Uniontown officials and fire department representatives met, but did not come up with alternatives to the proposed layoffs of seven firefighters and Mayor Ed Fike said he decided not to survey residents for their opinions on department staffing.

Firefighters said there was a possibility of obtaining a retention grant or federal stimulus money to keep the current complement of 13 firemen, but Fike said the money is needed now.

"We needed to do something yesterday," Fike said.

The sides met Tuesday and agreed to meet again in a couple weeks, he said.

Firemen declined to comment on the meeting and the attorney that represents their union could not be reached for comment.

At least 25 employees, including seven firemen, have to be laid off to avoid ending the year with a $220,700 deficit, the mayor said.

Seven firemen were among the 41 employees who were laid off last year and early this year. Those layoffs and a 4.5-mill real estate tax increase came after Fike reported the city inherited more than $1 million debt from the previous administration.

Some of those 41 employees have been recalled. In the agreement between the city and firemen's union, the city agreed recall all seven firemen, keep three of them on the job until Sept. 18 and the other four until Dec. 31.

This year's budget contains funding for 10 firefighters and the department's expenses were $108,000 over budget at the end of September, Fike said.

The firefighters have said they were willing to discuss concessions to keep all 13 men on the job.

They said every other city department had budget increases this year, but the fire department budget was reduced.

The layoffs would result in closing the East End Fire Station and possibly reduce emergency response times, department officials said.

Three former city mayors signed a letter asking Fike and City Council not to curtail the number of firemen.

In a Sept. 8 letter, former mayors Paul Bortz Sr., Charles D. Machesky and Robert E. Jones said they support the administration's efforts to provide effective government in difficult financial times, but the administration should look for spending cuts in all other departments before the fire and police departments.

Meanwhile, Fike said he will not survey residents to get their input about the department.

The survey would have asked residents and if they support keeping 13 firemen if it resulted in a 3/4 of a mill increase in the real estate tax rate.

After some incorrect information was found in the survey during the Sept. 6 council meeting, council adopted a resolution calling for city officials to meet with firefighters to create a new survey.

Fike said he does not believe the sides could agree on the language of the survey and the results of a survey wouldn't change the fact that three firemen are not funded in the budget and layoffs are needed, he said.

"It's about the bottom line. If the money is not there, you can't do it," Fike said.