officers.
Other district happenings:
• Earlier this month, Fostoria
and St. Wendelin schools, in partnership with Fostoria Economic
Development Corp., sponsored a
Innovation Fair at the intermediate elementary building. Students
displayed projects, while businesses showcased their products
and services.
The event was open to the
public Feb. 11.
• The district implemented
a credit recovery program in an
effort to improve the district’s
graduation rate. Computer software, which matches state curriculum guidelines, was installed
to “personalize a course of study
to meet individual student needs,”
Pritts said in a prepared statement. Students work at their own
pace and are given assessment
tests based on lesson plans for
each individual.
• The high school’s community
television Fostoria Educational
Television Channel 10 received a
digital upgrade and will resume
full production.
• A new telephone system was
installed in district buildings;
Internet service was installed at
the municipal football stadium,
performing arts center and gymnasium.
• The state approved waiver
days March 2 and April 11 for
staff development. There will be
no classes those days.
• Bids will be sought for tennis
courts replacement, a fitness area
and a new gymnasium floor at the
junior high/high school.
• In April, Georg ianna
Widmer, at Longfellow Elementary School; and Sister Carolyn
Schaffer, at St. Wendelin School,
each received the Fostoria Rotary
Club’s Golden Apple Awards for
teaching excellence.
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C4
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Giving
Continued from page C3
community organizations collaborating for a common goal for
our students,” Fostoria Superintendent Steve Pritts has said.
“There is not one organization in
our community that can do it all
by themselves anymore.”
Dan Schwanke, president of
ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital, has said providing
nutritious snacks will make a difference.
“ProMedica is proud to support
the Fostoria Food Connection program because without it, many of
OU
R
TH
G
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
our local school children would go
without food over the weekend,”
Schwanke has said. “(It) helps us
meet our mission to improve the
health and well-being of those we
serve.”
SW heads in new direction
Stinehelfer has said with the
need in the community and the
available funds, the project made
sense.
District in transformation
with personnel changes
Pritts has said the program
helps Fostoria schools meet its
wellness goals and allows creation
of a partnership with the YMCA.
Anyone interested in volunteering
for the program, or making a donation, should contact Stinehelfer,
419-435-6608; or via-mail: estinehelfer@gearyfamilyymca.org.
EARS. . .
Y
E
H
HT
By ALLISON WINGATE
STAFF WRITER
St. Wendelin Catholic School
has spent much of the past year
earning back the confidence of its
parishioners.
Fol low ing a con ference
prompted by parents in spring
2011 about the direction in which
the school was headed, the district has undergone somewhat of
a transformation.
St. Wendelin announced personnel changes in July, including a
new principal, parish director and
budget director.
Brian Shaver fills the parish
director position formerly held by
Dave Lang.
Shaver previously served as
director of operations at St. Ursula
Academy in Toledo. He is a Fulbright Scholar and was involved
with Habitat for Humanity International in Africa.
Falling under the realm of his
job responsibilities is the task
of overseeing operations for the
parish, school and cemetery,
accounting and budgeting.
Shaver said the reorganization
distanced St. Wendelin from an
“old-fashioned system” by passing on the business dealings from
the pastor to the parish director.
“This is great for St. Wendelin, because Father (Nicholas)
Weibl can now focus on the spiritual needs of the parish,” Shaver
described.
Michael Amlin stepped in
to fill the shoes of former high
school principal Angela Joseph
and elementary school principal
Cathy Krupp.
Amlin is certified to be a principal and previously served at
Fostoria High School as head of
the social studies department. He
is married with three daughters
and he is a member of the parish.
“He’s a breath of fresh air,”
Shaver said of Amlin.
He referred to Amlin’s effort
to include the school’s mission,
“Faith, Goodness, Discipline and
Learning” in day-to-day operations, as well as in lesson plans.
“I’ve really seen nothing but
positive change,” Shaver said.
Shaver and Amlin continue to
meet on a weekly basis with Father
Weibl, along with accounting and
budget director Jennifer Saalman.
St. Wendelin also untangled
some of its former bureaucratic
ways by establishing a clear organizational chart that lays out the
chain of command.
Parents are now instructed to
direct concerns directly to their
student’s teachers instead of first
contacting administrators.
“We want resolution. I don’t
want teachers to feel disrespected
and think that we don’t believe
they can handle these issues,”
Shaver said.
The school also shifted its discipline model to be more “Christcentered,” Shaver said.
“Now we’re making sure they
understand why they’re being
punished, what they did wrong
and giving them steps to correct
the behavior in the future,” he
described.
This discipline model has been
modified to include a service component.
Shaver said he and enrollment
manager Cindy Geroski have been
reaching out to parishes in Seneca,
Wood and Hancock counties to
remind them that “we are your
school.”
“We’re making that strategic
effort to attract students and
giving more people an opportunity
to look at St. Wendelin,” Shaver
said.
The school plans to expand
enrollment beyond traditional students and will welcome Chinese
foreign exchange students in the
2012-2013 school year.
The school has struck a fiveyear deal with Canadian company
3W International, Inc. to bring
approximately 30 students in
grades 7-12 here on commitments
to graduate from the Catholic
institution.
The students will spend the
10-month school year in Fostoria
and return home for the summer
vacation, with plans to return
stateside each year until they
graduate.
With the influx of students,
there is a projected increase in
enrollment for the 2012-2013
school year, for which tuition will
be frozen for the first time in 15
years.
“We think the economy is
coming out of some of the funk,”
Shaver said.
While school administrators
have spent much of the year strategizing, Shaver said he feels they
are regaining the confidence of
their parishioners.
“We have a good direction
we’re headed in. I think there’s a
lot of optimism and confidence,”
he said.
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1937
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Munger’s
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Fostoria
Sewer & Drain Cleaning Service
419-435-3548
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Est. 1937
1957
File photo
HOPEWELL-LOUDON school officials break ground for the district’s new K-12 facility during a ceremony in the school’s gymnasium Nov.
