Council adopts 2024 budget

At the Tiffin city council meeting Monday, council passed the 2024 tax budget. Of note, the mayor's proposed budget for 2024 is $129,404. The actual expenses in 2022 were $109,431. The appropriations year to date for 2023 sits at $112,307.29 The Tiffin Police Department budget for 2024 is $3,832,693. The actual expenses in 2022 were $3,309,943.50. The appropriations year to date for 2023 sits at $3,736,893.34. The budget for Tiffin Fire/Rescue Division for 2024 is $5,173,630. The actual expenses in 2022 were $4,050,988.30. The appropriations year to date for 2023 sits at $4,819,908.29. The proposed general fund budget for 2024 is $16,654,987.27. The general fund expenses from last year were $14,264,439.51. The appropriations year to date for 2023 sits at $16,354,007.65. As for the special revenue funds, the 2024 proposed budget is $4,479,065. The special revenue funds for 2022 were $4,922,000.05. The appropriations year to date for 2023 sits at $12,140,729.05. Within the special revenue funds is the Ella Street Bridge project. The year-to-date appropriations for the project are $2 million with $0 proposed for 2024. The total expenses for 2024 are proposed to be $57,691,158.25. As for total revenue for 2024, the city expects $55,877,232.10. Director of Finance Kathy Kauffman is to deliver the budget to the Seneca County Auditor on or before July 20, 2023. During Mayor Dawn Iannantuono's report, she said that the Ella St bridge is expected to be closed until November, weather permitting. Council also announced a special meeting at 5:45 p.m., July 12 to do a second reading of ordinances 23-41 and 23-45. Ordinance 23-41 authorizes the installation of three streetlights on S. River Road trail at or near the river overlook. Ordinance 23-45 authorizes the sale of lot #3 (4.908 acres, more or less) of Eagle Rock north subdivision plat in Eagle Rock Business Park at $15,000 per acre and grants an option to purchase lot #2 (8.732, more or less) to AFLP LLC or its designee as approved by the mayor. As for resolutions and ordinances, council passed the following: Resolutions 23-25: approving mayor's appointment of Brad Rees to serve the remainder of a term on the Tiffin Municipal Arts Commission from the effective date of the resolution to Dec. 31, 2027. 23-26: authorizing the mayor to apply for, accept and enter into a Water Control Pollution Fund agreement on behalf of the city of Tiffin for planning for watershed facilities involving the inflow reduction CSO 9-13 and 15 project, designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan and declaring an emergency. Ordinances 23-36: adopting a tax budget for FY 2024 and directing the Director of Finance to deliver the budget to the Seneca County Auditor on or before July 20, 2023, and declaring an emergency. 23-39: amending ordinance 21-94 revising and restating the grant program using local funds to assist property owners in removing clean water connections from the sanitary sewer system and declaring an emergency. 23-40: authorizing and directing the mayor to grant an easement from the city of Tiffin to Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc for a gas line to serve properties on Fourth Avenue at Wall Street and declaring an emergency. 23-43: authorizing the city administrator and chief of police to sign an agreement with the Tiffin City School District to assign a police officer to the district as a school resource officer and declaring an emergency. 23-44: amending 2023 budget ordinance 22-108 to reallocate funds into the American Rescue Plan Fund Budget. The next Tiffin city council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 17 in council chambers, 51 E. Market St.