Two days after the city income tax levy failed, the Committee of the Whole met to review the "bare bones" budget to be used due to the levy failure.
The budget includes a $263,396 cut for the police department, a $303,003 cut to the fire department, a $104,944 cut to the streets department, a $111,454 cut to the parks department and a $77,350 cut to the sewer maintenance department.
Services such as fireworks, the city pool, park programs and crossing guards also have been cut.
"I think we're all disappointed that we lost the campaign for the tax," Tiffin City Council President Paul Elchert said. "However we need to still work harder, maybe even harder than what we have been, in order to help take care of some of the needs that the community has. We'll do the best that we can with the amount of people we've got."
Mayor Aaron Montz said the city is fortunate to have so many police and fire staff members retiring. Therefore no layoffs were needed in those departments.
"We're still going to be down the same amount (of staff) had we done layoffs, it's just we got lucky with retirements instead," Montz said. "That's the only reason why police and fire are not facing layoffs next year, and public works is."
Fire Chief Bill Ennis said the fire department has seven people retiring through July, and none is to be replaced due to lack of funds. He said the fire staff will be down to six firefighters on some shifts.
The police station has already three retirements this year, another officer is to retire in March and three more officers are eligible to retire as of October, said Police Chief Fred Stevens.
Montz said no AFSCME members are retiring, and three employees are to be laid off today.
Councilman Mark Hayes said Tiffin is "a very generous community" and inquired if the city would take donations from citizens to have fireworks.
"We have firemen, policemen, public works, we have people out of work, and we are so far down, I will not accept donations for the swimming pool or fireworks next year," Montz said. "If you're going to write a check to the city for donation, do it for employees - fire and policemen to protect the city.
"I'm sorry, I understand a lot of people enjoy those things, but firemen and policemen mean so much more to me than having a fireworks display next year."
Parks Director Steve Dryfuse said he does not expect damage or deterioration to the pool while it sits unused.
Montz said he does not expect to re-open the pool or have a fireworks display until the police and fire departments are returned to the staffing they had at the beginning of this year.
Streets are to be plowed only during normal work hours Monday through Friday unless the snowfall exceeds five inches. Then main roads can be plowed using overtime hours, Montz said.
Councilman Jim Roberts said he has no interest in putting the income tax increase back on the ballot because "the people have spoken."
