Forthofer, Ostrander square off for mayor

Councilmen tout experience, ideas before November election

Ward 3 Councilman Jim Forthofer and Ward 1 Councilman Fred Ostrander were the top two vote getters.

Two contenders are running to become the next mayor of Vermilion.

Ward 3 Councilman Jim Forthofer and Ward 1 Councilman Fred Ostrander were the top two vote getters in the May 2 primary when they topped two other contenders, Councilwoman Monica Stark and political newcomer Shawn Perry.

For November, Forthofer and Ostrander are squaring off to succeed Mayor Eileen Bulan, who will step down at the end of her term.

The mayor of Vermilion serves a four-year term and starting next year, will earn $65,000 a year, according to city figures.

There are 7,301 voters eligible to cast ballots Nov. 7. That includes 3,877 voters on the Lorain County side of Vermilion and 3,424 voters on the Erie County side, according to the respective county boards of elections.

Bulan said she opted not to endorse one or the other candidate.

“They’re both good guys, they’re both on City Council,” she said. “I’ve worked with both of them a long time.”

The candidates are:

Forthofer

Forthofer said new, clean businesses will help Vermilion.

“Vermilion’s infrastructure is failing and taxpayers are exhausted,” he said. “We need to expand our tax base. New, clean business is needed to share the future tax burden.”

Most of Vermilion’s opportunity

for business growth is in the Lorain County portion of town, Forthofer said.

“I would start with Liberty Avenue East,” he said. “This strip’s zoning and lot definitions were created decades ago. The realities of business today make the East Liberty design unappealing to businesses.”

Forthofer suggested organizing a Liberty Avenue Advisory Committee that includes Liberty Avenue business and property owners, commercial real estate agents, Vermilion’s Service Departments and residents.

“The purpose will be to recommend changes that will make Liberty Avenue appealing to taxpaying business on the move,” he said.

Vermilion has limited street repair dollars, so those must be spent by professional analytical assessment rather than annual “need of the moment” spending, Forthofer said.

“We need to establish multi-year repair plans for the most critical systems,” he said. “We need to make those plans visible to the residents. Need of the moment spending on our infrastructure is wasteful.”

He said his 35 years of executive level business experience parallels the experience needed to be an effective city executive officer.

“Our mayor must have the skills to lead with vision and be able to form beneficial relationships with outside organizations,” Forthofer said. “The mayor must efficiently manage budgets, services, employees and listen to happy and unhappy residents alike. I bring a successful career of professional management experience ready to be applied to the job of Vermilion mayor.”

Forthofer also has served on numerous city boards – a “must” for a successful mayor.

“Council alone is not enough,” he said. “Years of service on these Vermilion City committees, boards and commissions has given me valuable experience with city operations.”

Ostrander

By his own admission, Ostrander has a large list of items that are important to many citizens.

A top priority is to designate projects and funds which benefit all areas fairly, he said.

Priorities include Vermilion’s safety forces, including the school resource officer and the “Safe Routes to School” program to encourage students walking to school.

Other key topics range from economic development to continuing the war against drug abuse to water treatment and distribution, Ostrander said.

“Our downtown is important, but so are the east Liberty drainage issues, the streets in Vermilion-on-theLake, recreation programs and senior citizen needs,” he said. “I feel that all areas of Vermilion are important and will see that all are treated fairly.”

The next mayor needs to address Vermilion’s serious infrastructure needs with structured solutions, Ostrander said.

“Our water plant, water lines, wastewater system, streets and more are aging and as they do maintaining them becomes more critical,” he said.

Ostrander added he fully expects to keep the city water plant operating.

“As to infrastructure needs, my years of city experience along with my engineering background will serve our community well in upgrading our infrastructure while controlling costs,” he said. “Vermilion also needs to use all the resources, experts, and networks we have available.”

Ostrander said he wants to work with the county commissioners of Lorain and Erie counties, the Erie Regional Planning Commission, along with the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Harbourtown and Main Street Vermilion and other groups.

As a nearly lifelong resident, Ostrander said he has no desire to live anywhere else.

“My demonstrated and on-going intent is to make Vermilion a city we are all proud of and blessed to call our home,” he said. “I have been told many times that I am the right man, at the right time, with the right motives, with the right experience and right vision to move Vermilion in the absolute right direction.

“I am not about where we’ve been, but where we’re going that is truly important to me.”