VIENNA — During Monday’s fourth township fiscal commission meeting, officials emphasized how integral next November’s election would be to the township’s recovery, noting two levies and two trustee seats could be on the ballot.

Tisha Turner and Angela DeNunzio, representing the state auditor’s office, presented the township’s Financial Recovery Plan, which was brought to trustees ahead of the meeting last week. It provides a recovery forecast for the next five years while also looking at the past three years. The plan is to be amended as needed, but at minimum, once a year, according to the document.

Committee chairman Matt Sladek questioned projected sharp revenue declines from traffic cameras projected in 2026 compared to 2025.

Trustee Mike Haddle explained the declines came from factoring in the possibility of both himself and Richard Dascenzo not returning and new trustees axing the cameras altogether.

“So the thought process behind that is, I’m up for election and Richard is in November 2025,” Haddle said. “If both of us get voted out and the two new trustees end the program, then what will happen is through 2026, you’ll still get some individual long-term payments, but it won’t be the full amount.”

“November (2025) is going to be a big election for Vienna Township, because you have two trustees up; Dascenzo’s not going to run probably, Mike is up for election, your fiscal officer, whoever it may be, they’ll be up for election,” departing Fiscal Officer Corrine Hardman said. “You’re going to have a replacement fire levy and a renewal police levy on.”

Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder explained there have been legislation talks regarding doing away with replacement levies altogether for the sake of transparency.

“A lot of people feel that when you have a replacement levy, it’s not understandable through the general public that their taxes will go up with the replacement budget,” Yoder said. “With (a) renewal, there’s no increase in taxes because you’re actually working on the newer assessed values when you would figure out what the effective rate is.”

Haddle suggested different scenarios for the future regarding both the levies and traffic cameras.

“No levies, all levies renewed, no traffic cameras, all the way up to fire levy increase and police levy renewed and traffic cameras staying until the end of 2028,” Haddle said. “We have talked about getting rid of them in two or three years, which is to see where it rides out — to the end of 2028, see where it’s at.”

Haddle said they estimate a potential $24,000 a month from the traffic cameras. They want to pick the best scenario moving forward, he added, noting Sean Stimac, a Vienna resident and fellow fiscal committee member, pointed out the cameras’ lack of popularity.

Cindy Johnson, the committee’s vice chairman, said she found it “hard to believe” that township residents would vote for a fire and EMS levy if they don’t have the services.

Haddle acknowledged the need to start providing services, adding trustees have been working with a grant writer to see if they can come up with funds.

“We missed out on a couple of years of SAFER Grants and stuff like that, but those are for full-time employees and you got to pay it before you recoup,” Haddle said. “We can’t pay for employees and then recoup the money if we don’t have the money to spend in the first place.”

Hardman said there are still some 2023 invoices that haven’t been paid totaling “a couple thousand dollars” when the committee asked about any remaining expenditures. The township still owes $430,000 for 2024, she added.

Turner said those expenditures will be easy to identify because Hardman and Tom Shay, assistant to the fiscal officer, have been “really good” about setting up encumbrances and purchase orders.

Hardman said she doesn’t know where things stand with the township’s search for her replacement. Shay said his last day is Saturday, the same as Hardman, but he could come back if they find a replacement fiscal officer.

Haddle said trustees plan to review the recovery plan Dec. 3. The fiscal commission plans to meet again at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 30.