22.
TODD BURNS
H-L sets eyes on the future
Petroleum: Farm, Home, Commercial,
Industrial, Heating Oil, Gas, Diesel Fuel
270 U.S. Rte. 23
Fostoria, Ohio 44830
419-436-0562 1-800-231-1468
1957
By ALLISON WINGATE
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A
DIFFERENCE HERE IN FOSTORIA
United Way of Fostoria
1960
Over 50 Years of
Community Service...
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LANES
1090 S. US 23
Fostoria
419-435-3990
District’s new
K-12 building
expected to be
ready in 2013
1978
STAFF WRITER
Hopewell-L oudon School
administrators spent much of 2011
considering their future.
A new facility is in the process
of being constructed on property
owned by the district across the
street from the existing school on
North County Road 7 in Bascom.
Voters in the district approved
a combination half-percent income
tax and 5.88-mill bond issue in
May 2010 to generate more than
$10.9 million for the district’s
share of the new building construction.
Through its Classroom Facilities Assistance Program, the Ohio
School Facilities Commission will
pay approximately $13.4 million
for the project.
Proponents of the issue had
called for a new K-12 facility, stating the more than 70-year-old
building has several structural
issues that negatively impact the
value of education offered there.
Structura l issues raised
included heating and ventilation
problems, damage to crawl spaces
and flooding and water damage
around windows. Additionally,
the building is not handicappedaccessible, as there is no secondfloor access for disabled students
and staff.
The new building project was
designed by Fanning Howey, a
firm with locations across the
country. A ground-breaking ceremony was hosted in the school’s
gymnasium Nov. 22.
Alvada Construction began
early site work in the fall, which
was delayed by unanticipated factors such as undesirable soil conditions (quicksand) and heavy rain.
“The whole construction
project so far has certainly been
impacted by the wet weather,”
school superintendent Geoff
Palmer described.
Despite losing between 20-25
percent of their workdays, the
project remains on schedule and
on budget.
The foundation for the building
has already been set and the first
exterior walls are scheduled to go
up within the next week.
“That will be an exciting time
for the community, to see those
walls going up,” Palmer said.
Construction is expected to
last two years, while the projected
occupancy date is fall of 2013.
While the building is becoming more of a reality, teachers are
planning for what will go inside of
their classrooms.
Classroom furniture and technology will not be purchased until
next winter, but Hopewell-Loudon
staff have been brainstorming
about the look of their new school.
Palmer said each classroom
will be outfitted with a sound
amplification system and interactive video technology.
“They will be state of the art
classrooms,” he said.
Such equipment will be tested
in the fall or spring by teachers and
board members. The final decision
on technology will be made late
in the calendar year to ensure the
equipment is up-to-date.
The district plans to embrace
technology in another way by
encouraging students and staff
to B.Y.O.T., or “bring your own
technology,” to the school. They
will be able to register their technological devices (including smart
phones, iPods and tablets) with
the school and put them to practi-
cal use in the classroom.
The wireless infrastructure
was also enhanced in 2011 by technology coordinator Steve Acton,
Palmer said.
A seventh grade mentoring
program was introduced in the
2011-2012 school year.
High school principal Bill Dobbins said the program divides
seventh grade students into discussion groups, lead by upperclassmen, tackling topics such as
cyber bullying and sexting.
The age group was chosen
because they are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure, as they
are quickly approaching high
school.
The school is in the process
of phasing out their French program, but will continue to offer
the course this year and next to
ensure students will meet graduation requirements. Spanish will be
the only foreign language taught
by an instructor, while the school
is exploring online options.
“We’re looking at some other
ways for meeting the needs of our
students,” Palmer said.
The district’s elementary
school received an “Excellent with
Distinction” rating on their 20102011 Report Card issued by the
Ohio Department of Education for
the first time ever.
The rating indicates the school
has exceeded expected growth for
at least two consecutive years.
“When you plan for it as
we have, it become repeatable
because you know exactly what
you’ve done and how you got
there,” Palmer described. “It’s a
tribute to our administration and
teachers for making it happen.”
Staff members have also taken
charge of professional development at the district, as opposed
to using contracted coordinators.
Teachers who lead these sessions
make a commitment to work
beyond the school day and range
from elementary school to high
school teachers.
Teacher-based teams meet
once a quarter and are required to
complete six hours of professional
development outside of the school
day. Two all-day courses are also
offered.
The professional development is taught on the basis of the
philosophy of Robert Marzano’s
“The Art and Science of Teaching,” which emphasizes the use
of research-based data to identify
strengths and weaknesses of students.
This philosophy has manifested
itself in the school’s approach to
learning in a few ways, but has an
over-arching emphasis on communicating learning goals to students.
Common assessments have
been given this year to each room
per grade level.
In some classrooms, students
keep their own data folders inside
which learning goals (set as a class
or individually) are recorded, as
are testing scores. This program
began in the 2010-2011 school
year.
“It’s just been tremendous and
I’m extremely proud of the work of
our teachers and administrators,”
Palmer said. “Beside the building project, this is what I’m most
proud of.”
Such accomplishments will
serve as highlights of nine years
spent a Hopewell-Loudon, as
Palmer tendered his resignation
in a written statement at a Feb. 8
board of education meeting.
Palmer joined the district in
2003 after previously serving as
Van Buren School high school
principal and head boy’s basketball coach.
His resignation is effective July
31, 2012.
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
COMMUNITY UPDATE
C5
Villages tackle big projects
By ERIC SCHAADT
FOR THE REVIEW TIMES
With the assistance of county,
state and federal dollars, Hancock
County villages will take on a variety of projects in 2012.
Arcadia is pursuing grants
to continue the renovation of its
storm sewer system.
Another continuing effort
in Arcadia is replacing electric
poles and transformers for the
village-owned utility service.
This replacement program began
in 2009.
