Vienna trustees are working to pull the township out of financial distress after the Ohio auditor declared the township in fiscal emergency.

With the township's deficit over $1 million, trustees passed a plan as a way to get the township out of fiscal emergency by the end of 2027. The plan will now be reviewed by the Fiscal Emergency Commission.

21 News reported last week the plan includes adding a 3.5 mill fire levy that would be on next May's ballot.

"The levy is intended to get EMS back up," explained Trustee Phil Pegg. "As well as repair a bunch of equipment that needs it."

The plan also includes keeping traffic cameras up in the township as a way to keep up with it's looking $1 million deficit.

If the levy passes, it would replace two 1-mill levies. It's unclear how much the levy would cost homeowners but it could bring in $430k-$500k each year.

"The total amount brought in by those levies is just over $200k," Pegg explained. "Which is no where near where we need to be to run the fire department."

The attempt to save the township doesn't come without distrust from residents continuing to look for answers.

"Can I see last month's money we spent somewhere and where we spent the money?" a resident asked trustees.

Trustees told 21 News only time will tell if they believe voters in Vienna will be on board with a new tax levy.

"As a taxpayer in the township, I'm like, 'Why am I paying for this?" explained Trustee Mike Haddle. "We have to pay off that poor management and look at how we're going to rebuild that fire department. But, we are out past 2028 if we take no action. We could be out as early as the end of 2027 if this plan goes through."

"People are going to have to use their judgment," Pegg said. "People get to choose. Do you want an ambulance service? Do you want fire service? It's that simple."

"We once had four people on EMS service at one point. We overpaid and this all caught up to us," Haddle said. "This affects all of us, including me. I'm not happy about this, which is why I ran to be a trustee."

Trustees plan to meet with the state's fiscal emergency commission on December 30 to see if it was approved by the state. If the plan is denied, trustees will have 30 days to draft a new plan.

Trustee Richard Dascenzo was not present at Monday's meeting and was also absent at a previous trustee meeting this month. 

A permanent fiscal officer could be hired as early as next month.