TIFFIN, Ohio — Only hours before a Tiffin City Council meeting where Zack Perkins was voted to serve as Tiffin's next mayor, an email was sent out from a local resident to three members of council with serious accusations.
The author of the email claimed at-large councilmember Perkins was not only fired from his job at the local YMCA for having an affair with another trainer while married, but they also claim he was involved in sexual misconduct or harassment during his time at Carmie's Bar and Grill.
"Zack's behavior ended up costing Carmie's a substantial sum, not to mention traumatizing this woman for the rest of her life. How much is he going to cost taxpayers of Tiffin if he is mayor?" the author of the email wrote.
None of the three council members that received the letter brought it up in their July 11 meeting. In a statement written July 13, the city of Tiffin claims that the letter wasn't shared with interim mayor Bridget Boyle or the rest of city administration before they elected Perkins for office, and they were equally surprised when he resigned the next day.
In Perkins' resignation letter, he made no mention of the email in question.
Perkins turned down his appointment to the office of mayor and also stepped down as councilman.
WTOL 11 reached out to multiple members of city council for comment, but all deferred to Boyle. However, after multiple attempts to reach her cell and office phone, Boyle could not be reached.
This shakeup has already resulted in finger-pointing among citizens. At the monthly meeting of the Seneca County Republicans, a local elections worker, Jim Cline, questioned the entire electoral process.
"How can you set up a system? It's inside baseball! If the council people can vote, but the people outside the council can't vote, how fair is that?" Cline said.
Tiffin City Council will meet for a special meeting on Thursday, July 14, to discuss who will step up as the temporary council president and how to fill the vacancy of mayor.