Vanlue is in the process of
OU
R
TH
G
replacing a lift station for its
wastewater treatment facility.
Also, the village will seek Safe
Route to School federal dollars to
repair sidewalks near the school.
Van Buren Council plans to
enhance the downtown village
square with the help of a $125,000
Ohio Public Works grant.
This work, to be matched with
$1,250 from village coffers, is to
be completed this year. New curbs
and sidewalks will be poured,
along with road resurfacing in the
vicinity of Main Street.
EARS. . .
Y
E
H
HT
File photo
SCHOOL OFFICIALS cut the ribbon for Lakota’s new K-12 building at the dedication ceremony for the building at the beginning of the
2011-2012 school year. The district was given the keys to the building upon completion of the project in May 2011. The brick-and-cast-stone
facility ultimately spanned 177,000 square feet, dwarfing the district’s former facilities.
Lakota growing into
its new school facility
Superintendent Heimlich
decides to stay another year
By ALLISON WINGATE
STAFF WRITER
Lakota Local School district
proved to be too hard to walk
away from.
After completing what she
calls one of her most challenging
years as superintendent in 2011,
Rebecca Heimlich has decided to
remain with the district after first
announcing she was leaving it.
While she had originally
planned to retire after overseeing
the construction of a K-12 facility,
she said her work with the district
remains unfinished.
She was slated to retire effective June 30 and the search for a
new superintendent, to be conducted by North Point Educational
Service Center, was scheduled to
begin at the end of January. That
search was canceled, as Heimlich
said she will now tentatively retire
in June 2013.
The new building officially
opened its doors to students
August 29, located just north of
the site of the former Lakota High
School at 5200 CR 13 in Kansas.
Prior to construction of a new
school, the district was scattered
about throughout Wood, Seneca
and Sandusky counties with facilities located in Bradner, Risingsun,
Burgoon and Kansas.
Several of the district’s schools
did not meet current building code
standards and failed to meet the
needs of the district’s approximately 16 percent special-needs
students. The widespread facilities also discouraged faculty from
collaborating with one another
— communication between some
schools required a long-distance
phone call.
“You always had to build in that
lost time spent traveling between
the schools,” Heimlich said.
After area taxpayers passed a
6.5-mill bond issue and 0.5-percent income tax in November
2007, Lakota raised $19.694 million for the district’s share of a new
school through the Ohio School
Facilities Commission. The OSFC
contributed $16.778 million, 52
percent, toward the project. The
total cost of the project amounted
to $35,472,218.
The contents of the district’s
schools were largely sold in public
auctions, while demolition of the
buildings began last spring.
The district was given the keys
to the building upon completion
of the project in May 2011. The
brick-and-cast-stone facility ultimately spanned 177,000 square
feet, dwarfing the district’s former
facilities.
The elementary school and
middle school shared office and
high school office are located
adjacent to the building’s main
entrance off of CR 13, while the
district office is located on the rear
of the building at the end of the
high school wing.
The entrances of the building
keep the differing age groups separate as they enter through their
own designated doors.
“It’s been an adjustment being
in a new building together,”
Heimlich described. “We look at
it and see how it flows and change
things. We’ve done it in every
department.”
A midway cuts through the
school’s floor plan, the hallway
lined with facilities used by all age
groups including the media center,
auditeria, gymnasium and instrumental and vocal music and practice rooms. Terrazzo flooring was
installed in these common areas
for its durability due to heavy foot
traffic.
The three-tiered auditeria (a
combination of an auditorium and
a cafeteria) seats 500 people for
performances and 300 for dining.
It is in this space where students
eat lunch and spectators patronize a concession stand during the
school’s indoor sporting events.
Game play and scores are broadcast on several flat-screen televisions in this area while spectators
wait in line.
The varsity gymnasium can
be partitioned into three separate
spaces, and the auxiliary gym
can be split into two. Retractable
bleachers line the walls and are
pulled out for basketball games
and special events.
The media room, used by all
grade levels, includes outdoor
access, conference rooms and its
own contained bathroom to facilitate use of the space for community organizations.
Each wing is equipped with
a computer lab containing 28
computers. Three mobile carts
with computers are issued on an
as-needed basis and there are an
additional 25 notebooks available
for use. Wireless Internet access is
available throughout the building.
Prior to the occupation of the
new facility, Lakota staff was
required to complete professional development programs to
acclimate themselves to the new
technology found in the building,
such as SMART Boards and other
devices.
“We’ve been working toward
that for the past three years,”
Heimlich said.
A playground near the elementary and middle school wings of
the building includes a fenced-in
“Tot Lot” where children can play
with sensory equipment. This
equipment plays music and emulates comforting motion, which is
beneficial for the district’s special
education students. Saddling up to
the playground are two basketball
courts and another court where
children can play funnel ball and
hopscotch.
Lakota has seen an influx in
attendance at sporting events,
musical performances and school
dances since moving into the new
digs.
“The kids are really taking
pride in their new building,” Heimlich said.
The decision was made to
bring prom back to the school in
2012, after hosting it at the Crystal Arbors in Fremont for the past
several years.
“Those are definitely new possibilities of events we’ll be able to
host, now,” Heimlich said.
She said her staff has taken
pride in the facility too, in some
cases revitalizing decades-long
careers.
“I’ve seen folks toward the end
of their teaching career become
rejuvenated,” she described.
The endless opportunities the
new building provides to her students, Heimlich said, has been her
favorite part of her eight years
spent with Lakota.
“I think we planned pretty
well,” she said.
IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA
2003
2003
YOUR
KID’S
CLOSET
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204 S. Main St.
Fostoria
419-436-2288
4579 N. US 23
Fostoria
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visits.
