"We're working on trying to come up with the funds," Alton Mayor Don Sandidge said.

An estimated $500,000 needs to be cut from the Alton Fire Department's budget, he said.

Because "85 percent or better" of that budget pays for employee salaries, eliminating positions would help curb departmental costs.

"If you have to cut that much money, that's the only place to go," Sandidge said.

The last four firefighters hired would be laid off, he said. The position of inspection chief, currently held by Assistant Chief Mike Harvey, would be eliminated after Harvey's upcoming retirement.

Such cuts "wouldn't happen until April 1 of our new fiscal year," Sandidge said.

No decisions have been made, as city officials await word from the city's attorney.

"We don't know when that court hearing is set," Sandidge said. "When a firm date is set, we'll have a plan."

Alton Fire Chief John Sowders met with staff this week to inform them about the department's budget issues and the possible loss of jobs.

"We're trying to solicit input from the union, also," Sowders said. "This is all preliminary planning, but we have to prepare for this."

The department's current 64-person staff would drop to 59, he said. The number of staff has decreased in the past several years, from 69 to 64 employees. But the number of shifts has increased -- from three to four, with 15 firefighters on duty daily. Only 14 firefighters would work each day if jobs were eliminated. A handful of firefighters are nearing possible retirement, either by age or years of service, but that doesn't mean they would choose to retire.

The department also would lose equipment, Sowders said. One rescue vehicle would be shut down permanently, because there wouldn't be enough people to staff it.

"If we have to cut people, we're cutting services," he said.

The city's Building and Zoning Department would take on responsibilities currently held by the inspection chief, such as ensuring fire inspection codes are up to date.

The president of Alton Firefighters Local 1255, Robert Franke, said union members are "in limbo" as to what might happen.

"We've been told it depends on how the lawsuit goes," he said.

Sandidge said the city has not been in this type of financial situation since he took office.

"It's something I'm not really happy about doing," Sandidge said about possibly cutting jobs. "We've always been able to work it out, but this time it looks like the courts will make the decision. This is the plan we're going to recommend to the judge. I think they'll probably go along with our plan; if not, it would be a disaster for them, the city and the Fire Department."

Written by The Telegraph