Niles Council is expected to give final 'okay' on revised financ - WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio

Tuesday night, Niles Council could give the final "okay" on a revised financial plan for the city. 

The plan is supposed to get the city back on track. But, in the final hours, there remains some concern.

In a second reading on Monday, council took just minutes to vote 5-2 in favor of the mayor's revised financial plan.

Those opposed say it boils down to the mayor's plan to keep dispatch rather than contract 911 services through the county.

"I came to the conclusion that it's all about numbers and cost saving measures and at the end of five years the number just favored the dispatchers moving to 911," said Niles Councilman Steve Mientkiewicz.

A third and final reading is scheduled for Tuesday. 

"It's their privilege and their prerogative that they can vote no," said Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia. "Tomorrow night, everything going right, it will pass because we have a majority vote 'yes.'"

If the plan passes, the city will meet with the state on March 17th to review the plan line by line.

In the meantime, the city continues to hold town hall meetings encouraging residents to vote in support of a half percent income tax increase for safety forces.

At a meeting Monday, some asked how the city can guarantee they will be good stewards of the money.

"If there is any time, it's the present because our friends from the State of Ohio are on us every day and I think that's a good thing," said Niles Councilman Ryan McNaughton.

In addition to recent layoffs of police and fire, the city laid off seven service workers. Four are indefinite layoffs, according to the city's service director. The other three were bumped to other union positions paid for through an enterprise fund rather than the general fund, which means a savings of roughly $350,000 from the general fund.