419-435-7642
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Fostoria Rail
Preservation Society
Dedicated to preserve, promote and
educate the public of Fostoria’s rail history
P.O. BOX 421
Fostoria, OH 44830
419-435-1781
www.FostoriaIronTriangle.com
www.GreatLakesLive.com
2005
HANCOCK COUNTY
New, expanding companies helping
job market rebound in the region
Unemployment
inching in right
direction
By RYAN DUNN
FOR THE REVIEW TIMES
Officials with the Hancock
County Department of Job and
Family Services cite new and
expanding companies in the region
as an indicator of a rebounding job
market.
JOBsolutions, an office within
Job and Family Services, works
with companies and potential
employees to fill open positions.
The agency helps provide the
training required for many fields,
said Job and Family Services
Interim Director Sheldon Bycyn-
ski.
“JOBsolutions is open for
everybody to develop those skills,”
he said.
Technical fields are creating
higher-skilled jobs, allowing for
movement up the ladder, Bycynski said. As employees leave their
former jobs, JOBsolutions can help
fill those positions, he said.
The recent arrival of new companies in Hancock County, including MITEC and Hamlet Protein,
have created new jobs, said Barb
Kimmel, workforce development
specialist.
MITEC is a German auto parts
manufacturer and Hamlet Protein
is a Danish livestock feeds maker.
Other employment seems to be
gaining traction as well, as people
apply for better jobs and companies can afford longer shifts,
Kimmel said.
“That’s a different situation
from a year ago,” she said.
The region offers a great location for manufacturing, and unemployment is progressing in the
right direction, she said.
In Hancock County, the unemployment rate was 8.1 percent in
December 2010, falling to 7.8 percent last December, Kimmel said.
Dan Harper, also a workforce
development specialist, said companies such as MITEC have been
very pleased with the workforce
and resources.
“With the cooperation of the
county and city and all this support, these companies really took
off,” he said.
The goal, he said, is to continue
training people for emerging job
markets, including technology and
medical.
JOBsolutions offers programs
where the agency pays employers a
portion of a new hire’s salary while
that employee undergoes training,
Harper said.
“We’re not only here to help the
employee, it’s the employer also,”
he said.
The agency provides computers, faxes, telephones and copiers
to better place individuals in jobs.
It also hosts free workshops,
GED classes, job fairs and resume
assistance. Through one-on-one
appointments, potential workers
can discuss future employment
and their skills.
Orientation meetings on the
job market and training are held
at 2 p.m. Mondays in the JOBsolutions office, 7746 Hancock County
140, Suite B.
Online:
JOBsolutions.net
2005
Fostoria Inn
& Suites
1690 N. Countyline St.
419-436-3600
877-284-3600
2010
2012 Memberships
Now Available
Open to the public
747 Independence Ave.
Fostoria
419-435-4248
C6
COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
Companies bring hope to economic scene
Several businesses
open doors, create
jobs in Fostoria
By ALLISON WINGATE
STAFF WRITER
News of InterMetro Industries
Corporation’s closing may have
created a dour outlook on the jobs
front, but several business-minded
individuals opened operations in
UG
O
R
H
T
Fostoria in 2011.
Inland Tarp
Inland Tarp & Liner LLC
announced in February 2011 that
its company was expanding to a
Fostoria location.
The 192,000 square foot building on North Main Street, which
formerly housed Uniboard, was
purchased by the Moses Lake,
Wash. company.
ITL produces hay tarps, pond
liner, building covers and addi-
E YEARS. . .
H
T
H
tional products for agriculture,
commercial and industrial needs.
While the company currently
employs 27 people, eastern operations manager for the company
Ron MacKenzie said the company
expects to expand to approximately 50 jobs in Fostoria within
the next few years.
“We’re making a long-term
commitment to the city. We’re
going to be here as long as possible,” MacKenzie said.
By JOEL SENSENIG
1860
your town
your life
your paper
113 E. Center St. Fostoria 419-435-6641
1906
5990 W. Tiffin St. • Bascom
419-937-2222
1912
Geary Family
YMCA
Stop In the Y
and get
active with
ActivTrax
www.gearyfamilyymca.org
Find us on
154 W. Center
Fostoria, Ohio
419-435-6608
1927
NYE
1919
American
Legion Post 73
Join us at the
Post for Membership
Information.
1930
Residential • Commercial
419-435-7794
Bill Koepfer - Owner
Family owned &
Operated for three generations.
Serving Fostoria with
Quality Work & exceptional
customer service for 75 yrs.
118 W. Tiffin St., Fostoria
419-435-6653
Kaminsky Jewelers
Alan Kaminsky Jewlers LLC
reopened at its 111 S. Main St.
location in August.
The walls have been entirely
re-done and new lighting and fixtures have given the store a new
feel and design.
Owner Alan Kaminsky said
the store could more accurately
be described as a fine jeweler
and boutique shop, as he regularly stocks gift items at reasonable prices. Offerings include
bridal sets and wedding bands,
Vera Bradley bags and accessories, Chamlia beads, Viva Beads,
Magnabilities and more.
The Kaminskys said their
local ties to Fostoria were the
main reason why they decided to
See HOPE, Page C7
Photo provided
PAMELA SMITH, executive director of the Fostoria Area Chamber
of Commerce, was recently promoted from part-time coordinator
to full-time executive director. She brings a diverse background of
business experience to the position, and is confident Fostoria can
make a resurgence under her watch.
hosted in conjunction with the
annual Light-Up Fostoria tour of
homes. The event was a Norman
Rockwell-inspired affair that
offered decorated storefront windows, crafts and snacks for children, carolers, hot chocolate and
coupons to area businesses.
Smith said the holiday event
was just an example of what she
wants to do in the future.
“We will add events to bring
people in, and expand events we
already have,” she said.
Count Smith among the believers in the city’s ability to benefit
from its rail traffic.
“I think trains will still be an
important part of Fostoria’s next
chapter,” she said. “If we have
things here to bring people in,
spend money here, eat in restaurants here, we can capture some of
that new business,” she said.
Smith feels the retail businesses in Fostoria are worth
exploring, despite bigger outlets in surrounding cities.
