Eric A. Oster, a local certified public accountant, has announced that he is seeking the office of the Mariposa County Auditor.

According to Oster, Mariposa County has not had a certified public accountant as its auditor. It is the number one qualification for seeking the office. There are other ways to qualify for the office but none of them are financial professionals. Oster is seeking the position because he believes that he can bring a higher level of professionalism to the position as well as maintaining the quality of services provided.

He has lived in Mariposa County since 1960. His parents worked in Yosemite where he attended Yosemite Elementary School. He also attended Mariposa County High School and Merced College. After Merced College he went to work for a Merced CPA firm as a computer specialist. Finding that the work was repetitive, he started to to attend California State University, Fresno, at night.

After several years of working and going to school at night, he passed the Uniform Certified Public Accounting examination in 1981. Oster has worked in both Mariposa and Merced Counties for almost 30 years. Many of the services he has performed for his clients are also services required in the auditor’s office.

“The position of Mariposa County Auditor is important to the community because it requires fiscal leadership and accountability in County government,” Oster said. “This is accomplished through monitoring and reporting financial performance, promoting economy and efficiency and the safeguarding of public funds.” Oster believes that he is extremely qualified for the position.

Oster has been married to his wife, Dana, for 31 years. She works as an ultrasound technician for the John C. Fremont Healthcare District. They have three adult children who are graduates of the Mariposa school system. Rachel works in the welfare department for Stanislaus County. Eric, Jr. works part-time for his father and does maintenance for several of his own clients, and Keith is a student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Oster has been a member of the Mariposa Rotary Club since 1990, and treasurer of the club since 2001. In the past, he has been on the board of the Mariposa History Museum, the California State Mining and Mineral Museum and the Mariposa Lions Club. He is also a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.