North Baltimore official is offered Fostoria safety-service post

6/24/2008

FOSTORIA - Less than a week after firing Safety-Service Director Bill Rains, Fostoria Mayor John Davoli said yesterday he has offered the retooled job to North Baltimore Village Administrator Kathy Healy.

Mr. Davoli said Ms. Healy was his first choice to replace the last safety-service director he fired, Ralph Wise, who was let go in 2005. At the time Ms. Healy was a senior management consultant for Lima-based Clemans Nelson & Associates working with Fostoria. She helped the city hire Police Chief John McGuire and, after declining the mayor's job offer, also helped hire Mr. Rains.

In February, 2007, Ms. Healy left Clemans Nelson to take the position in North Baltimore, where she currently is paid $60,500. Mr. Davoli said in Fostoria she would be paid $71, 947 a year to fill the roles of public works director, human resources director, and safety-service director.

"Since we have two great chiefs - police and fire - they can handle their own safety departments, leaving Kathy time to concentrate on the other aspects of the new position," the mayor said at a morning news conference.

Mr. Davoli said the city already has spent about $50,000 this year on outside human resources services. Eliminating the public works director - Eric Keckler retired May 31 - will save about $55,000 a year, he said.

Ms. Healy worked as director of parks, recreation, and personnel in the city of Kenton from 1985 to 1991 and was safety-service director there from 1992 to 2004 before joining Clemans Nelson.

Ms. Healy's hiring must be approved by council, something that could happen as soon as its next meeting July 1.

"I would like to have seven council votes in favor of Kathy, but I will settle for at least four," the mayor said.

Still, Ms. Healy said she has not made up her mind about accepting the new job. She plans to meet with council members individually this week.

"I would say I am considering the position very seriously, basically to find out if it would be a right fit for me and for Fostoria," she said.

Mr. Davoli gave no specific reason for his decision to fire Mr. Rains other than to say he wanted to take the city in a new direction. Yesterday, he again declined to comment on the termination.