“We have places here that people
don’t expect, so they don’t look for
them,” she said.
Smith counts face-to-face interaction as one of her specialties.
“It’s very important,” she said
of the practice of visiting others
in person. “You have to be able to
understand the issues (business
owners) face and their goals for
their own business, so I can come
up with ideas on what we can do to
create opportunities. ... Anybody
that calls me and says, ‘Pamela,
can you help me?’ I always help
them. ... Big businesses in big
cities have lost that person-toperson communication. Here, it
still exists.”
Since being hired as a part-time
coordinator of the chamber, Smith
has attained full-time status via
approval by the chamber’s board
of directors. She plans on making
the most of the promotion.
“For years, there has a been a
disconnect between Tiffin, Findlay and Wood County to Fostoria.
I’m trying to fix that so people
want to work with us. ... I know
Fostoria is going to come back to
life — it’s just going to be a different process.”
CNC Milling & Turning
EDM
Grinding
Fabrication & Assembly
Engineering Support
Polymeric Mix Head Rebuild
3315 W. Twp. Rd. 158
Tiffin, Ohio 44883
ISO 9001-2008
Email: sales@custom-machine-inc.com
Phone: (419) 986-5122
Fax: (419) 986-5204
Visit our Website at
www.custom-machine-inc.com
Robert Schutz, M.D.
Kimberlee Perkins, D.O.
Kathleen Fries, C.N.M.
On Staff Licensed Nutritionist and Massage Therapist
New Services including Robotic Surgery
Currently Accepting New Patients
1641 N. Lake St; Findlay OH • 419-425-1510
Tiffin and Seneca County’s premiere provider
of senior housing and healthcare facilities and
services, and child day care services.
ST. FRANCIS HOME
New Installation or
Complete Repairs
“Proud to Serve
Fostoria since 1927”
Pamela Smith knows business
like it’s her ... well, business.
The executive director of
the Fostoria Area Chamber of
Commerce has been coordinating economic advancement here
since being hired in April, but her
experience in the field goes considerably further back.
Coming to Fostoria with 20
years of experience in management, business development,
consulting, sales and marketing
research under her belt, Smith is
confident she can help facilitate
change to the city.
“I’ve been a member of many
chambers through the years,”
Smith said. “I didn’t have nonprofit experience, but I definitely
brought a business experience to
the position. I’ve worked in many
industries.”
A Findlay native with a degree
in Marketing and Business Management from Bowling Green
State University, Smith got into
the area business scene when her
family opened Katie’s Kitchen
(named after her mother) restaurant in Vanlue in 1980. The
business venture occurred after
a chance visit to the village after
Smith’s car broke down on the
highway. Upon getting a ride into
town and stopping in to get something to eat at Charlene’s Restaurant, Smith saw potential in the
modest diner and told her parents
about the opportunity. She worked
off and on at the restaurant as a
server and cook until her mother
and father retired and closed it in
1996.
Moving to Cincinnati in the
late 1980s, Smith — who did
some modeling as a teenager
— founded Savvy Models International, where she represented
professional models doing a variety of work, including runway
shows in Milan, Italy. She had
branch offices in New York, Los
Angeles, Milan, Cincinnati, Miami
and Chicago. Smith traveled the
globe during this time, as Savvy
Models worked with major marketing and cosmetic companies
around the world.
After selling the company in
1995, she started working for
another international company,
the British Standards Institute,
which was headquartered in the
United Kingdom. Serving the
company as business development
manager for the United States,
Smith traveled five days a week
from the American headquarters
in Virginia, working with companies to ensure their product met
international standards. Among
her responsibilities: managing
new and existing client relationships, identifying growth opportunities and hiring and training sales
managers and quality auditors.
After leaving BSI in 1999,
Smith took yet another businessrelated position, serving as vice
president of Business Marketing
International, a research company.
When the company was sold in
2008, Smith returned to northwest Ohio.
At that time, she returned to
the small business arena by working with her mother and sister
again when they started another
restaurant in Findlay, Katie’s Kids
Café Restaurant, until its closing
last March.
That long and winding route
brought her to Fostoria, where she
was recently promoted to a fulltime position of executive director
of the chamber after being hired
last spring as a part-time coordinator.
Smith likes what she sees in
Fostoria.
“It’s a wonderful community
here,” she said. “It’s not been tarnished by big business. You can
pick up the phone, ask to speak to
the president of the company and
you can talk to them. You don’t
find that in big cities.”
Smith has dedicated a good
portion of her first nine months
on the job talking with Fostoria’s
business leaders in the hopes of
helping them succeed.
“I’ve spent time analyzing
businesses here,” she said. “I’ve
talked with business owners about
problems they’ve had. ... I’m working on plans to create awareness
of businesses here and develop
opportunities for them to attract
more business.”
Smith helped conduct the first
Holiday Open House for downtown businesses in December,
419-435-3335
Plumbing
Heating &
Air Conditioning
Service All Makes and Models
NEWS EDITOR
550 E. Zeller Rd.
Service to
God
&
Country
Little Caesar’s Pizza opened
at the corner of Elm and Perry
streets in late December.
Toledo business venture
Golden Circle, owned by Langendorfer and Mark and Melissa
Tansey, purchased the former
KFC building at 708 N. Union St.
in a June 2011 sheriff’s sale for
$60,000.
Interior remodeling and exterior improvements including
parking lot, landscaping and new
signs were completed. The store
employs an estimated 30 people in
mostly part-time positions.
Promoting Fostoria
is her business
Chamber
coordinator
brings a
wealth of
experience to
her position
IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA
Little Caesars
419-447-2723
FRIEDMAN VILLAGE at
ST. FRANCIS
ST. FRANCIS VILLAS
419-447-3141
Villas & Assisted Living
419-443-1540
ELIZABETH SCHAEFER
APARTMENTS
ANGEL ACADEMY
DAY CARE
419-447-3141
419-443-1462
Call, stop by, or visit us at
www.stfrancistiffin.org
182 St. Francis Ave. • Tiffin, OH 44883
WSOS Community Action Commission Inc.
