Pontiac Firefighters are feeling the heat tonight as city leaders try to
avoid filing for bankruptcy. Firefighters have received almost $440,000 in overtime since the new fiscal started July 1. That's too much money, so says Pontiac's emergency financial manager. He claims firefighters are dragging their feet to help erase a $7 million budget defecit. Firefighters blame the old administration for not giving them answers to their questions. Both sides are now running out of time to avoid Pontiac going into
bankruptcy.

Fred Leeb
"Everyone's waiting for the fire unionS, in the past, firefighters have had this ironclad contract, nobody's been able to get cost reductions thru the fire department."

Matt Wells
"We've had some ideas we've tried to propose to the current administration before the EFM, so, we're trying to get this information to him, get him to sit down at a neutral level, get together, and work this out."

Both sides are still waiting for an arbitrator to decide how many firefighters are needed on duty at all times. There's no word on a deadline for when an agreement must be reached to avoid filing for bankruptcy.

My TV 20's Dave Leval has been following this story. Dave, what are the options to make up the budget defecit?

The Emergency Finanancial Manager tells me one fire station will be closed next week. Plus, furlough days start October 16. They will continue every other Friday until the end of the fiscal year, June 30 for non-emergency personnel. And bids end next month regarding the sale of the Pontiac Silverdome. So again, one fire station closes next week, furlough days start October 16, and the Pontiac Silverdome is expected to be sold next month.