Cash-Strapped City Hall Sees CUSolution

HAVERHILL, Mass. - (03/14/06) -- City fathers are looking to creditunions to help them bridge a broadening gap in municipal finances.The city is asking Haverhill Teachers CU and Haverhill MunicipalEmployees CU, which have had free use of rooms in city hall formore than two decades, to pay rent. The effort is being seen bycity officials as one to help bridge a $3.6 million budget gap.Last week, the city council declared the two rooms as surplus,clearing the way for negotiations on lease agreements with the twocredit unions. Officials said continued use of the city hallfacilities could cost each credit union as much as $1,000 amonth.