Serving Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa & Seneca counties
In
Housing Repair
Heating & Cooling bills assistance
Preschool
Home Weatherization
Foreclosure assistance
Employment & Training for youth and adults
Homebuyer counseling & down payment assistance
And more
For information, call 419-334-8911
or toll free at 1-800-775-9767
Or e-mail: info@wsos.org
Website: www.wsos.org
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
COMMUNITY UPDATE
C7
Hope
Continued from page C6
re-establish their business in the
downtown district, as he and his
wife, Teri, were both born and
raised here.
“We could have opened it somewhere else, but we want to be here.
We love Fostoria,” Alan said.
Jac and Do’s
The former Jac & Do’s Pizza,
117 N. Main St., re-opened under
new ownership in October.
New owner Tim Runion, president of American Loan Mortgage
Corporation, purchased the property for $8,500 in an IRS auction
in September.
Upon purchasing the property,
Runion addressed the building’s
several cosmetic issues, such as
garbage on each of the three levels
and a rotted roof access point.
The pizza shop offers the original Jac and Do’s recipe.
CF Professional, Inc.
File photo
LAKOTA HIGH SCHOOL freshman Makayla Dull works out at the Herbert-Perna Center for Physical Health in Fremont. She is rehabbing
a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in her left knee suffered in a Dec. 8 basketball game. As a golfer, Dull earned second-team
All-Ohio recognition at the girls Division II state tournament.
CF Professional, Inc. owner
Gary Gruss opened a Fostoria
office in late January at 545 E.
Lytle St.
Gruss, who founded the company in Tiffin, said the decision to
open another office here was relatively easy to make, considering
Fostoria is the home of his second
biggest concentration of clients.
Gruss said the majority of
Dulling the pain
Lakota freshman rehabbing
knee to get back on the links
By SCOTT COTTOS
SPORTS EDITOR
FREMONT — Makayla Dull’s
freshman year as a Lakota High
School athlete was going swimmingly.
In December, she was performing well enough on the basketball
court that a promotion to the varsity was in the offing.
And, of course, she had enjoyed
a spectacular golf season in the fall
that ended with second-team AllOhio recognition at the girls Division II state tournament.
Then, in a game at Carey on
Dec. 8, Dull drove, jump stopped,
heard the “pop” and felt the pain.
Fast-forward two months, and
Dull is lying on her stomach on a
table at the Herbert-Perna Center
for Physical Health in Fremont.
A month removed from surgery
to repair a torn anterior cruciate
ligament and meniscus in her left
knee, she is suppressing a yelp
as tears run down her face as a
therapist pushes her foot toward
her head.
It’s at times like these that Dull
thinks about rehabilitating herself
all the way back.
“When there’s a two-foot putt
I’m going to have to make, I’m
going to think back to this and
know that there are tougher things
I’ve gone through than that putt,”
she said. “My dad and I talked
about that and agreed about it.”
Makayla’s father, Troy Dull,
said the effect of her injury “was
real emotional in the beginning
because she loves basketball,
too.” It didn’t help either that the
injury occurred just before she was
scheduled to take part in a muchanticipated golf camp at the University of Florida.
But the family has developed a
plan. Knowing that Makayla won’t
be able to get back on a golf course
and play a typical round until midto late summer, she will work on
her short game and putting and
continue to pay occasional visits
to Claire Batista, a teaching pro
in Ottawa Lake, Mich., who has
honed Dull’s game in recent years.
In the meantime, they’ve determined that she’ll skip her sophomore basketball season and make
a decision on her future in that
sport at a later time.
“I still like basketball,” she said.
“But golf is more in the direction
that would get me toward college.”
Having started golfing at
a young age, Dull made a big
splash as a high school freshman
by taking over the No. 1 spot on
Lakota’s boys team and the easily
reaching the district tournament.
After struggling late in her district round at Sycamore Springs
Golf Course in Arlington, she
found herself in a playoff against
Milan Edison senior Ana Fischer,
with whom she’d become good
friends through their play in
summer tournaments.
“I was, oh, my gosh, nervous,
nervous, nervous,” Dull said, with
a laugh, “especially playing against
my best friend. That was hard.”
As for handling the playoff,
Dull made it look easy with a basic
even-par 4. Fischer made it easier
for Dull with a pair of errant shots
before reaching the green, and the
freshman was off to Ohio State’s
Gray Course for the state tournament.
Playing in cold, windy conditions in her first state appearance,
Dull struggled to an 86.
“Shooting 86 the first day
wasn’t a real good start,” she said.
“It isn’t a hard course to play, and
shooting 86 there isn’t what I
should have done. I should have
played my game and relaxed.”
What that first round did was
propel her into the second round
with a burst of determination.
“I was like, with all my hard
work I’m not going to come down
here and just shoot 86,” she said.
“I was like, I had to do better after
that.”
Indeed, with the 79 Dull not
only gained that second-team AllOhio spot but, she hopes, set a
course for years to come.
“I’ve experienced it now,” she
said. “For next year, when I plan
on going down there again, I’ll be
nervous but I think I’ll know how
to handle it better.”
Dull has a goal of gaining AllOhio recognition in each of her
four years of high school. That
should help her achieve another
goal — to gain a college scholarship to play golf in college.
“To play college golf, that
would be amazing,” she said.
“From college golf, I’d love to go
to the LPGA. That would be the
ultimate, highest goal. That would
be amazing.”
But big steps are composed of
many small ones, and every other
one of Dull’s steps, for now, is
taken on a damaged left knee that
now has a hamstring graft serving
as a makeshift ACL.
The road to recovery will cover
some months yet for Dull, and
she will have to exercise plenty of
patience.
But her thrice-weekly trips to
the physical-therapy center provide her with regular doses of
perspective.
