NILES, Ohio - A vote on financial stability in the city of Niles is still on hold and that is not sitting well with City Council President Bob Marino.

He gave Mayor Tom Scarnecchia an ultimatum Wednesday night. Have a viable recovery plan in council's hands by December 19th or the city could be in big trouble. 

"This recovery plan is very, very serious. It really is going to dictate the survivability of our city moving forward," said Marino.

Marino says if Mayor Tom Scarnecchia's financial recovery plan is not submitted by December 19th, it will leave him no choice.

"I absolutely will move that the city institute the 85% rule. Everybody knows how serious that is. That's not the scalpel, that's the chainsaw," said Marino.

Niles finance chair Barry Steffey Jr. explained what the 85% rule is.

"That means that the state will reduce spending in every department by 15% of all budgets, so that means people, unfortunately, that means layoffs. So, we want to do everything to avoid that," he said.

Scarnecchia says he actually submitted his plan to city council members last Friday. He says it was approved by auditors, but the fiscal commission rejected it. 

"The fiscal commission has asked that he modify the plan so that he shows clear balance, 5 year forecast so that we can move forward as a city and pull out of fiscal recovery," said Steffey Jr.

The fiscal commission also wants Scarnecchia to address several capital projects in his new plan for the city. With a December 19th deadline approaching, the cities finance chair says the mayor needs to deliver.

"The plan that he puts forth is gonna pull us out of fiscal recovery and only the mayor can generate that plan. We can approve it, but it's up to him to bring it together and to draw it up," said Steffey Jr. 

Scarnecchia will meet with council members on Thursday to discuss new additions to his financial recovery plan.