Tiffin City Council members watched "Market and Washington: Tiffin in Its Own Words," a play put forth by Heidelberg Professor Chris Tucci and a cast of eight performers Monday evening.
The play, about 45 minutes, depicted many attitudes of Tiffin residents.
The play was made up of the words of the community, after interviewing politicians, preachers and neighbors.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY AARON POST
Standing (from left) Heidelberg Professor Chris Tucci, Katelyn Hough, Nick Comer, Sandy Kimmel, Ben Jones, Brittany Green, Eric Gobel and Amy Berger.
Although actors argued for about 20 minutes about the courthouse in the play, other issues were addressed.
Katelyn Hough played a citizen dissatisfied about shopping.
"Why doesn't Tiffin worry about bringing in actual businesses where people can shop, I mean Decker's is a fine shop, but not all of us are furniture shopping," Hough said. "I'm not criticizing second-hand shops, as Tiffin is so depressed that most of us can't afford to shop elsewhere, but really where is there to walk around and shop downtown besides Wal-Mart."
They said excerpts were taken from the Advertiser-Tribune, The Toledo Blade, the Seneca County Visitors Guide, Facebook, YouTube and blogs.
Near the end of the play, actors offered their own thoughts on Tiffin.
"Tiffin is an old-fashioned town, but sometimes being old fashioned means starting to make changes," student actor Ben Jones said. "Tiffin can't keep existing in a 1970s bubble. Well, it can't do that and continue to grow. I don't know who might move here and go to college here or open business here. When I come back and actually visit Heidelberg, I want to see a town that's in a better place than when I left, without the invisible fence between Heidelberg and the rest of the city."
Heidelberg University President Robert Huntington defined the play.
"The message is whether it's for four years or 40 years, whether you're born here, or not and you choose to come here. Everybody really does want to make this a better place, and there are contentious issues, but the point about listening closely and moving forward being done so creatively makes me proud to be part of that same community," Huntington said.
In another matter, Izaak Walnut League donated $1,000 toward improving a shooting range in the basement of the Tiffin Municipal Building.
In other action, council:
Repealed the removal of eligibility of part-time employees and appointees to salaried part-time boards for health insurance.
Authorized the city administrator to advertise for requests for proposals for implementation of energy conservation measures for city-owned buildings and properties and declaring an emergency.
Authorized city administration to prepare plans and specifications, advertise for and receive bids, and recommend and execute contracts for the 2012 Street Paving Program and declaring an emergency.
Amended a Tiffin codified ordinance authorizing the city administrator to issue citations or notices of parking violations.
Council tabled action on amending the zoning on two parcels of land adjacent to Benner and Miami streets in the Second Ward owned by Ronald F. Krupp.
