CALUMET CITY | With only three months remaining in Calumet City government's fiscal year, municipal officials are still trying to reach agreement with certain labor unions in hopes of saving the city some money.

The City Council on Tuesday met as a finance committee to hear talk of the fiscal situation, and to be updated on talks that took place earlier this week between Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush and the Fraternal Order of Police.

FOP Lodge President Mitchell Growe characterized those talks as an "informal" update of city finances.

"They gave us some paperwork related to the finances of the city," Growe said, adding the city and police unions have yet to reach agreement on how to cut police costs to help balance the budget for the fiscal year that ends April 30.

Much of Tuesday's finance committee hearing, because it involved collective bargaining and the FOP contract with the city, was held in executive session in the mayor's office at City Hall.

"It's warmer in there, for one thing," Qualkinbush said of holding the meeting in private.

Prior to the session, First Ward Alderman Ed Gonzalez said, "we're here to learn how bad things are. I know how bad they are."

Talks between Calumet City and its employees' unions reached a peak in autumn when most unions, including Firefighters Local 621, reached agreement on cost-cutting measures that included early retirements and some delays in promotions.

The FOP never reached agreement and city officials in October approved layoffs of seven police officers, only to rehire those officers three weeks later due to public criticism.

Since then, the two sides have been in a standoff, although Growe said the FOP remains committed to working out a financial deal with the city.

"We're trying to iron a few things out," Growe said.