“Looking at some people with
disabilities and stuff — this is
nothing compared to that,” she
said, a tear rolling down her left
SENECA COUNTY
Commissioners approve
economic development plan
Strategy has 8
goals for next
two decades
By JIM MAURER
FOR THE REVIEW TIMES
TIFFIN — A comprehensive
economic development strategy,
approved by the Seneca County
commissioners in December, will
guide county efforts over the next
two decades.
The 71-page document was prepared by Ben Kenny of the Wood
Sandusky Ottawa Seneca Community Action Commission.
Kenny, along with Rich Focht,
president and chief executive
officer of Seneca Industrial and
Economic Development Corp.,
Jill Griffin, executive director of
Seneca Regional Planning Commission, and Joan Reinhard,
executive director of Fostoria
Economic Development Corp.,
presented it to the county commissioners. It was developed by
a 20-member committee of business, government and education
personnel.
The document will be submitted to the Economic Development
Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce. The development administration may assist
with the cost of infrastructure
and improvements which create
or retain jobs, according to the
report.
The plan includes an economic
development strategy with eight
goals, including:
• Retention and expansion of
existing businesses;
• Attracting new businesses;
• Facilitate workforce employability and training;
• Provide infrastructure to
support business location, relocation and expansion throughout the
county;
• Market and brand Seneca
County and its communities, both
internally and externally;
• Provide an environment for
entrepreneurs;
• Enhance the county’s quality
of life;
• Organize for effective economic development success.
Among the priority projects
listed for Fostoria are continued
development of a technology and
energy incubator at a former industrial site on Springville Avenue.
Also, construction of the Iron
Triangle Park and Visitors Center
near downtown Fostoria will
begin this year. The $1 million
project will redevelop a former
junkyard and give train enthusiasts a viewing area.
A second Fostoria Industrial
Park, estimated at nearly $1.3 million, is expected to begin development in 2013. Several sites are
being considered, north in Jackson
Township, Seneca County, and
west in Washington Township,
Hancock County.
The Jackson Township site,
bounded by Ohio 12 and Sandusky
Street, provides 170 acres, is
zoned industrial/commercial, has
city utilities and Norfolk Southern
access nearby.
In Fostoria, a 10-year community-wide revitalization plan will
be implemented in 2013. The plan
will focus on future development
of Fostoria and includes funding
source options.
A business education coalition
in Fostoria also is preparing a plan
to develop a one-stop job development center by 2016.
Separately, possible wind farm
developments in Seneca County
and overlapping into neighboring
counties are being considered. At
least one company is expected to
start construction this year, Focht
said. Three companies are looking
at the area.
The state will approve the locations of wind farms, Focht said,
which will locate near electric
distribution lines for easier transmission.
Separately, plans are being prepared for highway improvements
throughout the county, from a Fostoria bypass using mainly existing
roads, to an upgrade of Ohio 53
north and south of Tiffin.
A Tiffin bypass from north
Ohio 53 to northwest of the city
would include an industrial area.
Design is proposed by 2016 and
implementation by 2031. Funding
T
G
U
O
R
H
The county has been designated an alternative energy zone
by the county commissioners. The
designation provides tax credits
for wind, solar, hydroelectric and
biofuel operations which may
locate in the county.
Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp. continues to work with Burgess and
Niple, a Columbus-based engineering company, to develop an inventory of brownfield sites, former
industrial locations which may be
contaminated and require cleanup
before further use.
Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp. is one
of six recipients of a grant from
state Department of Development
to study a brownfield area on Wall
Street in Tiffin.
TJ’s Northside Party Mart
Patrick Roddy purchased the
former Dean & Donna’s Convenience Store at 840 Buckley St.
in August 2010. He opened TJ’s
Northside Party Mart at the location in late June.
Roddy also owns R&B Games
on North Street, which has been
vacated due to the impending
demolition of Helping Hands, and
also the former Elks Club at 300
N. Main St.
Fitness and Nutrition by Brett
Cousin purchased the former
site of Readmore Hallmark Books
and More, 100 N. Main St., in July,
where he has since expanded his
business, Fitness and Nutrition
by Brett. Readmore had closed
its doors in January 2010.
Clients have 24-hour access
to his workout facility, where he
works as a personal trainer.
Hong Kong Grand Buffet also
opened in September 2011 at the
former North Countyline Street
location of Asian Hibachi Grill.
EARS. . .
Y
E
H
HT
IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA
1981
1983
• Vinyl Flooring
• Remnants
• Ceramic Tile
• Laminate Flooring
• Hardwood Flooring
• Expert Installation
For Honest
and Reasonably
Priced Repairs
40 Years Experience
TAX TIME
$ SAVINGS $ M.D. Auto
• Carpet
& Repair
Carpet
Outlet
Corner of
US 224 & 18
Tiffin, Ohio
419-448-1375
1989
sources are being sought.
In preparation for potential
new industry, Seneca County has
been designated a foreign trade
subzone of Hancock County. The
designation provides tax breaks
for companies which export products.
his employees have degrees in
accounting or business, and are
receiving training mandated by
the IRS in 2012.
In addition to these qualifications, Gruss said he has his Series
7 license, allowing him to work in
investments and sell insurance.
Gruss charges standard fees for
basic tax preparation, and offers
free electronic filing through the
IRS.
STORAGE
“If you have a little or a lot to store,
we have a unit to suit you.”
SIZES
5’x10’, 10’x10’, 10’x15’, 10’x20’
460 Findlay Street
101 Main Street
Risingsun, OH
419-457-4801
1995
RR&D Master
Automotive Care LLC
Fully Certified Technicians
for all domestic or import
CARS, SUV’S OR TRUCKS.
Let Us
“Show You”,
Friendly,
Honest
Service
Call Us Today.
