NORTON: Starting Jan. 1, , the city’s new fire station will no longer be manned each day from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.City Council announced the decision during a special meeting Thursday in the wake of two levy failures that affected the Norton Fire Department.City Administrator Rick Ryland said at the meeting that nine fire/EMS employees will lose their jobs beginning Monday, and 41 shifts will be eliminated from the schedule.“This move will save this city $34,000 between now and the end of this year,” Ryland told the council.The station will continue to be staffed around the clock until the end of the year.“The delay [in eliminating the overnight shift] will give us the opportunity to figure exactly what to do next year,” Ryland said. “It’ll be what we had before 2007.”Beginning the first of the year, the city will cut 79 shifts with a proposed savings of approximately $370,000 in 2012.“The situation is very dangerous,” Ryland continued. He explained structure fires will be undermanned, and mutual aid from other communities probably will end.“Cities such as Barberton, Wadsworth, Copley and Akron have always given us mutual aid when we needed them,” he said. “Now, we will not be able to reciprocate that service, and any aid given in a fire or EMS emergency will be billed to the homeowner or person in need.”Ward 1 Councilman, Todd Bergstrom asked if the budget could be “redone” to provide around-the-clock fire staffing.City Finance Director John Moss replied that while revisions could be possible, other services would be severely affected and other cuts applied.“Road work and snow removal, along with most other services, would be reduced dramatically,” he said.Ryland also said the reductions will greatly affect EMS staffing. Instead of possessing the ability to handle as many as three EMS calls at a time, only one will be possible. Others will require mutual aid from neighboring communities.Voters on Tuesday rejected a 2-mill, five-year replacement levy for EMS. The gap was nearly 600 votes out of about 4,400 cast. They turned down the 2.6-mill, five-year replacement for fire protection by an even wider margin, about 1,000 votes.Ryland suggested a special election be held as soon as possible. Upon researching, however, it was determined the first opportunity would be no earlier than Ohio’s scheduled March 6 primary.“I suggest a levy of 4.6 mills be asked of the voters, which will add a total of $84 of taxes each year to a property worth $100,000,” Ryland said. “That is the same millage the voters just turned down.”