At the end of May the city of Warren was facing a million dollar deficit in it's general fund and even though officials did some belt tightening...Auditor Dave Griffing says the deficit did not get any better.

     Mayor Mike O'Brien is now saying layoffs are a possibility. The mayor says before any layoffs are made he wants to sit down with the city's union leaders and discuss if other alternatives can be made.

     O'Brien says one possibility is offering reduced work weeks to some city employees. The mayor stressed that he wants to avoid cutting services to city residents.

     "Over 85 percent of our general fund budget is going to wages and fringes and with that percentage and we are collecting less and less in taxes, somethings got to give," said Councilman Al Novak.

      The administration has tried to reduce the general fund by transferring three workers to other departments, like waste water, that have their own source of revenue and are not paid out of the general fund.

       "What I'd like to see is the administration do what they do and that is manage the money they and the people they have responsibly," said Councilman Bob Dean.

      Dean says he is hoping council will meet with the administration again soon and come up with other ways to help save money.