The city of Ogdensburg Fire Department is more than 150 years old. It's a career department, not volunteer.

Their union says just last year, in an acknowledgement of the city's poor financial health, it agreed to a six-year contract that eliminated four positions. Now, less than a year later, the city's budget calls for 10 of the remaining 28 positions to be eliminated.

"It's a drastic cut to public safety,” said Firefighters Local 1799 President Jason Bouchard. “It's an unnecessary cut to public safety to try to follow through on maybe some unrealistic promises made by the majority of council.”

That council majority, mostly serving its first year in office, ran on a platform that included getting finances in order.

"The money will tell us what we need to do with the fire department," Mayor Mike Skelly said. "The numbers will be determined by what we can afford."

The city says it has already cut the city's Department of Public Works and Police Department to bare minimums and the fire department was next on the list with the release of the city manager's budget proposal calling for the 10 cuts, which he says is necessary for the city’s survival.

"At some point in time, we've just got to recognize it's not sustainable, it's not affordable. We are losing population in this city again," City Manager Stephen Jellie said.

The fire union says that it understands the city’s dire financial straits. However, with what it says is the clear intent to breach a contract, hopes for good faith negotiations are limited. It’s for that reason the union has hired its own economist to break down the numbers as well.

There is a lack of trust that has led to almost a very heated battle between the two sides. Accusations and personal attacks have been made.

Thursday, Spectrum News will take a look ahead and see if this is a relationship that can be saved and why the major players don't think so.