419-435-1555
11881 W. Twp. Rd. 41 Fostoria
419-435-2499 or 419-435-6150
1998
1998
Hours Mon.-Fri. 3-5pm
DAVE’S AUTO
CENTER
146 E. Crocker St.
Serving Fostoria for 10 yrs. with
Quality Work & Service
Karen Bowers, director of
development for the group, said
the $50,000 grant will allow a
committee to study the area and
then develop possible uses within
the area.
Oil Changes, Brakes,
Exhaust Work, Tune-ups,
Coolant Flushes, Electrical
Diagnosis, and General
Maintenance.
We Also Sell Tires!
Once the Wall Street area is
done, the process may be repeated
for other possible brownfield sites.
419-435-6270
Family Restaurant
Breakfast, Lunch
& Dinner Specials
We Deliver Sat. thru Thurs.
11-2 & 4-8
Fri. 11-8
Catering Services
for Any Occasion
603 Plaza Dr., Fostoria
419-436-2264
Mon-Thur 6am-8am; Fri. 6am-9pm; Sat-Sun 7am-9pm
C8
COMMUNITY UPDATE
FOSTORIA REVIEW TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012
Keckler no
stranger to
the city
New mayor spent
30 years working
for Fostoria
By HANNAH NUSSER
STAFF WRITER
FOSTORIA — With so many
confidants and longtime acquaintances surrounding him in and
outside the city building, Eric
Keckler seems right at home as
Fostoria’s new mayor.
The lifelong Fostoria resident
began his first term in political
office on Jan. 1, looking to lead the
city through what officials were
calling “transitional” budgetary
times and an all-around downcast
economy.
Keckler retired after a 30-year
career with the city in May 2008.
He spent the past few years
“unsuccessfully learning to golf,”
he joked, and generally “getting
pretty good at being retired.”
But when watching his hometown continue to lose jobs, revenue and residents became too
much, he decided to step in. He
ran for mayor in the November
general election against incumbent John Davoli, and won.
“I just felt like we needed someone to step up and take a hold of
the reins and try to lead us into
somewhere good,” he said during
his campaign.
Through the city’s ups and
downs, Keckler said he’s never
dreamed of leaving the “tough
town” he calls home on account
of having such a longstanding network of close family and friends
to rely on.
“ Some people know me
because they knew my dad or his
dad even, so there are some pretty
deep family ties,” he said.
And in a “small town” like Fostoria, those ties have helped the
mayor quickly get acquainted in
his new post. For example, Keckler and Fostoria High School Principal Tom Grine grew up across
the street from each other on
Beech Street. And interim Safety
Service Director Jimmie Deiter
is a close family friend of Keckler’s, having served many years on
the Fostoria police force with his
father, Jim Keckler.
Keckler hand-picked Deiter for
the temporary position because he
needed a trustworthy confidant,
and he’s known Deiter all his life.
“Those people are still part of
the fabric of my life,” Keckler said.
Deiter said he knew Keckler
would make an optimal candidate for mayor, describing him as
a good listener, calm, objective,
and patient.
“He has a lot of good ideas. ...
he has a great perspective, you
don’t find that,” Deiter said.
Keckler’s career with the city
began in 1978, when the 16-yearold was hired as a weekend dispatcher for the police department,
where his father had been working
since 1954 and was a captain.
“They needed somebody to
come and work for them and I
needed gas in my car, so that’s
what I did,” he said. He had no
idea his weekend job in high
school would turn into a fullfledged career.
“I thought at one point that I
would work there until I would go
to college, but I could never figure
out what I wanted to do when I
grew up,” he said.
Along came a position working parking meter maintenance,
which Keckler accepted. But as
budget cuts threatened his job, he
took a position working midnights
at the Fostoria Water Plant, then
took another job working outdoors
with the streets department.
“I do like to be outside; I always
enjoyed it. I was always happy that
I was able to keep that job that
kept me outside,” he said, reflecting on the laundry list of duties he
performed.
He spent the rest of his career
in the streets department, was
promoted to foreman of that
department, and ultimately retired
as public works superintendent in
May 2008.
Now enclosed by the four walls
of the mayor’s office, he joked, “I’ll
wander out of here.”
And wander he has, but with
a purpose. Keckler spent the first
few weeks of his term getting
acquainted and reacquainted with
people both inside and outside
the city building, and working to
“lay the groundwork for things to
come.”
He’s revisited the city’s departments, learning what innovations
and changes have been installed
since his departure in 2008,
including a tour of the water plant
facilities and lengthy informational meetings with department
heads.
Keckler said taking the post
as mayor is about working for the
people of his hometown.
Looking out the mayor’s office
window onto the downtown, and
remembering what used to be a
lively shopping area, Keckler said
though the landscape of the area
has changed over the years, his
fellow Fostorians haven’t.
“It’s still a tough town with
a heart,” he said. “The people in
general are still the same.”
One thing that’s changed since
he’s taken office, said his wife,
Anita, is the culinary situation
around the Keckler household.
“My husband is a very good
cook, and since he’s working I
don’t have supper ready for me
when I get home,” she joked.
She’s been with her husband for
22 years, and married for 10.
Keckler married Anita in 2002,
inheriting two stepdaughters,
Chastity and Nichole. He has five
grandchildren ranging in ages
from 1 to 16.
And it’s thanks to his large
network of family, friends and his
father’s influence that Keckler is
where he is today. When he gets
around to decorating his office,
he intends to hang a portrait of
his father and uncles Dave and
Richard, who served together as
Fostoria police officers at the same
time. He said the photo serves as a
reminder of where he came from,
and how his family is intertwined
with the city’s history.
Thinking of his father, who
passed away in 1996, Keckler said,
“I always said that if I turn out to
be half the man that he was, I’d feel
pretty good about myself.
“I think he’d be pretty proud,”
he said, pausing to look out the
window. “Yeah, I think he would
be.”
HANNAH NUSSER / the Review Times
NEW FOSTORIA MAYOR Eric Keckler seems right at home in city government, and he should. He was previously a Fostoria city employee
for 30 years in a variety of departments.
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